Asia · SEA
Cambodia
Cambodia is low in cost, warm and friendly, with an established community of foreign residents. Long stays have traditionally been possible on an ordinary business visa that can be extended, though you should confirm the current rules. The trade-offs are heat, dust, basic infrastructure, erratic internet outside the main hubs and poor road safety. Petty theft is the main concern in the cities. Sihanoukville is best avoided: it has become a centre for organised online scam operations. Vendors often refuse US dollar notes that are torn or marked. The cool, dry months from November to February are the best time.
Nomad quick facts
$1040/mo
$1660/mo
54.7 Mbps
2.075 (#123 of 190)
Limited
Nov–Feb
Not available
68.4 / 100
Score breakdown
Very low cost of living, friendly locals, relaxed towns, Angkor temples.
Basic infrastructure, erratic internet outside the hubs, intense heat and humidity, poor road safety, no dedicated nomad visa.
Cost of living in Cambodia
Cambodia combines low everyday costs with a well-established ecosystem for foreign residents and travelers. Phnom Penh offers the widest selection of apartments, restaurants and services, while Siem Reap provides a smaller and more tourism-focused alternative. Local food and accommodation remain inexpensive, although imported products and higher-end venues can be considerably more costly.
Estimated monthly cost
Single
$1,040/mo
Couple
$1,660/mo
Cost score inputs
Livingcost
88/100
WB PLI
36.7
Score blends a nomad-realistic monthly cost estimate (built from livingcost.org data, adjusted for short-term nomad spending like furnished housing, coworking, and eating out) with the World Bank's Household Consumption Price Level Index, a broader cross-country cost benchmark. Countries without World Bank price-level data are scored on the livingcost estimate alone. Prices displayed in USD.
The nomad cost estimate reflects a realistic single/couple monthly budget, not a bare local cost of living — actual spending still varies with lifestyle and location within a country.
Sources: livingcost.org · World Bank Household Consumption Price Level Index · Independent nomad cost estimates
Internet in Cambodia
Cambodia provides decent upload capacity for remote work in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, though lower download speeds and higher latency require extra patience.
Download speed
54.7 Mbps
Upload speed
49.1 Mbps
Latency
68.9 ms
Blends download speed (Ookla Speedtest Global Index) with upload speed and latency (Cloudflare Radar). Speeds are scored between 10 Mbps (0) and 200 Mbps (100); latency counts the opposite way — lower is better. A missing metric doesn't penalize a country, it's scored on whatever data is available.
A national average — city and neighbourhood speeds vary, especially outside major hubs.
Get an eSIM for arrival →Sources: Ookla Speedtest Global Index · Cloudflare Radar
Safety in Cambodia
Cambodia is generally safe for everyday travel, with Siem Reap and Phnom Penh both well-established for nomads and petty theft the main concern; Sihanoukville is a separate case, having become a hub for organized online scam operations, so unmarked compounds and unsolicited job offers there specifically are worth avoiding.
Global safety rank
#123 of 190
Peace Index score
2.075 (lower = safer)
WJP Rule of Law rank
#100 of 143
WJP Rule of Law score
0.66 (higher = safer)
Blends three published safety indices: the Global Peace Index, the WJP Rule of Law Index (Order & Security factor), and the Gallup Global Law and Order Index. Places the Global Peace Index doesn't cover use our own estimate, based on regional peers and crime data. Each is rescaled 0-100 and combined with weights favoring GPI and Gallup slightly over WJP. Not every country is tracked by all three — the blend adjusts to whichever are available (weights are renormalized) rather than penalizing a country for a missing source, though a country tracked by fewer sources carries lower confidence.
As this is national average data, be aware that safety varies significantly by city and region within a country.
Get nomad insurance →Sources: Global Peace Index (Institute for Economics & Peace) · WJP Rule of Law Index (World Justice Project) · Gallup Global Law and Order Index
Tourism & infrastructure in Cambodia
Siem Reap's laid-back charm as the gateway to Angkor Wat makes it one of Southeast Asia's most relaxed nomad-friendly towns, while Kampot and Kep add quiet riverside and coastal alternatives. Cambodia's easy-to-extend business visa is a genuine practical advantage over the visa-run grind common elsewhere in the region.
