Kathmandu vs Siem Reap
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Kathmandu edges it, 40 to 36, winning 4 of the 9 factors. Kathmandu is stronger on cost of living; Siem Reap on safety. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Kathmandu | Siem Reap |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 84 ✓ | 63 |
| Safety | 59 | 70 ✓ |
| Healthcare | 51 | 51 ✓ |
| Internet | 50 | no data |
| Visa ease | 6 | 6 |
| Getting there & around | 12 ✓ | 12 |
| Climate | 42 ✓ | 33 |
| Air quality | 29 | 29 |
| Quality of life | 29 ✓ | 21 |
Cost
| Metric | Kathmandu | Siem Reap |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one person | $677 ✓ | $1,094 |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Kathmandu | Siem Reap |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 2.3 | 1.8 ✓ |
| Political stability (0–100) | 58.8 | 68.1 ✓ |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 58 | 62 ✓ |
| Life expectancy | 70 yrs ✓ | 68.9 yrs |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Kathmandu | Siem Reap |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 17.1 Mbps | no data |
| Upload | 16.2 Mbps | no data |
Visa
| Metric | Kathmandu | Siem Reap |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | none listed | none listed |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | no data |
| Visa-free days, US passport | visa or e-visa required | visa or e-visa required |
| Visa-free days, EU passport | visa or e-visa required | visa or e-visa required |
| Visa-free days, UK passport | visa or e-visa required | visa or e-visa required |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Kathmandu | Siem Reap |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 50 ✓ | 13 |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 3 ✓ |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 1 |
Climate and air
| Metric | Kathmandu | Siem Reap |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 5 ✓ | 4 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 37 µg/m³ | 37 µg/m³ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Kathmandu or Siem Reap?
- Kathmandu is cheaper: about $677 per month versus $1,094 for one person.
- Is Kathmandu or Siem Reap safer?
- Siem Reap scores higher on safety (70 vs 59), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Kathmandu or Siem Reap?
- M-Lab has no reliable measurement for one of the two cities.
More 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); 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). Dataset 2026.09.4. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.