A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Sihanoukville vs. Tauranga for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Sihanoukville or Tauranga?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Sihanoukville or Tauranga? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Sihanoukville or Tauranga?

Sihanoukville

Sihanoukville, also known by locals as Kompong Som, was named after King Sihanouk. Also Cambodia's youngest city, construction started in 1955 to build Cambodia's first and only deep water port so that ships would no longer have to go through the Mekong Delta in order to trade with Cambodia. Today, many visit Sihanoukville as a hub to visit Cambodia's islands.

Tauranga

Tauranga is a city on the North Island of New Zealand. It is situated on the western side of the Bay of Plenty, which is on the east coast of the island. Its population of 130,000 makes it the fifth largest city in the country. Tauranga is a Maori word translated roughly to 'a sheltered anchorage'. This makes sense as the town is located near a very large harbor and protected by Matakana Island. Mount Maunganui is at the headland of the town and regarded as a suburb of Tauranga. The beach at Mt Maunganui is a surfing hot spot. The climate is mostly warm and dry because of the town's sheltered position.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Bicycle Tours in Cambodia, The Best Adventure Tours to Cambodia, The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand, and The Best Eco Tours in New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Tauranga or Sihanoukville?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Sihanoukville is $65, while the average daily cost in Tauranga is $118. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Sihanoukville and Tauranga in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Sihanoukville $23
    Tauranga $74
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Sihanoukville $46
    Tauranga $148
Compare Hotels in Sihanoukville and Tauranga

Looking for a hotel in Sihanoukville or Tauranga? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Sihanoukville


Hotels in Tauranga


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Tauranga Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Sihanoukville $14
    Tauranga $6.75

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sihanoukville

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sihanoukville:

  • Sihanoukville Airport Transfers: $25
  • Private Taxi Transfer From Kampot - Phnom Penh City: $46
  • Private Shuttle Transfer From Sihanoukville - Phnom Penh: $57
  • Sihanoukville To Phnom Penh Private Transfer Mini-Van-Car: $65
  • Private Taxi Transfer Sihanoukville - Battambang Car - Mini-Van: $107
  • Private Transfer in Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh by Alphard 2010: $180

Is it cheaper to fly into Sihanoukville or Tauranga?

Prices for flights to both Tauranga and Sihanoukville change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Sihanoukville $32
    Tauranga $37

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sihanoukville

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Sihanoukville.

  • Cooking class in Kampot: $20

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Sihanoukville $5.37
    Tauranga $10

Tours and Activities in Sihanoukville

Here are a few actual costs in Sihanoukville for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Tuktuk Countryside tour: Pepper farm, Salt field & Secret lake: $18
  • La Plantation tour (discovering Kampot Pepper) + Lunch: $21
  • Kampot Tour Pepper Plantation, Salt Field, Cave, Secret Lake: $21
  • Half day tour with countryside include Pepper farm Kampot : $22
  • Full day Tour, Countryside, Pepper farm & Kep, crab market...: $25
  • Kampot Countryside Tour - Pepper Farm, Salt Lake, Caves, and more: $25
  • SUP Tour in Mangrove Forest of Koh Rong Sanloem: $28
  • Kampot Day Tour "Bokor National Park": $29
  • Bokor Mountain Adventure - History, Sights and Waterfalls: $29
  • Half-Day Adventure to the Pepper Farm by Scooter: $30
  • Full Day Pepper Farm Adventure by Scooter: $45
  • Kampot Countryside & Kayak Tour, Pepper Farm include lunch : $46

Tours and Activities in Tauranga

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tauranga are as follows:

  • Mount Maunganui Hot Pools Experience: $16
  • Mount Maunganui: Hot Ocean Water Pools Entry Ticket: $16
  • Mount Maunganui Harbour Sightseeing Cruise: $23
  • Tauranga Harbour Scenic One Hour Historical Boat Cruise : $24
  • Waimarino Adventure Park Supreme Pass Entry Ticket: $35
  • Katikati Avocado Adventure: $35
  • TAURANGA City & Scenic Sightseeing 2-hour Local Bus Tour: $47
  • Tauranga City & Scenic Sightseeing 2-hour Tour: $47
  • Tauranga Harbour Cruise: $56
  • Tauranga Shore Excursion: Small-Group Bay of Plenty and Tauranga Tour: $67
  • New Zealand Tauranga Tour with Transportation and Snacks: $75
  • Scenic Short Hike Tour - Papamoa Hills and McLaren Falls: $77

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Sihanoukville $4.42
    Tauranga $10


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sihanoukville and Tauranga, we can see that Tauranga is more expensive. And not only is Sihanoukville much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Sihanoukville is in Asia and Tauranga is in Pacific, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Sihanoukville would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sihanoukville and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Tauranga would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tauranga than you might in Sihanoukville.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Sihanoukville Expensive? and Is Tauranga Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Sihanoukville or Tauranga?

Sihanoukville has a larger population, and is about 42% larger than the population of Tauranga. When comparing the sizes of Sihanoukville and Tauranga, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.