Phnom Penh vs Varkala
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Varkala edges it, 51 to 49, winning 5 of the 9 factors. Phnom Penh is stronger on safety; Varkala on quality of life. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Cheap, easy visas, and a growing scene
Full Phnom Penh profile →Where to stay in Phnom Penh →Cliff-top beach town in Kerala with a long-stay yoga and café scene
Full Varkala profile →Hotels in India →Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Phnom Penh | Varkala |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 63 | 71 ✓ |
| Safety | 71 ✓ | 55 |
| Healthcare | 54 | 56 ✓ |
| Internet | 57 | 66 ✓ |
| Visa ease | 34 ✓ | 32 |
| Getting there & around | 42 | 47 ✓ |
| Climate | 25 | 25 |
| Air quality | 69 ✓ | 68 |
| Quality of life | 22 | 39 ✓ |
Cost
| Metric | Phnom Penh | Varkala |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one personcountry-level estimate for at least one city | $922 | $750 ✓ |
| Central one-bedroom rent | $539 | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Phnom Penh | Varkala |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 1.8 ✓ | 2.72 |
| Political stability (0–100) | 71.5 ✓ | 55 |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 62 | 69 ✓ |
| Life expectancy | 68.9 yrs ✓ | 67.3 yrs |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Phnom Penh | Varkala |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 17.3 Mbps | 29.2 Mbps ✓ |
| Upload | 10.8 Mbps | 16.1 Mbps ✓ |
Visa
| Metric | Phnom Penh | Varkala |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | none listed | none listed |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | no data |
| Entry, US passport | visa on arrival ✓ | e-visa required |
| Entry, EU passport | visa on arrival ✓ | e-visa required |
| Entry, UK passport | visa on arrival ✓ | e-visa required |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Phnom Penh | Varkala |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 42 ✓ | 25 |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 4 ✓ |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 1 |
Climate and air
| Metric | Phnom Penh | Varkala |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 3 | 3 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 19 µg/m³ ✓ | 19.3 µg/m³ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Phnom Penh or Varkala?
- Varkala is cheaper: about $750 per month versus $922 for one person.
- Is Phnom Penh or Varkala safer?
- Phnom Penh scores higher on safety (71 vs 55), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Phnom Penh or Varkala?
- Varkala: a measured median of 29.2 Mbps versus 17.3 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
- Phnom Penh vs Kampot
- Phnom Penh vs Sihanoukville
- Varkala vs Thiruvananthapuram
- Varkala vs Chennai
- 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; Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year); 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); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); 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.