Cost of Living in Siem Reap
Complete monthly cost breakdown for digital nomads in Siem Reap, Cambodia
Siem Reap remains one of Southeast Asia's most affordable bases for digital nomads, with a comfortable monthly budget landing between $800 and $1,200 depending on lifestyle choices. Cambodia's dual-currency economy means USD is accepted virtually everywhere in town -- restaurants, landlords, supermarkets, and even tuk-tuk drivers all quote prices in dollars, so there is no need to convert large sums into Cambodian riel (KHR). A frugal nomad eating local food, renting a fan room in Sala Kamreuk, and working from cafes can manage on $600-$700 per month, while those preferring air-conditioned apartments, regular Western meals, and coworking memberships should budget $1,000-$1,300. The cost of living here runs roughly 50% lower than comparable cities in Thailand or Vietnam, and the absence of currency exchange friction is a genuine advantage that is easy to underestimate.
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Monthly Budget Breakdown
| Category | Budget | Mid-Range | Comfort |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏠 Accommodation | $200 | $250 | $350 |
| 🍽️ Food & Dining | $140 | $195 | $400 |
| 💻 Coworking | $0 | $53 | $75 |
| 🚇 Transport | $30 | $50 | $100 |
| 🎯 Entertainment | $50 | $100 | $200 |
| 📱 Other | $50 | $100 | $200 |
| Total | $470 | $748 | $1,325 |
Accommodation
The Sala Kamreuk commune is the undisputed expat and nomad hub in Siem Reap, consistently ranked as the top residential area by long-term residents. Within it, the Wat Bo neighborhood stands out for its leafy streets, riverside cafes, boutique shops, and proximity to the Old Market area -- you can walk to Pub Street in ten minutes while living on a quiet lane. A furnished one-bedroom apartment with air conditioning in Wat Bo or Sala Kamreuk runs $250-$350 per month, typically including basic furniture, a kitchen, and wifi. Simpler fan rooms or studio apartments in the same area start at $100-$150 per month, while modern two-bedroom condos with pools and security in premium locations like the Old French Quarter command $500-$800. Further out in Svay Dangkum, rents drop to $60-$200 per month depending on quality. Facebook groups like "Siem Reap Rentals" and "Expats in Siem Reap" are the primary channels for finding apartments, alongside agents such as DaBest Properties and IPS Cambodia.
Food & Eating Out
Siem Reap is a paradise for affordable dining, with a wide spectrum running from $1 street food plates to $15 Western restaurant meals. The local Khmer food scene centers on the Old Market (Psar Chas) area, where stalls serve rice dishes with grilled meat or fish for $1-$2, noodle soups (kuy teav) for $1-$1.50, and banh mi-style baguette sandwiches stuffed with pork and vegetables for $0.50-$1. The Night Market and street vendors along Sivatha Boulevard offer similar prices. For a sit-down meal at a local Cambodian restaurant -- amok fish curry, lok lak beef, or stir-fried morning glory with rice -- expect to pay $2.50-$5 per dish. Draft Angkor beer at local spots goes for $0.50-$1.00, making evening socializing remarkably cheap. Restaurants on and around Pub Street charge a tourist premium of 30-50%, so a meal that costs $3 two blocks away might be $5-$7 on Pub Street itself.
Groceries
Self-catering in Siem Reap is affordable for local and regional products but noticeably more expensive for imported Western goods. The main supermarket strip runs along Sivatha Boulevard, where Lucky Mart, Angkor Mart, Asia Mart, and Marvel Mart stock a mix of local produce, Thai and Vietnamese imports, and some Western brands. A kilo of local rice costs $0.80-$1.20, eggs run $1.50-$2.00 for a dozen, chicken breast is $3-$4 per kilo, and fresh vegetables like morning glory, water spinach, and bok choy are $0.50-$1.00 per bundle. Tropical fruits -- mangoes, pineapples, dragon fruit, bananas -- are abundant and cheap at the local markets, often $0.50-$1.50 per kilo depending on the season. For the freshest produce at the lowest prices, head to Psar Leu (the main local market north of the center) where Cambodians shop daily, or the smaller Psar Chas area for a more central but slightly pricier option.
