Phnom Penh vs Vientiane
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Vientiane edges it, 41 to 41, winning 4 of the 9 factors. Phnom Penh is stronger on air quality; Vientiane on climate. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Phnom Penh | Vientiane |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 70 | 70 |
| Safety | 70 ✓ | 62 |
| Healthcare | 51 | 51 |
| Internet | 49 | 49 ✓ |
| Visa ease | 6 | 6 |
| Getting there & around | 11 | 17 ✓ |
| Climate | 25 | 42 ✓ |
| Air quality | 69 ✓ | 54 |
| Quality of life | 21 | 22 ✓ |
Cost
| Metric | Phnom Penh | Vientiane |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one person | $938 | $938 |
| Central one-bedroom rent | $539 | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Phnom Penh | Vientiane |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 1.8 ✓ | 6.4 |
| Political stability (0–100) | 68.1 | 75.4 ✓ |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 62 | 64 ✓ |
| Life expectancy | 68.9 yrs ✓ | 68.2 yrs |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Phnom Penh | Vientiane |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 17.3 Mbps | 19.3 Mbps ✓ |
| Upload | 10.8 Mbps ✓ | 7.6 Mbps |
Visa
| Metric | Phnom Penh | Vientiane |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Phnom Penh | Vientiane |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 42 | 46 ✓ |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 3 ✓ |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 1 |
Climate and air
| Metric | Phnom Penh | Vientiane |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 3 | 5 ✓ |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 19 µg/m³ ✓ | 25.8 µg/m³ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Phnom Penh or Vientiane?
- Vientiane is cheaper: about $938 per month versus $938 for one person.
- Is Phnom Penh or Vientiane safer?
- Phnom Penh scores higher on safety (70 vs 62), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Phnom Penh or Vientiane?
- Vientiane: a measured median of 19.3 Mbps versus 17.3 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
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- Phnom Penh vs Goa (Panaji)
- Vientiane vs Goa (Panaji)
- Vientiane vs Pokhara
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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.