Cambodia
Source: WhereNext Global Relocation Index 2026 · CC BY 4.0
Challenging Fit — strongest in affordability and career.
- Monthly cost
- $845/moEstimated
- 76% less than US · standard 11-category basket
- Safety
- 43/100
- Watch · high confidence
- Healthcare
- 25/100
- Watch · medium confidence
- Schools
- 22/100
- education index · medium confidence
- Climate
- 28°C avg
- 1311mm/yr rain
- Infrastructure
- 30/100
- Mixed · medium confidence
83% data coverage·17.8M population·Institutional data
Per-field freshness (5 dimensions)
Cambodia at a glance
- Cost$845/moEstimatedsingle person · standard 11-category basket
- Safety1.8 per 100Kintentional homicides (UNODC)
- Healthcare62/100 UHCWHO universal health coverage
- Tax wedge—single, no kids (OECD)
- Population17.8MWorld Bank 2024
Quick answer
Quick answer
Cost-of-living estimate is a 2026 single-person model based on the WhereNext cost index. Use the Cost of Living tool for city-level detail.
Key facts
- Rank #80 of 95 composite score 33/100 across the WhereNext 7-dimension framework.
- ~$845/moEstimated single-person cost of living, including rent, utilities, food, and transport.
- Strongest: Affordability 90/100 normalized — top strength out of 7 dimensions.
- Watch area: Education 22/100 — lowest dimension; verify against your priorities.
- Coverage: 83% of dimensions population 17.8M · official and institutional sources (World Bank, UNDP, IEP, OECD, EF EPI).
Composite score
On par with peers
- Cambodia
- 33/100
- Southeast Asia avg
- 33/100
- Global avg
- 49/100
Compared against 3 regional neighbors and 95 indexed countries globally.
Source: WhereNext 7-dimension composite (World Bank ICP, UNDP HDI, IEP GPI, OECD PISA, EF EPI, Eurostat) · updated
Will you find your people in Cambodia?
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
Per Global Peace Index + WHO + national crime statistics.
GPI 2026Institute for Economics & Peace · Verified HDR 2025 (HDI 2023 data)United Nations Development Programme · Verified- 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. 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 your home government’s current travel advisory before any irreversible commitment.
What life in Cambodia is actually like
Daily rhythm and cultural texture
Cambodia operates on a frequency that takes weeks to tune into — everything runs on relationships, flexibility, and an unspoken tolerance for ambiguity. Phnom Penh mornings begin along the Tonle Sap riverfront where joggers dodge motorbikes and elderly Khmers practice tai chi near the Royal Palace. Breakfast is bai sach chrouk (pork and rice) from a plastic-stool street vendor for a dollar, and you'll eat it watching monks in saffron robes collect alms along Norodom Boulevard. The BKK1 and Toul Tom Poung neighborhoods form the expat nucleus — coworking spaces, third-wave coffee roasters, and brunch spots sit alongside traditional Khmer pharmacies and gold shops. The dollar economy is genuinely unusual: ATMs dispense USD, landlords price in USD, and the riel circulates as change for amounts under a dollar. Siem Reap has reinvented itself beyond Angkor Wat — Pub Street remains a backpacker magnet, but the surrounding neighborhoods host a maturing community of long-term expats running boutique hotels and social enterprises. The rainy season (May-October) brings dramatic afternoon downpours that flood streets for an hour then vanish, leaving everything steaming. Kampot and Kep on the southern coast attract a quieter crowd — pepper farms, riverside sunsets, and crab markets at dawn. Khmer New Year in April shuts the country down for a week as the entire urban population returns to ancestral villages. The nightlife in Phnom Penh is freewheeling — rooftop bars, live music on Street 308, and a late-night culture that rarely questions why you're still out at 3am.
Who thrives here — and who struggles
Digital nomads seeking maximum affordability with decent internet in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Social entrepreneurs and NGO workers — Cambodia's development sector is enormous relative to its size. Retirees on modest fixed incomes who want tropical living without Thailand's increasingly complex visa rules. Young adventurers and freelancers comfortable with uncertainty. Restaurant and hospitality entrepreneurs taking advantage of low startup costs. Cambodia is a bad fit for anyone who needs reliable healthcare infrastructure, corporate career progression, or a strong rule of law. Parents of school-age children face very limited options outside Phnom Penh. People who require predictability in their daily systems will find the informality exhausting.