Happiness rank
#121 of 147
Tourism development rank
#89 of 119 (2024 score; not in the 2026 edition)
Within-city transit
Limited
Between-city transit
Moderate
Tropical; hot year-round with a wet monsoon (May–Oct) and a dry season.
Best months: Nov–Feb
Cambodia's urban transit is minimal; Phnom Penh has a small public bus network but most people use tuk-tuks, motos and ride-hailing apps (PassApp, Grab). Intercity travel relies on buses and minivans, plus a slowly reviving railway linking Phnom Penh with Sihanoukville and the Thai border. Town centres like Siem Reap are compact and walkable, if hot and dusty.
A weighted blend of published indices: the World Economic Forum's Travel & Tourism Development Index (weighted highest — the strongest predictor of appeal), Numbeo's Quality of Life Index, the World Happiness Report, Gallup's day-to-day enjoyment data, the EF English Proficiency Index, and a public transit assessment covering both within-city and between-city transport. Not every country is scored on all six — the blend adjusts to whichever are available rather than penalizing a country for a missing one.
Sources: WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index · Numbeo Quality of Life Index · World Happiness Report · Gallup · EF English Proficiency Index · Public transit assessment
Cambodia visa and entry rules for digital nomads
Tourist entry — USA passport
Visa on arrival — 30 days
Tourism Visa Note
VOA costs $30 USD cash on arrival (new/crisp bills preferred), or ~$36 USD online in advance to skip the queue. Also requires the separate mandatory Cambodia e-Arrival Card (replaces the old paper immigration/customs/health forms) — complete online before arrival.
Working remotely in Cambodia on tourist entry
Working requires a business visa and a work permit, according to UK government travel advice. Remote work for a foreign employer is not addressed. Source
Staying longer
A tourist visa can be extended inside Cambodia, provided the visitor is registered with immigration. Source
Digital nomad visa
No dedicated digital-nomad route
Other long-stay options
The ordinary 'E-class' (business) visa can be extended indefinitely via an EB extension, making it the de-facto long-stay route for expats and remote workers; a retirement (ER) extension also exists for the over-55s.
Visa and entry requirements can change. Check the latest information from official government sources before travelling; eligibility, documents and permitted activities depend on your nationality and personal circumstances.
Tax & residency in Cambodia
Tax-residency timing
More than 182 days in a 12-month period
How the day count works
Presence is measured over a 12-month period; the day test may overlap calendar tax years.
Other residency triggers
Domicile or a principal place of abode in Cambodia can establish residence without meeting the day test.
Remote work before residence
May be taxable. Nonresidents are taxed on Cambodian-source salary, including pay for services performed in Cambodia; foreign-payer and contractor cases can depend on classification.
If you become tax resident
A resident employee’s worldwide salary is subject to Cambodian salary tax; nonresidents are taxed on Cambodian-source salary. Independent consulting income may fall under separate business-tax rules.
What this usually means for nomads
More than 182 days in a 12-month period, a Cambodian domicile or a principal home can create residence. Nonresidents may still owe tax on work performed in Cambodia. A home, longer stay or local employment and business activity increase the risk.
Tax rules can change and depend on your residency status, income structure, time spent in the country and applicable tax treaties. This information is general only and is not financial or tax advice. Consult a qualified tax professional before relying on it.
Top cities for nomads in Cambodia
Siem Reap, the gateway to Angkor, is a relaxed town with affordable coworking. Phnom Penh is the riverside capital with the widest range of services, and Kampot is a quiet river town with a mellow pace.
Capital & largest; a riverside city with French-colonial streets, cheap living, cafes & a growing expat/nomad scene.
Laid-back gateway to the Angkor temples; a big traveller & remote-work hub with cheap coworking.
The main coastal city & islands gateway; transformed by a casino-construction boom.
Sleepy riverside town famous for pepper, colonial shophouses & a mellow, nomad-friendly pace.
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