Living in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Phnom Penh is a large city in Cambodia (1 to 5 million people in the city proper). It has a warm climate, averaging 28°C over the year with about 1,359 mm of rain. We estimate a couple needs about €2,375 a month to live centrally. For foreigners, long-term residency in Cambodia is comparatively open.

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Est. cost: €2,375; a month for a couple
Climate: 28°C; 1,359 mm rain a year
Size: Large; 1 to 5 million people
Safety: 60/100; country-level
Residency: Comparatively open; for most foreigners

Limited data for Cambodia. Figures for safety, healthcare, cost of living and political stability in Cambodia are country-level estimates from World Bank indicators, each named with its year. We have no tax, English, social openness or internet speed figures for Cambodia, so the quiz scores those factors conservatively and this page leaves them out.

What stands out about Phnom Penh

Warmer than 96% of the cities we track

Climate

Phnom Penh averages 28°C across the year with about 1,359 mm of rain, which makes it warm and wet. It is warmer than 96% of the 1225 cities we track, and it sits near the coast.

Source: Temperature from the Open-Meteo historical weather archive, daily means for 2019 to 2023; rainfall from TerraClimate (University of Idaho) 1991 to 2020 normals. Annual averages; monthly breakdowns are not in our dataset yet.

Healthcare

Cambodia scores 51 out of 100 for healthcare, stronger than 7% of the cities we compare.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in Cambodia: life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, 2024) and current health spending per person in US dollars (SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD, 2023), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Cost of living

We estimate a couple needs about €2,375 a month to live centrally in Phnom Penh, 13% below the €2,729 median across the 900 cities we compare. That makes it more affordable than 77% of them.

Source: OurNextCity model from the price level of GDP relative to the United States, from GDP per person in US dollars and at purchasing power parity (NY.GDP.PCAP.CD/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD, 2025), calibrated to our country-level cost index (New York = 100) and scaled up for larger cities. An estimate for comparing cities, not a budget. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Residency and visas

Comparatively open. Cambodia grants an ordinary (E-class) visa that almost any foreigner can renew indefinitely with no means test, via the EB business extension or, for those 55+, the ER retirement extension.

For short visits, 8 of 198 passports can enter visa-free, 189 can get an e-visa or visa on arrival and 1 need a visa in advance.

Source: OurNextCity residency dataset, hand-reviewed approximations researched against published immigration rules. Not legal advice: check the official source before you apply. Short-stay entry from the passport-index dataset (ilyankou, MIT).

Safety and stability

Cambodia scores 60 out of 100 on safety, safer than 50% of the cities we compare. Its estimated democracy score is 2.6 out of 10.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in Cambodia: Worldwide Governance Indicators Political Stability and Absence of Violence estimate (GOV_WGI_PV.EST, 2025) and life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, 2024), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables (higher is safer). Stability: Worldwide Governance Indicators Voice and Accountability estimate (GOV_WGI_VA.EST, 2025), calibrated to the EIU Democracy Index scale. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Questions couples ask about Phnom Penh

Is Phnom Penh a good place to live for couples?

It depends on what the two of you weigh most. Compared with the other cities we track, Phnom Penh scores well on affordability. It is weaker on healthcare and political stability. Our figures for Cambodia are partial: no tax, English, social openness or internet speed data, and country-level World Bank estimates for the rest. Expect a warm, wet climate (28°C average). OurNextCity has each partner answer 12 questions privately, then ranks Phnom Penh and 914 other cities for both of you at once.

How much does it cost a couple to live in Phnom Penh?

We estimate about €2,375 a month for a couple living centrally, 13% below the €2,729 median across the cities we compare. It is a model estimate from the World Bank price level of GDP for Cambodia, calibrated to our country-level cost index adjusted for city size, so use it to compare cities rather than to set a budget.

Can foreigners live in Cambodia long term?

Our assessment: comparatively open. Cambodia grants an ordinary (E-class) visa that almost any foreigner can renew indefinitely with no means test, via the EB business extension or, for those 55+, the ER retirement extension.

What is the weather like in Phnom Penh?

Phnom Penh averages 28°C across the year with about 1,359 mm of rain, which makes it warm and wet. It is warmer than 96% of the cities we track.