Reality check: the first 6 months
The visa process is famously easy — but 'easy' means informal, and informal means rules shift without notice. Your EB visa extension requires a passport photo, a form, and a fixer (or agent) who knows the current officer at the immigration department. Land title and property rights are murky for foreigners — long-term leases work, but freehold ownership requires a Cambodian nominee structure that carries inherent risk. Renting is cash-forward: landlords want 2-3 months deposit in physical USD bills, and leases are often single-page documents with minimal legal protection. The banking system is functional but withdrawals from international accounts incur fees, and dollar bills with any mark or tear are rejected everywhere. Electricity costs are surprisingly high by regional standards, and generators are common in buildings outside central Phnom Penh. The wet season's flooding is not scenic — it enters ground-floor apartments and disrupts road travel to provinces.
Cambodia at a glance
What works well here
- ✓Extremely low cost of living
- ✓USD is widely accepted as primary currency
- ✓Very easy visa and residency process
- ✓Rich historical heritage and warm people
Friction to expect
- !Healthcare infrastructure is severely limited
- !Corruption and governance challenges
- !Extreme heat and monsoon flooding
Practical nuances
- LGBTQ+ safety
- Homosexuality is not criminalized and Cambodia is generally tolerant, though same-sex relationships have no legal recognition. Khmer culture tends toward quiet acceptance rather than overt support.
- Driving & licensing
- Drives on the right. A Cambodian license is technically required but rarely enforced for motorbikes. Traffic is chaotic, particularly in Phnom Penh. Many expats ride scooters despite the risks.
- Healthcare system
- 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.
- Walkability & transit
- Phnom Penh is flat and increasingly bikeable, though sidewalks are often occupied by parked motos. No metro exists. Tuk-tuks and ride-hailing apps (Grab, PassApp) are the main transit modes.
Healthcare-system facts · Source: WHO Global Health Observatory + national health-ministry publications · Source review pending · last checked Apr 18, 2026 · Verify coverage and eligibility with the public-system administrator or a licensed health insurer before relying on it.
Tax overview
- Personal income tax
- 0% - 20%
- Corporate tax
- 20%
- Sales / VAT
- 10%
- Wealth & crypto
- No specific wealth tax. Crypto is largely unregulated and no specific tax framework exists, though general income tax rules theoretically apply.
Tax rates and special regimes · Source: OECD Tax Database + national tax authority publications + treaty texts · Source review pending · last checked Apr 18, 2026 · Verify against your own circumstances with a licensed cross-border tax advisor before filing.
See our tax calculator to model your specific situation.
Where expats settle in Cambodia
Decision Snapshot
The numbers that matter most for your relocation decision.
Scored 0–100 using data from credited organisations: World Bank (cost, governance), WHO (healthcare), OECD PISA (education), Global Peace Index (safety), Open-Meteo (climate), and other credited organisations, plus our own curated data — scoring never uses crowdsourced surveys; crowd-market price indexes appear only as labeled city-cost calibration. See the full methodology.
$845
High Value · standard 11-category basket
1.8 homicides per 100k
UHC index: 62
3 pathways
Ordinary Visa (E-class)
Avg 28°C / 83°F
GDP/capita PPP: $8,543
Monthly cost-of-living basket · Source: World Bank + OECD + national statistical agencies + WhereNext research — standard 11-category single-person basket · Source review pending · last checked Apr 21, 2026 · Verify with a recent local listing or in-person check before committing.
This cost is shown as estimated — extrapolated from regional averages because we do not yet ship per-category multipliers for Cambodia.
Key Caution
Healthcare scores 25/100, which is 39 points below the global average. Research this area carefully before committing.
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The honest take
What's great
- Affordability — scored 90/100(well above average)
- Career — scored 61/100
- Safety — scored 43/100
Watch out for
- Education — scored 22/100(30 below average)
- Healthcare — scored 25/100(39 below average)
Is this place viable for you?
Quick decision check — Cambodia
Strengths
- Affordability90/100
- Career61/100
- Safety43/100
Likely blockers
School options may be limited
Run the free School Cost CalculatorHealthcare access requires planning
Rank destinations by healthcare access
How Cambodia Scores
Seven dimensions, weighted by what matters to relocators.
Best Cities in Cambodia
Flagship cities first, then researched, then modeled — sorted by cost.
Phnom Penh
city price-index model
Siem Reap
city price-index model
Battambang
city price-index model
Sihanoukville
city price-index model
All 4 Cities in Cambodia
International Schools in Cambodia
59 schools · 1 cityBrowse detailed school profiles — tuition, class sizes, nationalities, admissions, and hidden fees.
Relocating with school-age children? Browse ranked schools in Cambodia with true-cost fees and admissions timing below.
This plan is not currently for sale.Tradeoffs and Risks
Every country has tradeoffs. Here is what the data shows.
What works well
Areas to research
Regional comparison
Get the free Cambodia Relocation Snapshot (2026)
A one-page, source-cited PDF — cost of living, visa routes, tax & healthcare for Cambodia, each figure cited to its source. The weekly relocation brief: dated rule, cost and ranking changes with primary sources. One email a week — unsubscribe in one click.
