Cost of living in Cambodiaតម្លៃជីវភាពនៅកម្ពុជា

In Phnom Penh, a simple one-bedroom flat in a Khmer-style building outside the centre runs US$200-350. A serviced one-bedroom apartment with a pool and gym in BKK1, Toul Kork or Chroy Changvar is typically US$450-800, and a three-bedroom family apartment or townhouse US$900-1,800. Serviced buildings usually include cleaning, water, rubbish and sometimes basic internet.

Siem Reap and Battambang run roughly 30-40% below Phnom Penh for the same standard; Kampot and Kep are cheaper still but with a thinner rental supply. Sihanoukville prices swing with construction cycles and are worth checking on the ground rather than online.

Leases are typically twelve months with one or two months' deposit. Rent is quoted and usually paid in US dollars. Negotiating 5-10% off an advertised price is normal, more if you pay several months up front.

Electricity is the main variable cost because air conditioning dominates it. Expect US$30-60 a month for a modest flat with occasional AC and US$100-200 for a family home running AC most of the day. Tariffs are billed per kilowatt-hour and landlords sometimes add a markup — ask how the meter is read before signing.

Water is cheap, often US$5-15 a month, and frequently bundled into serviced rent. Bottled drinking water in 20-litre jugs costs US$1-2 delivered.

Fibre internet at 50-200 Mbps costs US$15-30 a month from providers such as Metfone, Cellcard and Smart. Mobile data is unusually cheap: a monthly package with tens of gigabytes runs US$5-12, and prepaid SIM cards are sold with passport registration for a couple of dollars.

A street or market meal costs US$1.50-3, a local restaurant dish US$3-6, and a Western restaurant main US$8-15. Cooking at home with market produce is very cheap; imported cheese, cereal and wine from supermarkets is not, and is where household grocery bills quietly inflate. Budget US$150-250 a month eating mostly local, US$400+ with regular Western meals and imports.

Transport is inexpensive. App-based tuk-tuks (PassApp, Grab) cost US$1-2.50 for short city trips. A second-hand 110cc motorbike costs US$400-900 to buy, or US$50-80 a month to rent, with petrol at roughly US$1 a litre. Long-distance buses between provinces are US$6-15.

Gym memberships run US$25-60, cinema tickets US$4-6, and a beer in a local spot US$0.75-1.50 against US$3-5 in a riverside bar. Domestic help — a part-time cleaner once or twice a week — is commonly US$60-120 a month.

Basic consultations at international clinics in Phnom Penh cost US$30-60, and the better private hospitals handle most routine care. Serious or complex treatment is usually referred to Bangkok or Singapore, which is why residents carry insurance with regional evacuation cover — typically US$500-2,000 a year depending on age and cover level.

International school fees are the single largest expense for families: roughly US$3,000-8,000 a year at mid-tier schools and US$12,000-25,000 at the top international schools, per child. This is what pushes a family budget past US$4,000 a month.

Budget too for visa extensions (a twelve-month business extension plus agent fee), annual insurance renewals, and periodic flights home. Most costs in Cambodia are quoted in dollars, but small purchases come back in riel — see the money guide for how the dual-currency system works day to day.