Which place is cheaper, Sihanoukville or Tanah Rata?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Tanah Rata or Sihanoukville?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Tanah Rata or Sihanoukville? 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: Tanah Rata or Sihanoukville?
Tanah Rata
Tanah Rata is one of the main tourist towns in the Cameron Highlands. The Cameron Highlands are in western Malaysia and are a popular retreat for Malaysian residents and international travelers alike. The area's higher elevation offers an often much needed break from the country's oppressive heat. It also has a beautiful setting that is rich in agriculture and has rolling hills that are beautifully covered in tea plantations. Tanah Rata has many of the area's tourist amenities. ATMS, banks, and the area's main hospital are all found in town. For some, the area feels too touristy, but if you linger longer, and explore on your own, you can easily escape the mass tourism and see the area for what it is.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Malaysia, The Best 2-Week Tours in Malaysia, The Best Bicycle Tours in Cambodia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Cambodia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTanah Rata $158Sihanoukville $51
The average daily cost (per person) in Tanah Rata is $158, while the average daily cost in Sihanoukville is $51. 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 Tanah Rata and Sihanoukville in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTanah Rata $77Sihanoukville $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTanah Rata $154Sihanoukville $46
Compare Hotels in Tanah Rata and Sihanoukville
Looking for a hotel in Tanah Rata or Sihanoukville? 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.
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: Tanah Rata Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Tanah Rata $34Sihanoukville $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tanah Rata
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tanah Rata:
- Cameron Highland to KUL Hotel (One Way Transfer): $153
- Cameron Highland to Kuala Besut Jetty One Way SIC Transfer: $152
- Cameron Highlands City To Kuala Lumpur City Transfer: $94
- Cameron Highlands City to Kuala Lumpur City One-way Transfer: $92
- Cameron Highlands Hotels to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer: $94
- Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur Airport Departure Transfer: $110
- Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer: $93
- Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer: $93
- CameronHighland CityHotel to KualaLumpur Airport One-way Transfer: $109
- Chauffeur: Cameron Highlands to Singapore Van Transfer: $123
- Departure Transfer from Cameron Highland to KLIA/KLIA2: $169
- Shared Transfer : Cameron Highland to Taman Negara via Kuala Tembeling Jetty: $152
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sihanoukville
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sihanoukville:
- Private Shuttle Transfer From Sihanoukville - Phnom Penh: $57
- Private Taxi Transfer From Kampot - Phnom Penh City: $46
- Private Taxi Transfer Kampot - Sihanoukville: $75
- Private Taxi Transfer Siem Reap From/To Sihanoukville: $239
- Private Taxi transfer from Sihanoukvile to Battambang City: $116
- Private Taxi transfer from Sihanoukvile to Battambang City: $145
- Private Taxi transfer from Sihanoukvile to Battambang City: $145
- Private Transfer From Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh: $25
- Private Transfer between Sihanoukville Airport and Hotels or Port: $25
- Private Transfer to/from Battambang - Sihanoukville: $115
- Private taxi transfer from Sihanoukville to Battambang: $290
- Sihanouk Ville Airport (KOS) Pickup/Transfer Private Car: $29
Is it cheaper to fly into Tanah Rata or Sihanoukville?
Prices for flights to both Sihanoukville and Tanah Rata 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
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Food Meals for one dayTanah Rata $51Sihanoukville $18
Typical Food Prices in Tanah Rata
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Tanah Rata:
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Dinner for Two$6.55
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Dessert$0.73
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Lunch$4.61
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Afternoon tea$4.48
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
- Cooking Class at La Plantation: $35
- Sihanoukville - Khmer Traditional Cooking Class: $110
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Tanah Rata $39Sihanoukville $5.33
Typical Entertainment Prices in Tanah Rata
Here are a few typical costs in Tanah Rata for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Tea Factory Visit$6.55
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Tour of Orang Asli Village$24
Tours and Activities in Tanah Rata
Here are a few actual costs in Tanah Rata for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Cameron Highlands Sightseing Tour: $33
- Cameron Highlands: Agro Delight Tour: $61
- Cameron Highlands Full Day Tour: $75
- Cameron Highlands City to Kuala Lumpur Airport EN-ROUTE Batu Caves Tour: $109
- Cameron Highlands City Hotels to Kuala Lumpur Airport EN-ROUTE Batu Caves Tour: $110
- Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur International Airport EN-ROUTE Batu Caves Tour: $110
- Special Cameron Highlands ~ Day tour;Solo;Couple;Group: $292
Tours and Activities in Sihanoukville
Here are a few actual costs in Sihanoukville for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- La Plantation tour (discovering Kampot Pepper) + Lunch: $21
- Half day tour with countryside include Pepper farm Kampot : $22
- Kampot Countryside Tour - Pepper Farm, Salt Lake, Caves, and more: $25
- Koh Rong Island Speed Ferry Round-Trip Ticket: $25
- Koh Rong: Round-Trip Speed Ferry Tickets: $25
- Pepper Farm guided tour, salt field, secret lake and Kep: $25
- Half-Day Adventure to the Pepper Farm by Scooter: $25
- Kampot Tour Pepper Plantation, Salt Field, Cave, Secret Lake: $25
- Full day Tour, Countryside, Pepper farm & Kep, crab market...: $28
- Bokor Mountain Adventure - History, Sights and Waterfalls: $29
- Kampot Day Tour "Bokor National Park": $29
- Kampot countryside, Pepper farm and Kayak tour including lunch : $44
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTanah Rata $22Sihanoukville $4.38
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tanah Rata and Sihanoukville, we can see that Tanah Rata is more expensive. And not only is Sihanoukville much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Tanah Rata would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tanah Rata 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 Tanah Rata Expensive? and Is Sihanoukville Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Tanah Rata or Sihanoukville?
Sihanoukville has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Tanah Rata. When comparing the sizes of Tanah Rata and Sihanoukville, 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.