Is Kampot cheaper than Sihanoukville?

Yes — Kampot runs noticeably cheaper across the board, with a typical 1-bed around $250–$450/mo versus $350–$600/mo in Sihanoukville. A room in Kampot can start from ~$150.

Is Kampot or Sihanoukville better for beaches?

Sihanoukville, clearly — it’s the mainland launch point for Koh Rong and Koh Rong Sanloem, a short ferry away. Kampot is riverside, not beachfront, though Kep’s coast and crab market are a short trip away.

Which is quieter, Kampot or Sihanoukville?

Kampot, by a wide margin — a sleepy riverside town versus Sihanoukville’s busier, casino-driven downtown. Sihanoukville does have calmer pockets in Otres and toward Ream.

Cambodia · Comparison·6 min read·11 August 2026

Kampot vs Sihanoukville: Which Cambodian Coastal Town Is Right for You? (2026)

Cambodia’s two well-known coastal bases pull in different directions: a slow riverside town versus a livelier beach city with island access. Both are US-dollar, low-friction places to rent directly with no guarantor. Here’s the practical head-to-head. Full detail in the Kampot guide and the Sihanoukville guide.

Cost & rent

Kampot

A room or studio from $150–$300, a 1-bed apartment or small house $250–$450, and a riverside house with a garden $400–$700. The cheapest of the two by some margin.

Sihanoukville

A central studio/1-bed $200–$400, a modern 1-bed apartment $350–$600, and a 2-bed with a pool $500–$900. More expensive, but wider choice of modern stock.

Kampot wins on price at every tier. Sihanoukville costs more, but that premium buys beach proximity, pools, and easier access to the islands.

Lifestyle & scene

Kampot is Cambodia’s slow-living capital: French-shophouse riverside cafés, a tight-knit long-stay expat crowd, and Bokor mountain and the Kep coast on the doorstep — but little nightlife and no beach in town. Sihanoukville is busier and more uneven — a casino-driven downtown that some find overwhelming, balanced by calmer pockets in Otres and toward Ream, plus the region’s best island-hopping: Koh Rong and Koh Rong Sanloem are a short ferry away.

Who each suits

Pick Kampot if…

You want the cheapest comfortable living on this coast, a genuinely quiet riverside pace, and don’t mind being 3–4 hours from Phnom Penh or a real beach.

Pick Sihanoukville if…

You want the beach and islands on your doorstep, don’t mind paying more, and can pick a calmer area (Otres, Ream) away from the casino strip.

The verdict

Want the lowest cost and a slow riverside pace? Kampot. Want beach access and island -hopping and can spend a bit more? Sihanoukville. Some long-stayers split time between the two — they’re close enough for an easy day trip either way. Read the Kampot guide or Sihanoukville guide next for neighbourhoods, deposits and renting safely.

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