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Data-driven comparison across 7 dimensions — cost of living, safety, healthcare, education, career opportunities, lifestyle, and infrastructure — using institutional data sources.
Last updated: August 2026
Comparing Vietnam and Cambodia? See them ranked side by side with every alternative — weighted for your priorities.
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Quick answer
Vietnam is roughly 56% cheaper than Cambodia at $695/mo vs $1,580/mo on the standard 11-category single-person basket in 2026. Across all 7 WhereNext dimensions, Vietnam carries the higher overall composite score. Both are analysed within a 95-country normalized field using public-domain data from World Bank ICP, OECD, WHO, IEP Global Peace Index, and Eurostat.
Run a custom Vietnam vs Cambodia budget across rent, food, transport, and healthcare at https://getwherenext.com/tools/cost-of-living — live 2026 Numbeo + World Bank ICP data.
Key facts
Overall, Vietnam edges ahead on aggregate scoring, but the best choice depends on your personal priorities.
Vietnam vs Cambodia scored across 7 normalized dimensions: Vietnam ranks #46 overall (standard basket ~$695/month, safety 69/100, healthcare 51/100) while Cambodia ranks #80 (standard basket ~$1,580/month, safety 43/100, healthcare 29/100) out of 95 countries in WhereNext's 2026 index.
Affordability index — lower cost of living scores higher
Global Peace Index and crime metrics
WHO coverage, hospital quality, access
PISA scores, university quality, literacy
Job market, GDP growth, business environment
Climate, language access, visa friendliness
Internet, transport, digital readiness
Key normalized-score comparison for Vietnam vs Cambodia: affordability 97 vs 90, safety 69 vs 43, healthcare 51 vs 29, education 72 vs 3, career 64 vs 61, lifestyle 44 vs 42, and infrastructure 59 vs 30. Every value uses the same 0-100 engine-normalized snapshot as the country dossiers; higher is better.
| Metric | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 🇰🇭 Cambodia |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 97 | 90 |
| Est. Monthly Cost (solo) | $695 | $1,580 |
| Safety Score | 69 | 43 |
| Healthcare Score | 51 | 29 |
| Education Score | 72 | 3 |
| Career Score | 64 | 61 |
| Lifestyle Score | 44 | 42 |
| Infrastructure Score | 59 | 30 |
| Language Access | 28 | 44 |
| Visa Friendliness | 71 | 84 |
Vietnam and Cambodia are among the most compared destinations for expats, digital nomads, and retirees considering a move abroad. In WhereNext's data-driven ranking of 95 countries, Vietnam sits at #46 while Cambodia ranks #80 overall. Both countries have distinct strengths that appeal to different relocation priorities.
As Southeast Asia neighbors, they share some cultural overlap, but differ meaningfully in cost of living, safety, and infrastructure. Here's how they compare across the seven dimensions that matter most when choosing where to live.
Vietnam has a cost index of 24/100 (very affordable), translating to roughly $695/month on the standard 11-category single-person basket. Cambodia comes in at 29/100 (very affordable), or about $1,580/month on the same basket.
That's a difference of roughly $885 per month — over $10,620 per year. For budget-conscious expats or retirees living on a fixed pension, Vietnam offers substantially more purchasing power. However, Cambodia may offset the higher costs with advantages in other areas like healthcare or infrastructure.
Vietnam scores 69/100 on safety (moderately safe), while Cambodia scores 43/100 (less safe). Vietnam significantly outperforms Cambodia in safety.
Safety is often the top concern for families and solo travelers. Vietnam's higher score reflects lower crime rates, political stability, and stronger rule of law — factors measured through the Global Peace Index and institutional safety data.
Healthcare quality is a critical factor for anyone relocating long-term. Vietnam has a normalized healthcare score of 51/100 (limited), compared to Cambodia's 29/100 (limited). Vietnam significantly outperforms Cambodia in healthcare.
Vietnam: Public healthcare is basic but very cheap. Private international hospitals and clinics are the standard for expats, still very affordable compared to the West. Cambodia: A fragile public system that most expats avoid entirely. Private clinics exist in Phnom Penh but capabilities are limited. Serious cases are routinely evacuated to Bangkok, a short flight away.
For those who need to work locally or run a business, career prospects matter. Vietnam scores 64/100 while Cambodia scores 61/100 on career opportunity. Vietnam has a slight edge over Cambodia in career opportunity.
Infrastructure also plays a role in daily quality of life. Vietnam (59/100, developing) leads Cambodia (30/100, basic) in this category, which reflects internet penetration and fixed-broadband access (digital infrastructure).
Climate can make or break a relocation decision. Vietnam scores 62/100 (moderate) while Cambodia scores 52/100 (moderate).
Language accessibility also varies: Vietnam rates 28/100 for English proficiency, versus Cambodia's 44/100. Cambodia is generally easier for English speakers to navigate day-to-day.
Key lifestyle advantages: Vietnam is known for extremely low cost of living, incredible, world-renowned street food. Cambodia stands out for extremely low cost of living, usd is widely accepted as primary currency.
