Battambang vs Siem Reap
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Siem Reap edges it, 43 to 43, winning 1 of the 9 factors. Battambang is stronger on nothing outright; Siem Reap on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Cambodia's calm second city: French shophouses, an arts scene and the bamboo train
Full Battambang profile →Where to stay in Battambang →Angkor's town, with a friendly expat community
Full Siem Reap profile →Where to stay in Siem Reap →Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Battambang | Siem Reap |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 57 | 57 |
| Safety | 71 | 71 |
| Healthcare | 54 | 54 |
| Internet | 54 | 54 |
| Visa ease | 34 | 34 |
| Getting there & around | 37 ✓ | 35 |
| Climate | 25 | 33 ✓ |
| Air quality | 33 ✓ | 29 |
| Quality of life | 22 | 22 |
Cost
| Metric | Battambang | Siem Reap |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,076 | $1,076 |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Battambang | Siem Reap |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 1.8 | 1.8 |
| Political stability (0–100) | 71.5 | 71.5 |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 62 | 62 |
| Life expectancy | 68.9 yrs | 68.9 yrs |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Battambang | Siem Reap |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 15 Mbps | 15 Mbps |
| Upload | 9.9 Mbps | 9.9 Mbps |
Visa
| Metric | Battambang | Siem Reap |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | none listed | none listed |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | no data |
| Entry, US passport | visa on arrival | visa on arrival |
| Entry, EU passport | visa on arrival | visa on arrival |
| Entry, UK passport | visa on arrival | visa on arrival |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Battambang | Siem Reap |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 15 ✓ | 13 |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 3 |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 1 |
Climate and air
| Metric | Battambang | Siem Reap |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 3 | 4 ✓ |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 35 µg/m³ ✓ | 37 µg/m³ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Battambang or Siem Reap?
- Siem Reap is cheaper: about $1,076 per month versus $1,076 for one person.
- Is Battambang or Siem Reap safer?
- Battambang scores higher on safety (71 vs 71), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Battambang or Siem Reap?
- Battambang: a measured median of 15 Mbps versus 15 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
- Battambang vs Pokhara
- Battambang vs Bhubaneswar
- Siem Reap vs Pokhara
- Siem Reap vs Kathmandu
- All comparisons
Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Digital Nomad Visas 2026; Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population; UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); OpenFlights airports and routes; Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Starlink availability map. Dataset 2026.10.7. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.