Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh has real challenges — read the full breakdown before deciding.
Quick answer
Phnom Penh, Cambodia scores 39/100 on the WhereNext city composite (cost, safety, healthcare, education, climate, career, transport). Estimated single-person monthly cost is around $900/mo (a central 1-bed runs ~$500/mo). Safety index 48/100; healthcare 38/100; internet 35 Mbps. Top neighborhoods: Central Core, Historic Quarter, Modern Suburbs.
Key facts
- ~$900/mo single-person estimated cost of living · 1-bed center $500/mo.
- Safety: 48/100 has some safety concerns city by composite safety index.
- Healthcare: 38/100 below-average healthcare access.
- Internet: 35 Mbps median fixed broadband download — adequate for remote work.
- Top neighborhoods Central Core, Historic Quarter, Modern Suburbs — researched expat-friendly areas.
City composite
Below peers
- Phnom Penh
- 39/100
- Cambodia avg
- 46/100
- Global avg
- 63/100
Compared against 4 indexed cities in Cambodia and 380 indexed cities globally.
Source: WhereNext 7-dimension city composite (cost, safety, healthcare, education, climate, career, transport, air quality) · updated
The short version
How much does it cost?
~$900/mo for a single person. A central 1-bed is ~$500/mo. Outside the center: ~$300/mo.
Is it safe?
Safety score: 48/100. Exercise caution — research neighborhoods carefully.
Can I work remotely?
Internet: 35 Mbps avg. Consider coworking spaces for reliable connectivity. Coworking: ~$80/mo.
What's the climate like?
Climate score: 52/100. Cooler climate — pack layers.
The honest take
What's great
- Climate — scored 52/100
- Safety — scored 48/100
- Air Quality — scored 40/100
Watch out for
- Cost of Living — scored 25/100
- Transport — scored 32/100
- Career — scored 35/100
Is this place viable for you?
Quick decision check — Phnom Penh
Strengths
- Lifestyle52/100
- Safety48/100
- Healthcare38/100
Likely blockers
Cost may stretch typical budgets
Run the free Retirement Budget calculatorInfrastructure trails comparable destinations
Re-rank destinations against your priorities
Decision Snapshot
Key metrics at a glance. Scores are out of 100, higher is better.
Monthly Reality Check
What things actually cost in Phnom Penh. Estimated total: ~$900/mo for a single person.
Researched coverage — costs come from verified city-level data, not country-level modelling.
Itemised Costs in Phnom Penh
Verified local pricing from researched sources. 11 of 12 core fields populated.
Rent (1BR, center)
$511/mo
Rent (1BR, outskirts)
$335/mo
Rent (2BR, family)
$906/mo
Utilities (single)
$46/mo
Utilities (family)
$118/mo
Groceries (single)
$192/mo
Transit pass
$14/mo
Coworking
$80/mo
Mobile plan
$5/mo
Inexpensive meal
$6
Cappuccino
$2.56
Daily Life Infrastructure in Phnom Penh
Connectivity, getting around, air quality, English support.
Family & Schools in Phnom Penh
High-level family snapshot — full directory in the schools section.
Will you find your people in Cambodia?
Community density signals — quant + qualitative. Loneliness is a top-three relocation-failure factor; this section flags whether Cambodia has the expat scene to match your profile.
Expat density
Medium1.4% foreign-born
English proficiency
17/100 (EF EPI)
Coworking density
Medium
Top nomad hubs
Phnom Penh, Siem Reap
Safety reality in Cambodia
7 dimensions of safety, each scored separately so a single weak axis doesn’t drag the cross-dimensional view. Per Global Peace Index + WHO + national crime statistics.
GPI 2025verified Apr 2026HDR 2024 (HDI 2023 data)verified Apr 2026- Moderate
Overall public safety
Authoritarian governance; limited healthcare infrastructure outside Phnom Penh.
- Serious
Political stability32/100
Material political instability — track-record of policy reversals or civil unrest. Verify residency rights are durable before committing.
- Moderate
Natural disaster resilience60/100
Moderate exposure (flood, drought). Insurance coverage usually sufficient; check policy fine print.
- Caution
Women's safety42/100
Elevated harassment / personal-safety reports — research neighbourhoods and apply additional precautions.
- Caution
LGBTQ+ safety42/100
Limited legal protections; public expression may attract unwanted attention. Verify visa partner rights before relocating with a same-sex spouse.
- Serious
Emergency healthcare quality30/100
Limited emergency capacity — international medical evacuation insurance strongly advised. Avoid relocation without local-network research if managing chronic conditions.
