Cambodia (KH)
Affordable Southeast Asian base with easy daily life, a large Phnom Penh and Siem Reap expat scene, strong NGO/tourism/education networks, fast digital payments, and visa rules that are flexible but increasingly document-driven.
Capital: Phnom Penh
Region: Asia
Language: Khmer
Currency: KHR (KHR)
Cost of living: Very affordable (index 35)
Emergency: 119
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Cost of Living
Real prices in Cambodia — 2026 data in USD.
35
Cost of living index
(100 = NYC reference)
Very affordable compared to major global cities. Your money goes a long way here.
Food & Groceries
Full week groceries — Lucky Supermarket (Phnom Penh) USD 80-150 for a couple, mostly imported goods
Full week groceries — wet market / local shop USD 30-60 for a couple
Rice 5kg (local jasmine) USD 4-8
Milk 1L (imported UHT) USD 2.00-3.50
Eggs (10 pack) USD 1.50-2.50
Chicken breast 1kg USD 4-7
Fresh vegetables (local, market) USD 0.50-2.00 per bunch/kg
Imported cheese 200g USD 4-8 at Lucky / Thai Huot
Beer (Angkor/Cambodia local, can) USD 0.80-1.50
Wine bottle (entry-level imported) USD 8-15
Bottled water 5L USD 0.80-1.50
Dining Out
Local Khmer restaurant meal (bai sach chrouk, lok lak, amok) USD 3-6 per person
Street food / market stall meal USD 1-3
Expat / international restaurant (BKK1, Riverside) USD 8-20 per person
Pizza or burger at expat café USD 6-12
Coffee (local Cambodian iced coffee / robusta) USD 0.50-1.50
Coffee (espresso at expat café) USD 2.50-4.50
Beer at expat bar (happy hour) USD 1-2
Dinner at fine dining Phnom Penh USD 25-60 per person with drinks
Rent
1BR apartment BKK1 / Daun Penh (expat areas) USD 400-900/month
1BR apartment mid-range (Toul Kork, Chamkarmon) USD 250-500/month
2BR serviced apartment (BKK1) USD 700-1,500/month
Expat villa / townhouse with pool (BKK2, Tonle Bassac) USD 1,200-3,000/month
1BR apartment Siem Reap USD 200-500/month (20-30% cheaper than Phnom Penh)
1BR apartment Kampot / Kep USD 150-350/month (40% cheaper than Phnom Penh)
Riverside villa Kampot USD 400-800/month
Sihanoukville expat-standard unit USD 200-600/month (post-casino era recovery)
Transport
Tuk-tuk (5km, negotiated) USD 2-4
Grab / PassApp car (5km) USD 3-6
Grab / PassApp tuk-tuk (5km) USD 2-3.50
Monthly motorbike rental (semi-automatic) USD 60-100/month
Monthly motorbike rental (125cc auto) USD 80-130/month
Petrol 1L (RON 92/95) USD 1.00-1.30
Intercity bus Phnom Penh–Siem Reap USD 8-14
Phnom Penh–Siem Reap shared van USD 10-18
Flight Phnom Penh–Sihanoukville USD 40-80 one way
Health & Insurance
GP consultation (private, Phnom Penh) USD 25-80
Specialist consultation (Royal Phnom Penh Hospital) USD 50-200
Dental cleaning / check-up USD 25-60
Blood test panel (CBC, liver, kidney) USD 30-80 at private lab
MRI scan (private hospital) USD 200-500
X-ray USD 20-60
Private hospital delivery package (normal) USD 800-2,500
International health insurance (expat, basic) USD 500-1,200/year
International health insurance with evacuation USD 1,200-3,000+/year
Utilities
Electricity (heavy AC household, monthly) USD 80-180/month (EDC rate USD 0.15-0.20/kWh; landlord markup common)
Water (monthly) USD 5-20/month (Phnom Penh tap water; drink bottled or filtered only)
Home fibre internet (Ezecom / SINET / MekongNet) USD 25-60/month
Mobile data plan (15-30GB/month) USD 5-12/month
Mobile SIM card (Smart / Cellcard / Metfone) USD 1-3
Childcare
Nursery / daycare (Phnom Penh, international) USD 300-600/month
ECCD / local preschool USD 30-100/month
International school (ISPP, AISC, Northbridge) — annual tuition USD 12,000-22,000/year
Mid-range international school (CIA, Logos) USD 7,000-14,000/year
Siem Reap international school (Westview, CIS) USD 5,000-12,000/year
School bus (per semester, if offered) USD 400-800/semester
Private tutor USD 10-30/hour
Leisure
Gym membership (mid-range Phnom Penh) USD 25-60/month
Gym membership (premium, Phnom Penh) USD 60-120/month
Cinema ticket (Legend Cinema) USD 4-8
Coworking hot desk (daily) USD 10-20/day
Coworking hot desk (monthly) USD 80-200/month
Massage (Khmer / traditional, 1 hour) USD 6-15
Cost of Living
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