Which place is cheaper, Sihanoukville or Pingyao?
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 Pingyao or Sihanoukville?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Pingyao and Sihanoukville. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Pingyao or Sihanoukville?
Pingyao
Pingyao is a small city in the Shanxi Province of China, dating back over 2700 years. The city is most famous for their old town, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The old town is one of the best preserved ancient walled cities in the world dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
The climate in Pingyao is influenced by monsoons, and therefore gets hot and humid summers and chillier springs. Autumn is a great time to visit as temperatures are fairly mild-in the 50-60's Fahrenheit- and you can avoid the heavy rains of summer. Winter is also a pleasant time to visit, especially since temperatures tend not to dip below 30 and there is not much snow or bad weather.
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 Historical Tours in China, The Best 10-Day Tours in China, The Best Bicycle Tours in Cambodia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Cambodia.
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Pingyao Prices
China PricesSihanoukville Prices
Cambodia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPingyao $69Sihanoukville $65
The average daily cost (per person) in Pingyao is $69, 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 Pingyao and Sihanoukville in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPingyao $23Sihanoukville $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPingyao $46Sihanoukville $46
Compare Hotels in Pingyao and Sihanoukville
Looking for a hotel in Pingyao 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.Pingyao $13Sihanoukville $14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Pingyao
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Pingyao:
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Taxi to Train Station$1.40
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 Pingyao or Sihanoukville?
Prices for flights to both Sihanoukville and Pingyao 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 dayPingyao $34Sihanoukville $32
Typical Food Prices in Pingyao
Some typical examples of dining costs in Pingyao are as follows:
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Casual Lunch (for 2)$5.05
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Mango Juice$0.70
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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Pingyao $19Sihanoukville $5.37
Typical Entertainment Prices in Pingyao
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Pingyao are as follows:
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All Day Bike Rental (for 2)$2.80
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Temple Entrance Fee (for 2)$7.01
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Bike Parking Fee (for 2)$0.56
Tours and Activities in Pingyao
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Pingyao are as follows:
- Shuanglin Temple Tour or Entry Ticket Only Option: $18
- Pingyao Ancient City Full-Day Walking Tour: $145
- From Taiyuan: UNESCO Historic Temples & Grand Mansions Tour: $276
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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPingyao $14Sihanoukville $4.42
When comparing the travel costs between Pingyao and Sihanoukville, we can see that Pingyao is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Pingyao Expensive? and Is Sihanoukville Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Pingyao or Sihanoukville?
Sihanoukville has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Pingyao. When comparing the sizes of Pingyao 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.