- Excellent
Terrorism risk
No active terrorism advisory; statistically negligible risk.
National averages only. Within-country variation is large — Mexico City vs Mérida differ massively. Cross- reference at the city / neighbourhood level before relocating.
Verify with current government advisories
Static-data signals don’t reflect this week’s situation. Cross-check against your home government’s current travel advisory before any irreversible commitment.
Neighborhoods
Where expats and locals actually live in Phnom Penh.
BKK1 (Boeung Keng Kang 1)
premiumCentral expat enclave with embassies, NGO HQs, expat cafes, and the highest concentration of Western restaurants/coworking spaces. The default landing zone for new expats.
Russian Market (Toul Tom Poung)
midTrendy southern district with the historic Russian Market, indie cafes, and the most vibrant creative/digital nomad scene. Cheaper than BKK1 with similar walkability.
Daun Penh (Riverside)
premiumHistoric colonial riverside district with the Royal Palace, National Museum, Sisowath Quay, and tourist hotels. Walking distance to most NGO offices and embassies.
Housing reality: Standard rental laws apply. Direct landlord negotiations are common, with 1-2 months deposit standard.
Premium Report
Plan your move to Phnom Penh
A personalized report covering visa pathways, monthly budgets, neighborhood deep-dives, tax optimization, and a step-by-step relocation timeline — built for Phnom Penh.
Deep Research
Expand any section for detailed data and narrative.
Transport & Getting Around
Transport & Getting Around
Ridesharing apps (Uber/Bolt/Local equivalent) are highly recommended outside the walkable core.
Monthly transport pass: $0
Cambodia — Policy & Systems
Cambodia — Policy & Systems
Visa, tax, healthcare, and education policies are set at the national level. See the Cambodia country guide for full details.
Language & Expat Community
Language & Expat Community
Official Languages
Khmer
English Proficiency
Low
Foreign-born
1.4%
Expat Level
Medium
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phnom Penh a good place to live for expats?
Phnom Penh scores 39/100 overall. It is very affordable (~$900/mo), has some safety concerns, and has a healthcare score of 38/100. Top neighborhoods include Central Core, Historic Quarter, Modern Suburbs.
What does it cost to live in Phnom Penh?
The estimated monthly cost of living in Phnom Penh is ~$900 for a single person. A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs about $500/mo. Standard rental laws apply. Direct landlord negotiations are common, with 1-2 months deposit standard.
What are the best neighborhoods in Phnom Penh?
The most recommended neighborhoods are Central Core, Historic Quarter, Modern Suburbs. A growing hub balancing local authenticity with emerging remote-work infrastructure.
How do I get around Phnom Penh?
Phnom Penh has a transport score of 32/100. Ridesharing apps (Uber/Bolt/Local equivalent) are highly recommended outside the walkable core.
Suggested citation
CC BY 4.0This dataset is free to redistribute, quote, and embed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. The composite form below preserves source lineage so AI assistants can cite both WhereNext and the underlying institutional publishers.
WhereNext composite — WhereNext Phnom Penh, Cambodia City Profile 2026 (2026-05-20). Derived from: Numbeo (city-level cost; verified via WhereNext audit); World Bank ICP (country-level PPP anchor); OECD + Eurostat (where applicable); WhereNext flagship-city research (qualitative + neighborhood depth). Available at https://getwherenext.com/city/kh/phnom-penh?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation. CC BY 4.0.
WhereNext. (2026). WhereNext Phnom Penh, Cambodia City Profile 2026. Retrieved from https://getwherenext.com/city/kh/phnom-penh?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation. CC BY 4.0.
WhereNext. "WhereNext Phnom Penh, Cambodia City Profile 2026." WhereNext, 20 May 2026, https://getwherenext.com/city/kh/phnom-penh?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation. Accessed via https://getwherenext.com/city/kh/phnom-penh?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation. CC BY 4.0.
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author = {{WhereNext}},
title = {WhereNext Phnom Penh, Cambodia City Profile 2026},
year = {2026},
url = {https://getwherenext.com/city/kh/phnom-penh?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation},
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}<a href="https://getwherenext.com/city/kh/phnom-penh?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation">WhereNext — WhereNext Phnom Penh, Cambodia City Profile 2026</a>
Next step
Anchor Phnom Penh as your destination. Cost, neighborhoods, visa, healthcare and schools tools inherit the same context.
Important Notice
WhereNext provides data-driven insights for informational purposes only. Scores and rankings are algorithmically generated from public institutional data and may not reflect your individual circumstances. This tool does not replace professional advice for immigration, legal, tax, or financial matters.