Should you visit Taipei or Siem Reap?
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 Taipei and Siem Reap. 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: Taipei or Siem Reap?
Taipei
Few cities in the world are full of more diverse opportunities than the cultural crosshairs city of Taipei. As the capital of Taiwan, this 300-year-old city is the financial, cultural and governmental center of Taiwan. Located in the northern part of the island between the Yangming Mountains and Central Mountains, this city of 2.6 million people is always ready to welcome more visitors.
Siem Reap
Located in northern Cambodia, Siem Reap is the closest town to Cambodia's famous Angkor Wat. It is a comfortable and laid back town and most visitors use it as a base to explore the country's most visited destination. Although Siem Reap was once a quaint village, it has continued to grow and change to meet the needs of the many tourists who visit every year. Siem Reap has become a very touristy town with easy access to restaurants, hotels, and shops. It also has a large expatriate community and the western influences are unavoidable. Although prices remain quite low, they are higher than you might find elsewhere in Cambodia.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in Taiwan, The Best Tours for Seniors to Taiwan, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Phnom Penh, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Siem Reap.
Which place is cheaper, Siem Reap or Taipei?
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 Taipei is $206, while the average daily cost in Siem Reap is $94. 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 Taipei and Siem Reap in more detail.
Accommodation
Looking for a hotel in Taipei or Siem Reap? 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:
Taipei Hotel Prices and
Siem Reap Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Taipei
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Taipei:
-
Easycard
$2.15
-
Easycard
$9.92
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Taipei
Also for Taipei, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Beito to Taipei Taoyuan Airport (TPE)-Departure Transfer:
$192
-
Bruns 9 seater, charter tour, business transfer, airport transfer, round-the-island charter tour:
$299
-
Jiufen: one-way private transfer to or from Taipei City:
$42
-
Keelung (Taipei) Cruise Port to Taipei city - Arrival Private Transfer :
$104
-
Keelung Cruise Port to Taiwan Taoyuan Airport (TPE) - Departure Private Transfer:
$144
-
Keelung(Taipei) Cruise Port to Taipei-Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$208
-
Keelung: one-way private transfer to or from Taipei City:
$42
-
Luxury Chartered Private Transfer Taoyuan Airport to Taipei City:
$140
-
Luxury Chartered Private Transfer from Taipei to Taoyuan Airport:
$139
-
One-way Private Transfer between Jiufen and Taipei:
$42
-
Private Transfer from Keelung (Taipei) Cruise Port to Taipei City:
$76
-
Private Transfer from Keelung Port to Taiwan Taoyuan Airport(TPE):
$133
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Siem Reap
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Siem Reap:
-
Tuk Tuk Ride
$13
-
Bike Rentals
$1.93
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Siem Reap
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Siem Reap:
-
Transfer Siem Reap to Sihanoukville Safe Private Taxi Driver:
$224
-
Taxi Transfer Siem Reap to Kratie - English Speaking Driver:
$360
-
Taxi Phnom Penh to Kampot, Safe Transfer Private Car Driver:
$90
-
Private Transfers Siem Reap City to Airport:
$20
-
Private Transfer to/from Sihanoukville:
$137
-
Private Transfer to/from Battambang:
$63
-
Private Taxi Transfer to/from Poipet:
$63
-
Private Taxi Transfer to/from Battambang:
$190
-
Phare, Cambodian Circus with Tuk-Tuk Transfers:
$27
-
Phare Circus Ticket with Tuk Tuk Transfer:
$32
-
Kompong Phluk Floating Village with Transfers:
$20
-
Angkor National Museum Ticket with Transfer:
$24
Is it cheaper to fly into Taipei or Siem Reap?
Prices for flights to both Siem Reap and Taipei 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
Taipei $29
Siem Reap $28
Typical Food Prices in Taipei
For Taipei, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
EasyCard
$17
-
Lunch at The Can
$7.28
-
EasyCard
$33
-
Lunch
$3.14
-
Lunch
$1.98
-
Dinner
$6.62
-
Lunch
$3.80
-
Lunch
$4.96
-
Louisa coffee
$3.14
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Taipei
For Taipei, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Taipei Food Tour Taiwan Traditional Breakfast and Market and Tea:
$45
-
Food Tours w/ Top 10 Taiwan Food (Breakfast/Dinner):
$45
-
Taipei Food Tour: Night Market & Convenience Store(Food Included):
$45
-
Taipei Walking Food Tour in Ningxia Night Market(10 Foods Incl.):
$45
-
Local Favorites: Taiwan Night Market Food Tour in 2 hours:
$49
-
Street Food & Hidden Eats Night Market Food Tour:
$55
-
Taipei Hidden Eats, Market & Street Food Tour with 8+ Tastings:
$55
-
Xiao long bao, Pork thick soup, Bubble milk tea. (Taiwan Cooking Class)-B :
$65
-
Private Walking Food Tour in Ningxia Night Market(10 Foods Incl.):
$70
-
Xiao Long Bao, Chicken vermicelli with mushroom and sesame oil, Tofu strips salad, Bubble milk tea. Taiwan Traditional Delicacies Experience-A (Taipei Cooking Class):
$77
-
Iconic Food Tour: Local Street Food, Drinks & Sites:
$82
-
Private Street Food Tour of Taipei with a Local Guide:
$84
Typical Food Prices in Siem Reap
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Siem Reap:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Siem Reap
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Siem Reap.
