---
title: "Phnom Penh vs Siem Reap for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/phnom-penh-vs-siem-reap
description: "Under balanced weights Phnom Penh edges it, 41 to 36, winning 2 of the 9 factors. Phnom Penh is stronger on air quality; Siem Reap on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.09.4 (2026-09-26)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Phnom Penh vs Siem Reap for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Phnom Penh edges it, 41 to 36, winning 2 of the 9 factors. Phnom Penh is stronger on air quality; Siem Reap on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

## Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)

| Metric | Phnom Penh | Siem Reap | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 70 | 63 | Phnom Penh |
| Safety | 70 | 70 | tie |
| Healthcare | 51 | 51 | tie |
| Internet | 49 | no data | — |
| Visa ease | 6 | 6 | tie |
| Getting there & around | 11 | 12 | Siem Reap |
| Climate | 25 | 33 | Siem Reap |
| Air quality | 69 | 29 | Phnom Penh |
| Quality of life | 21 | 21 | tie |

## Cost

| Metric | Phnom Penh | Siem Reap | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $938 | $1,094 | Phnom Penh |
| Central one-bedroom rent | $539 | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Phnom Penh | Siem Reap | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 1.8 | 1.8 | tie |
| Political stability (0–100) | 68.1 | 68.1 | tie |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 62 | 62 | tie |
| Life expectancy | 68.9 yrs | 68.9 yrs | tie |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Phnom Penh | Siem Reap | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 17.3 Mbps | no data | — |
| Upload | 10.8 Mbps | no data | — |

## Visa

| Metric | Phnom Penh | Siem Reap | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | none listed | none listed | tie |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | no data | — |
| Visa-free days, US passport | visa or e-visa required | visa or e-visa required | tie |
| Visa-free days, EU passport | visa or e-visa required | visa or e-visa required | tie |
| Visa-free days, UK passport | visa or e-visa required | visa or e-visa required | tie |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Phnom Penh | Siem Reap | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 42 | 13 | Phnom Penh |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 3 | Siem Reap |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 1 | tie |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Phnom Penh | Siem Reap | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 3 | 4 | Siem Reap |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 19 µg/m³ | 37 µg/m³ | Phnom Penh |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Phnom Penh or Siem Reap?

Phnom Penh is cheaper: about $938 per month versus $1,094 for one person.

### Is Phnom Penh or Siem Reap safer?

Phnom Penh scores higher on safety (70 vs 70), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Phnom Penh or Siem Reap?

M-Lab has no reliable measurement for one of the two cities.

City pages: [Phnom Penh](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/phnom-penh) · [Siem Reap](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/siem-reap). 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).

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/phnom-penh-vs-siem-reap