Which place is cheaper, Sihanoukville or Hualien?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Hualien or Sihanoukville?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Hualien or Sihanoukville, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Hualien or Sihanoukville?
Hualien
If you're looking for hustle and bustle, head to Taipei. If you're looking for fresh air and the prettiest town by the sea, Hualien is the place to be. With many national parks to explore, cliffs and mountains to climb and beaches to get some rest and relaxation, there's plenty to do, especially for nature lovers and those who crave peace and quiet, away from the bigger cities in Taiwan.
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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Taipei, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Taiwan, The Best Bicycle Tours in Cambodia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Cambodia.
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Hualien Prices
Taiwan PricesSihanoukville Prices
Cambodia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHualien $136Sihanoukville $65
The average daily cost (per person) in Hualien is $136, 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 Hualien and Sihanoukville in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHualien $60Sihanoukville $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHualien $120Sihanoukville $46
Compare Hotels in Hualien and Sihanoukville
Looking for a hotel in Hualien 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Hualien $29Sihanoukville $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hualien
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hualien:
- Private Transfer from Hualien Cruise Port to Taipei city hotels: $280
- Private Transfer from Hualien Port to Taipei Taoyuan Airport TPE: $280
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sihanoukville
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sihanoukville:
- Transfer: Between Airport and Shihanouk ville: $20
- Sihanoukville International Airport Transfers: $23
- Sihanoukville Airport Transfers: $25
- Private Transfer From Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh: $35
- Convenient Taxi Transfers from Sihanoukville to Kampot: $36
- 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 to/from Battambang - Sihanoukville: $115
- Private Transfer in Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh by Alphard 2010: $180
- Private Taxi Transfer to Kampot: $224
Is it cheaper to fly into Hualien or Sihanoukville?
Prices for flights to both Sihanoukville and Hualien 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 dayHualien $56Sihanoukville $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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Hualien $21Sihanoukville $5.37
Tours and Activities in Hualien
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Hualien are as follows:
- Wild ATV Self-driving Experience: $43
- Taroko, Qingshui Cliff, Xincheng Old Street & Qixingtan Day Tour: $80
- Hualien Changhong Bridge SUP Day tour: $85
- Shuimutin Exclusive SUP Day tour(Hualien to Taitung): $89
- Exclusive Private Taroko Gorge Day Tour with Local English Guide: $121
- 2025 Taroko Gorge Tour Excellent Cultural Stories , 8 Hours: $130
- Full-Day Private Taroko National Park Tour from Hualien City: $139
- Taroko Gorge, Qingshui Cliffs & Qixingtan Beach Tour from Hualien: $159
- Liyu Lake, Sugar Factory, and Ruisui Ranch Tour: $320
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
- Kampot Tour Pepper Plantation, Salt Field, Cave, Secret Lake: $21
- 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
- Full day Tour, Countryside, Pepper farm & Kep, crab market...: $25
- SUP Tour in Mangrove Forest of Koh Rong Sanloem: $28
- Bokor Mountain Adventure - History, Sights and Waterfalls: $29
- Kampot Day Tour "Bokor National Park": $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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHualien $15Sihanoukville $4.42
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Hualien and Sihanoukville, we can see that Hualien 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 Hualien would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Hualien 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 Hualien Expensive? and Is Sihanoukville Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Hualien or Sihanoukville?
Hualien has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Sihanoukville. When comparing the sizes of Hualien 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.