Similar Countries
Countries with a similar data profile across all seven dimensions.
Relocation Checklist — Cambodia
Checklist is for guidance only. Requirements may vary based on nationality, visa type, and personal circumstances. Consult an immigration professional.
Make Cambodia real
Start a free relocation case for Cambodia
Two minutes of context — origin, household, budget, timeline — and every WhereNext tool inherits it.
- institutional data
- free to start
Cambodia advisor intro
Get a free Cambodia adviser intro
Tell us what you are trying to solve in Cambodia and a human will review it for one adviser we are vetting for that destination.
Free and no obligation. We're still building our provider network for this category — a real person reviews every request, and if we find a match that clears our vetting standard, you approve the introduction before anything is shared. No timeline is promised. Never a list sold to many providers.
About Cambodia
Cambodia is one of Southeast Asia's most open and accessible countries for expats, operating largely on a dual USD/Riel economy with remarkably low barriers to entry, a growing digital nomad scene, and the cultural magnificence of Angkor Wat.
Deep Research
Detailed data for thorough due diligence. Expand any section below.
Quick Facts
Quick Facts
Capital
Phnom Penh
Population
17.8M
Region
Southeast Asia
Languages
Khmer
Currency
Cambodian Riel (KHR) / US Dollar (USD)
Timezone
ICT (UTC+7)
GDP per capita (PPP)
$8,543
Unemployment
0.3%
Healthcare System
Healthcare System
UHC Coverage Index
62
Physicians per 1,000
0.2
Life expectancy
70.8 years
Homicide rate
1.8 per 100k
If your visa or residency application requires proof of health cover, compare the exact requirement with a comprehensive resident plan before you apply. International Citizens Insurance can compare resident plans from multiple insurers; a travel-medical policy may not meet that requirement.
Climate & Environment
Climate & Environment
Average temperature
28.4°C / 83°F
Annual rainfall
1311 mm
Visa Pathways
Visa Pathways
Ordinary Visa (E-class)
An extendable visa that can be converted to a business visa (EB) for long-term stays and work authorization.
EB Visa (Business)
The standard long-term visa for working or doing business in Cambodia, renewable annually or in multi-year increments.
ER Visa (Retirement)
For retirees aged 55+, allowing long-term residence without the right to work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cambodia a good country to move to?
Cambodia scores 33/100 overall and ranks #80 out of 95 countries in our data-driven analysis. Its strongest dimensions are affordability and career opportunities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use our free personalization quiz to see how it ranks for your specific profile.
What is the cost of living in Cambodia?
The estimated monthly cost of living in Cambodia is approximately $845 on WhereNext's standard 11-category single-person basket. GDP per capita (PPP) is $8,543. Cost inputs draw on World Bank, OECD, national statistical agencies, and WhereNext research.
Is Cambodia safe to live in?
Cambodia has notable safety concerns, scoring 43/100 on our safety index (normalized within our 95-country field; inputs: Global Peace Index, World Bank political stability, and homicide statistics). The homicide rate is 1.8 per 100,000 people.
How is healthcare in Cambodia?
Cambodia has limited healthcare infrastructure, scoring 25/100 on our healthcare index (normalized within our 95-country field). The WHO Universal Health Coverage index is 62. There are 0.2 physicians per 1,000 people. Healthcare quality can vary significantly between cities and rural areas.
Do I need a visa to move to Cambodia?
Requirements depend on your citizenship and intended length of stay. Common pathways include Ordinary Visa (E-class), EB Visa (Business), ER Visa (Retirement). Always check with the official embassy or consulate for current requirements.
Cambodia Guides & Articles
Download the data for Cambodia
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 Cambodia Relocation Profile 2026 (2026-04-21). Derived from: World Bank ICP (cost of living); WHO Global Health Observatory (healthcare quality); OECD PISA + UNESCO UIS (education); Yale EPI (environment); IEP Global Peace Index (safety); EF EPI (English proficiency); World Bank internet penetration + fixed broadband (digital infrastructure); WGI (governance). Available at https://getwherenext.com/country/kh?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation. CC BY 4.0.
WhereNext. (2026). WhereNext Cambodia Relocation Profile 2026. Retrieved from https://getwherenext.com/country/kh?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation. CC BY 4.0.
WhereNext. "WhereNext Cambodia Relocation Profile 2026." WhereNext, 21 Apr 2026, https://getwherenext.com/country/kh?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation. Accessed via https://getwherenext.com/country/kh?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation. CC BY 4.0.
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}<a href="https://getwherenext.com/country/kh?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation">WhereNext — WhereNext Cambodia Relocation Profile 2026</a>
Next step
Anchor Cambodia as your destination. Visa, cost, healthcare, and school tools inherit the same context so you don't re-enter it.
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.