Transportation
Siem Reap is a compact city where most nomad-relevant locations -- cafes, coworking spaces, restaurants, and markets -- cluster within a 3-4 kilometer radius of the Old Market area, making it highly walkable and bikeable. Renting a bicycle is the most popular and cheapest option at $1-$2 per day or $15-$30 per month from guesthouses and rental shops, and the flat terrain makes cycling comfortable except during the hottest midday hours. Many apartments and guesthouses include a free bicycle with the rental. For motorized transport, the tuk-tuk remains the iconic Siem Reap ride: short trips within town cost $1-$3 negotiated directly, or you can use the PassApp ride-hailing app for transparent fixed pricing starting at $0.75 for the first kilometer plus $0.35 per additional kilometer for tuk-tuks. Grab is also available with slightly higher prices but offers credit card payment, while PassApp requires cash and a Cambodian phone number to register.
🪪 Driving & License
No IDP required. Foreign license accepted with minimal enforcement. Road conditions can be poor outside cities. Driving standards are low — exercise extreme caution. For scooters, no formal license is typically enforced in practice.
Connectivity
Internet infrastructure in Siem Reap has improved substantially and now supports most remote work requirements, though it still falls short of destinations like Chiang Mai or Bali. Average speeds in the city hover around 40-55 Mbps, with fiber-optic home connections from providers like Cellcard, EZECOM, and OpenNet offering 30-100 Mbps plans for $25-$40 per month. Reliability has improved with government investment in a national fiber backbone, and power outages that once disrupted internet have become less frequent, though a portable battery backup is still advisable during the rainy season. Most cafes popular with nomads offer free wifi at 10-30 Mbps, with standout spots like Little Red Fox Espresso, Sister Srey Cafe, and The Little Red Fox in the Wat Bo area consistently delivering strong connections. For a dedicated workspace, Format Cowork offers weekly and monthly memberships with air conditioning, fast wifi (up to 100 Mbps), and small shared offices capped at five desks per room. WeMe is a newer two-story coworking space with networking-friendly ground floor and focused work zones upstairs. Day rates at coworking spaces range from $5-$15 and monthly memberships from $60-$120.
Health
Healthcare in Siem Reap is adequate for routine medical needs but limited for serious conditions, making travel insurance with medical evacuation coverage an absolute necessity. The Royal Angkor International Hospital is the city's top-tier facility, staffed with English-speaking doctors and offering services from general consultations ($35) to minor surgery and diagnostic imaging. Neak Tep Clinic is the most popular option among expats for everyday care, charging $20-$30 per consultation and handling work-permit medical checks for $25. For non-urgent issues like infections, allergies, or minor injuries, these facilities handle things competently. However, complex procedures, specialist care, or anything requiring intensive monitoring typically means a trip to Phnom Penh (six hours by road) or medical evacuation to Bangkok, which is why evacuation coverage in your insurance policy is not optional. Basic international health insurance for a healthy nomad in their 30s runs $100-$250 per month depending on coverage level and provider, with SafetyWing and World Nomads being popular choices for shorter stays.
Tips & Traps
The Ordinary Visa (E-class) at $35 on arrival is the preferred route for digital nomads over the Tourist Visa (T-class) at $30, because only the E-class allows extensions beyond 30 days. Extensions cost $45 for one month, $80 for three months, $160 for six months, or $290 for twelve months, processed through local travel agents in town for a small fee on top. The e-visa system works for entry but only covers the T-class tourist visa, so most nomads planning a stay beyond 30 days should get the E-class on arrival instead. Cambodia has no dedicated digital nomad visa as of 2026, and technically working on a tourist visa is a gray area, but the E-class with extensions is the standard workaround used by the large nomad community. Overstaying your visa incurs a $10-per-day fine, so track your dates carefully.
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