Visa friendliness is often the deciding factor for expats. Vietnam scores 71/100 while Cambodia scores 84/100. Cambodia scores notably higher than Vietnam in visa accessibility.
Vietnam offers visa paths including E-Visa, Business Visa (DN), Temporary Residence Card. Cambodia provides Ordinary Visa (E-class), EB Visa (Business), ER Visa (Retirement). For US and EU passport holders, the specific requirements differ — use our Visa Checker tool for personalized access details.
Choose Vietnam if your priority is affordability. Choose Vietnam if safety comes first. For healthcare, Vietnam has the edge, while Vietnam offers stronger career opportunities.
Ultimately, the right country depends on your unique priorities. Take our personalization quiz to get a ranked recommendation tailored to your lifestyle, budget, and goals — or explore both country profiles in depth using the links above.
A personalized report with verified local prices, visa pathways, tax brackets, and a step-by-step relocation plan — researched specifically for these two countries.
For families relocating with school-age children, here's how the international school market compares between Vietnam and Cambodia.
Vietnam
Cambodia
School fee ranges show min and max published USD tuition across known international schools per country. Real annual cost typically runs 10-30% above published tuition once registration, transport, uniform, and ancillary fees are included — how WhereNext calculates true cost.
Dive deeper into Vietnam (ranked #46 of 95, ~$695/month) and Cambodia (ranked #80, ~$1,580/month) with full country profiles covering visa pathways, cost breakdowns, neighborhood guides, and expat community data.
Vietnam is the cheaper of the two, at roughly $695 a month against $1,580 for Cambodia — about 56% less, or $885 a month. Both are modelled estimates for a single person and will move with your city and housing choice.
Vietnam scores higher on safety — 69/100 against 43/100 for Cambodia, a gap of 26 points. Scores are normalised across every country in the index, so a difference of this size reflects a real gap rather than a rounding artefact.
Vietnam scores higher on healthcare — 51/100 against 29/100 for Cambodia, a gap of 22 points. Scores are normalised across every country in the index, so a difference of this size reflects a real gap rather than a rounding artefact.
Vietnam scores higher on education — 72/100 against 3/100 for Cambodia, a gap of 69 points. Scores are normalised across every country in the index, so a difference of this size reflects a real gap rather than a rounding artefact.
On the overall composite, Vietnam ranks higher — Vietnam is #46 and Cambodia is #80 of 95 countries. That composite applies one set of weights across seven dimensions; it is not a verdict for your situation. If cost matters most to you and safety least, the order can reverse.
The underlying dataset was last updated 2026-08-19. Scores come from institutional public-domain sources — World Bank ICP, UNDP, the IEP Global Peace Index, OECD PISA and Eurostat among them — and each dimension carries its own source and vintage on the methodology page. Cost figures are modelled estimates, not survey prices.
This 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 — Vietnam vs Cambodia Comparison 2026 (2026-04-27). Derived from: World Bank ICP; WHO Global Health Observatory; OECD PISA + UNESCO UIS; Yale EPI; IEP Global Peace Index; EF EPI; WhereNext composite scoring. Available at https://getwherenext.com/compare/VN-vs-KH?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation. CC BY 4.0.
WhereNext. (2026). Vietnam vs Cambodia Comparison 2026. Retrieved from https://getwherenext.com/compare/VN-vs-KH?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation. CC BY 4.0.
WhereNext. "Vietnam vs Cambodia Comparison 2026." WhereNext, 27 Apr 2026, https://getwherenext.com/compare/VN-vs-KH?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation. Accessed via https://getwherenext.com/compare/VN-vs-KH?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation. CC BY 4.0.
@misc{wherenext_getwherenext_com_compare_vn_vs_kh,
author = {{WhereNext}},
title = {Vietnam vs Cambodia Comparison 2026},
year = {2026},
url = {https://getwherenext.com/compare/VN-vs-KH?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation},
note = {CC BY 4.0}
}<a href="https://getwherenext.com/compare/VN-vs-KH?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation">WhereNext — Vietnam vs Cambodia Comparison 2026</a>
Vietnam is approximately 56% cheaper than Cambodia for expats in 2026. Standard 11-category single-person basket: Vietnam ~$695, Cambodia ~$1,580. Safety: Vietnam 69/100, Cambodia 43/100. Healthcare: Vietnam 51/100, Cambodia 29/100.
Vietnam is approximately 56% cheaper than Cambodia. A single person can live in Vietnam for approximately $695/month and in Cambodia for approximately $1,580/month on a moderate lifestyle.Vietnam ranks #46 and Cambodia ranks #80 out of 95 countries in WhereNext's 2026 Global Relocation Index. Safety scores: Vietnam 69/100, Cambodia 43/100. Healthcare scores: Vietnam 51/100, Cambodia 29/100. Source: WhereNext Country Comparison Tool, institutional public-domain datasets including World Bank, WHO, OECD, Q1 2026.
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