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

Should you visit Xiamen or Sihanoukville?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Xiamen and Sihanoukville can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Xiamen or Sihanoukville?

Xiamen

Xiamen is a coastal city in the Fujian Province of China and has been a major port city and gateway to China for centuries. This vibrant and modern city was named the most livable city in the world in 2002 and one of the first cities to be named a Special Economic Zone. Xiamen is best known for being home to Gulangyu Island, a beautiful island full of historic colonial buildings and lovely walking paths.

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 Hiking & Trekking Tours in China, The Best Historical Tours in China, The Best Bicycle Tours in Cambodia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Cambodia.


Which place is cheaper, Sihanoukville or Xiamen?

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 Xiamen is $84, while the average daily cost in Sihanoukville is $65. 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 Xiamen and Sihanoukville in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Xiamen $31
    Sihanoukville $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Xiamen $62
    Sihanoukville $46
Compare Hotels in Xiamen and Sihanoukville

Looking for a hotel in Xiamen 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.

Hotels in Xiamen


Hotels in Sihanoukville


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.


Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Xiamen $6.08
    Sihanoukville $14

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Xiamen

Also for Xiamen, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer Service between Xiamen City and Yongding Hakka Tulou : $115
  • Private Arrival Transfer from Gaoqi Airport to Xiamen City Hotel: $10
  • Private Transfer Between Xiamen City and HongKeng Hakka Tulou Cluster: $89
  • Private Transfer Service between Xiamen and Anxi : $89
  • Private Transfer between Xiamen City and Hui'an county in Quanzhou: $89
  • Private Transfer between Xiamen City and Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster : $89
  • Private Transfer from Xiamen North Railway Station to City Area: $19
  • Private Transfer to Gaobei Tulou and Hongkeng Tulou from Xiamen City: $98
  • Private Transfer to Gaobei Tulou and Yunshuiyao Village from Xiamen City: $98
  • Private Transfer to Hongkeng Tulou and Yunshuiyao Village from Xiamen City: $98
  • Private Transfer to Tianluokeng Tulou and Hekeng Hakka Tulou from Xiamen City : $98
  • Private Transfer to Tianluokeng and HekengHakka Tulou fromXiamen: $90

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sihanoukville

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sihanoukville:

  • Transfer: Between Airport and Shihanouk ville: $20
  • Private Taxi Transfer to Kampot: $224
  • Sihanoukville To Phnom Penh Private Transfer Mini-Van-Car: $65
  • Sihanoukville International Airport Transfers: $23
  • Sihanoukville Airport Transfers: $25
  • Private taxi transfer from Sihanoukville to Battambang: $290
  • Private Transfer to/from Battambang - Sihanoukville: $115
  • Private Transfer in Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh by Alphard 2010: $180
  • Private Transfer From Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh: $35
  • Private Taxi Transfer Sihanoukville - Battambang Car - Mini-Van: $107
  • Private Taxi Transfer From Kampot - Phnom Penh City: $46
  • Private Shuttle Transfer From Sihanoukville - Phnom Penh: $57

Is it cheaper to fly into Xiamen or Sihanoukville?

Prices for flights to both Sihanoukville and Xiamen 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
    Xiamen $46
    Sihanoukville $32

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
  • Sihanoukville - Khmer Traditional Cooking Class: $110

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Xiamen $16
    Sihanoukville $5.37

Tours and Activities in Xiamen

For Xiamen, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Sailing & Sea Experience.: $22
  • Quanzhou Kaiyuan Temple & Luoyang Bridge Tour: $70
  • Xiamen Private English Tour Guide Service: $93
  • Xiamen Private Half Day Tour of Gulangyu Island and Shuzhuang Garden: $97
  • A Night Tour to Xiamen Gulang Island: $100
  • 4-Hour Xiamen Private Local Food Market Experience: $103
  • 4-hour Xiamen Private Flexible Tour in Your Way: $115
  • 4-Hour Xiamen Private Shore Excursion Tour in Your Way: $121
  • Shanghai Metro Tour: $127
  • Xiamen Layover Day Tour-Gulangyu,Shuzhuang Garden And Piano Museum: $132
  • Xiamen Half-Day Private Tour include Gulang Yu Island and Garden : $135
  • Tour Guide and Car: Private Day Tour to Yunshuiyao Ancient Village from Xiamen: $140

Tours and Activities in Sihanoukville

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

  • Small Group Sihanoukville City Tour: $59
  • Best Sihanoukville Day Tours from Cruise Port : $79
  • Best of Kep, Kampot from Sihanoukville Cruise Port: $259
  • Best of Sihanoukville City Tour from Cruise Port: $75
  • Bokor Mountain Adventure - History, Sights and Waterfalls: $29
  • Day trip from Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh for Cruise Ship: $180
  • Discovery Tour: Caving, Climbing, Via Ferrata and Abseiling in Kampot: $53
  • Exploring Bokor National Park Full-Day Tour from Sihanoukville: $99
  • Exploring Kampot: A Memorable Tour from Sihanoukville: $63
  • Exploring Shore Excursions from Cruise Ports: $59
  • Exploring the Best of Kampot and Kep in a Full-Day Tour: $55
  • From Phnom Penh Day Trip for Cruise Ship Guests: $189

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Xiamen $17
    Sihanoukville $4.42


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Xiamen and Sihanoukville, we can see that Xiamen 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 Xiamen would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Xiamen 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 Xiamen Expensive? and Is Sihanoukville Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Xiamen or Sihanoukville?

Xiamen has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Sihanoukville. When comparing the sizes of Xiamen 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.