---
title: "Phnom Penh vs Varkala for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/phnom-penh-vs-varkala
description: "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."
dataset: 2026.10.7 (2026-10-13)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# 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.

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

| Metric | Phnom Penh | Varkala | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 63 | 71 | Varkala |
| Safety | 71 | 55 | Phnom Penh |
| Healthcare | 54 | 56 | Varkala |
| Internet | 57 | 66 | Varkala |
| Visa ease | 34 | 32 | Phnom Penh |
| Getting there & around | 42 | 47 | Varkala |
| Climate | 25 | 25 | tie |
| Air quality | 69 | 68 | Phnom Penh |
| Quality of life | 22 | 39 | Varkala |

## Cost

| Metric | Phnom Penh | Varkala | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $922 | $750 | Varkala |
| Central one-bedroom rent | $539 | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Phnom Penh | Varkala | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 1.8 | 2.72 | Phnom Penh |
| Political stability (0–100) | 71.5 | 55 | Phnom Penh |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 62 | 69 | Varkala |
| Life expectancy | 68.9 yrs | 67.3 yrs | Phnom Penh |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Phnom Penh | Varkala | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 17.3 Mbps | 29.2 Mbps | Varkala |
| Upload | 10.8 Mbps | 16.1 Mbps | Varkala |

## Visa

| Metric | Phnom Penh | Varkala | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | none listed | none listed | tie |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | no data | — |
| Entry, US passport | visa on arrival | e-visa required | Phnom Penh |
| Entry, EU passport | visa on arrival | e-visa required | Phnom Penh |
| Entry, UK passport | visa on arrival | e-visa required | Phnom Penh |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Phnom Penh | Varkala | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 42 | 25 | Phnom Penh |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 4 | Varkala |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 1 | tie |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Phnom Penh | Varkala | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 3 | 3 | tie |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 19 µg/m³ | 19.3 µg/m³ | Phnom Penh |

## FAQ

### 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).

City pages: [Phnom Penh](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/phnom-penh) · [Varkala](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/varkala). 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.

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