Phnom PenhvsSiem Reap
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
Phnom Penh
Siem Reap
Total Budget
$900/mo
$850/mo ✓
Rent (1BR)
$450/mo
$350/mo ✓
Coworking
$80/mo
$75/mo ✓
Meal Out
$2 ✓
$3
Coffee
$2 ✓
$2.5
Siem Reap is $50/mo cheaper (6% savings)
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🇰🇭 Phnom Penh
📶 Internet50 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+7
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaNot available
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West0h
🇺🇸 US East0h
🇬🇧 London4h
🇩🇪 Berlin5h
🇰🇭 Siem Reap
📶 Internet40 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
Phnom Penh
ClimateTropical Monsoon
Avg Temp28°C
Rainy Days201/year
Best months: January, February, March, December
Siem Reap
ClimateTropical Monsoon
Avg Temp28°C
Rainy Days195/year
Best months: January, February, December, March
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
26°25°
Apr
30°31°
Jul
28°28°
Oct
27°27°
Phnom PenhSiem Reap
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🇰🇭Phnom Penh
🇰🇭Siem Reap
💰
Monthly Budget
$900
$850
📶
Internet Speed
50 Mbps
Winner40 Mbps
🛡️
Safety
3/5
4/5
Winner⭐
Nomad Score
3.5/10
3.6/10
🍽️
Food Scene
8/10
7/10
🎉
Nightlife
7/10
6/10
🚶
Walkability
5/10
7/10
Winner👥
Community
medium
Winnersmall
2
Phnom Penh wins
vs
2
Siem Reap 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
Phnom Penh
Larger nomad community for networking
🛡️Safety-First
Siem Reap
Significantly higher safety rating
🍜Foodie
Either works
Both have great food scenes
🎉Party Person
Either works
Both have great nightlife
🇰🇭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
🇰🇭Siem Reap
Pros
- +Angkor Wat - largest religious monument in the world
- +Extremely affordable cost of living ($850/month)
- +Laid-back village atmosphere with friendly locals
- +Rich cultural heritage and ancient temples
Cons
- −Power outages affect internet reliability
- −Hot and humid year-round (25-35°C)
- −Rainy season May-October with flooding
- −Transactional tourist interactions common