-
A Spectacular Show with Optional Dinner:
$18
-
Apsara Dance Show with Dinner by Tuk-Tuk Roundtrip Transfer:
$19
-
Apsara Performance with Dinner include Pick up & Drop off:
$22
-
Apsara Performance Including Buffet Dinner & Hotel Pick up:
$22
-
Buffet Dinner Apsara Show with hotel transfers:
$22
-
Apsara Dance Show and Dinner with Hotel Pickup:
$22
-
Apsara Show Including Dinner & Hotel Pickup:
$23
-
Dinner and Traditional Show with Hotel Transfer:
$24
-
Apsara Dance Show with Buffet Dinner & Tuk-Tuk...:
$26
-
A Night To Remember: Apsara Dance Show with Buffet Dinner:
$27
-
Dinner Show Apsara Dance, Pickup round trip included:
$27
-
Apsara Theatre Performance include Dinner & hotel pick up:
$29
Entertainment
Tours and Activities in Taipei
For Taipei, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
-
Taipei's Origin & Longshan Temple - Taiwan Cultural Tour:
$0.50
-
Old Town Walking Tour:
$0.55
-
Vintage Taipei - Best of Taiwan and Sunset Walking Tour:
$1.20
-
Chiang Kai-Shek Shilin Residence Ticket:
$3.28
-
Zoo Entrance Ticket:
$4.33
-
Walking Tours in Taipei Dihua, Longshan Temple, Shuanglian Market:
$5.00
-
Taipei's Origin & Longshan Temple - Taiwan Cultural Walking Tour:
$5.00
-
Night Market Walking Tours in Shilin, Ningxia, Longshan, Ximen:
$5.00
-
Taipei Historic Shared Walking Tour:
$5.00
-
Miramar Ferris Wheel Ticket:
$6.57
-
Taiwan Museum, MOCA Taipei & Miniatures Museum Entry Tickets:
$8.53
-
Taipei Self-Guided Audio Tour:
$9.00
Typical Entertainment Prices in Siem Reap
Here are a few typical costs in Siem Reap for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
Tours and Activities in Siem Reap
Here are a few actual costs in Siem Reap for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
-
03 Hours Countryside tours:
$88
-
1 Day Private of Angkor Wat Tour with Tuk Tuk:
$15
-
1-Day Angkor Wat Private Tour with Spanish Tour Guide.:
$125
-
1-Day private Angkor Temple Tour from Siem Reap:
$27
-
2 Day Angkor Wat Private Tour:
$245
-
2 Day Cambodia Private Guided Tour in Angkor Temples:
$119
-
2-Day Angkor Tour with Sunrise, Sunset & Banteay Srei temple:
$160
-
2-Day Angkor Wat With Small, Big Circuit & Banteay Srei Tour:
$123
-
2-Days Angkor & Banteay Srei & Kulen Mountian Waterfall Tour:
$126
-
2-Days Angkor Sunrise & Banteay Srei Tour:
$105
-
2-Days Angkor Wat with Sunrise and Sunset-Siem Reap Tour:
$46
-
3 Day Siem Reap Tour Phnom Penh Shooting Experience Video:
$128
Alcohol
Sample the Local Flavors in Taipei
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Taipei:
-
Taipei Nightlife: Taipei Pub Crawls (2 Different Routes):
$27
-
Private Tour to Yilan Kavalan Whisky Distillery:
$145
Sample the Local Flavors in Siem Reap
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Siem Reap:
-
Mad Monkey Siem Reap Pub Crawl:
$12
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Taipei and Siem Reap, we can see that Taipei is more expensive. And not only is Siem Reap much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Siem Reap would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Siem Reap 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 Taipei would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Taipei than you might in Siem Reap.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Taipei Expensive? and Is Siem Reap Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Taipei or Siem Reap?
Taipei has a larger population, and is about 90 times larger than the population of Siem Reap. When comparing the sizes of Taipei and Siem Reap, 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.
Related Articles for Taipei
Related Articles for Siem Reap