Chiang MaivsPhnom Penh
📶
Chiang Mai has 2x faster internet
75 Mbps avg download speed
🛂
Thailand offers a digital nomad visa
Long-stay visa for remote workers
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
Chiang Mai
Phnom Penh
Total Budget
$1,000/mo
$900/mo ✓
Rent (1BR)
$350/mo ✓
$450/mo
Coworking
$120/mo
$80/mo ✓
Meal Out
$3
$2 ✓
Coffee
$2.5
$2 ✓
Phnom Penh is $100/mo cheaper (11% savings)
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
📶 Internet75 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+7
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West0h
🇺🇸 US East0h
🇬🇧 London4h
🇩🇪 Berlin5h
🇰🇭 Phnom Penh
📶 Internet50 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+7
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaNot available
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West0h
🇺🇸 US East0h
🇬🇧 London4h
🇩🇪 Berlin5h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
Chiang Mai
ClimateTropical Monsoon
Avg Temp26°C
Rainy Days175/year
Best months: March, April, January, February
Phnom Penh
ClimateTropical Monsoon
Avg Temp28°C
Rainy Days201/year
Best months: January, February, March, December
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
22°26°
Apr
30°30°
Jul
27°28°
Oct
26°27°
Chiang MaiPhnom Penh
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🇹🇭Chiang Mai
🇰🇭Phnom Penh
💰
Monthly Budget
$1,000
$900
📶
Internet Speed
75 Mbps
Winner50 Mbps
🛡️
Safety
4.3/5
Winner3/5
⭐
Nomad Score
4.7/10
Winner3.5/10
🍽️
Food Scene
9/10
8/10
🎉
Nightlife
7/10
7/10
🚶
Walkability
6/10
5/10
👥
Community
very large
Winnermedium
4
Chiang Mai wins
vs
0
Phnom Penh wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Either works
Similar costs - choose based on other factors
💻Developer
Either works
Both have adequate internet for development work
🦋Social Butterfly
Chiang Mai
Larger nomad community for networking
🛡️Safety-First
Chiang Mai
Significantly higher safety rating
🍜Foodie
Either works
Both have great food scenes
🎉Party Person
Either works
Both have great nightlife
🇹🇭Chiang Mai
Pros
- +Very affordable cost of living ($600-1,200/month)
- +Large digital nomad community
- +Excellent coworking spaces (Punspace, CAMP)
- +Amazing Thai food everywhere
Cons
- −Air quality issues (Mar-Apr burning season)
- −Very hot and humid (Mar-May)
- −Heavy rainy season (Jun-Oct)
- −Limited international flights
🇰🇭Phnom Penh
Pros
- +Extremely low cost of living - one of the cheapest capitals in Asia
- +Easy long-term visa options with indefinite extensions possible
- +Rich historical and cultural attractions including temples and museums
- +Thriving expat community with regular meetups and events
Cons
- −Internet can be unreliable especially outside premium areas
- −Petty crime like bag snatching is common in tourist areas
- −Hot and humid climate year-round with monsoon flooding
- −Limited public transportation - reliant on tuk-tuks
