Phnom Penh
Cambodia · Asia · 2.3M people
Cambodia's riverside capital, fast-changing and low-cost.
Ranked #255 of 303 overall · 11.56, 104.93
Overview
With a population of around 2.3 million, Phnom Penh is one of Cambodia's notable cities, part of the wider Asia region. Part of its draw is that it's genuinely affordable to live in. It has become a go-to base for remote workers over the past few years. People who choose to settle in Phnom Penh tend to point to a genuinely affordable cost of living, a climate most people find easy to live with, and solid infrastructure for remote work as the deciding factors. Within the 76 cities we track in Asia, the regional average sits at 6.5/10, which puts Phnom Penh's 5.9/10 a little behind the regional norm. On CityMatch, Phnom Penh scores 5.9/10 overall across cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet, ranking #255 of 303 cities in our database. Its strongest single criterion is cost of living at 8/10, while environment & air quality is its softest spot at 4/10 — the full breakdown, honest trade-offs, and who this city actually suits are below.
Full scorecard
Budget goes a long way here.
Varies a lot by neighborhood.
Air quality dips at certain times of year.
A car helps for anything off the main routes.
Pleasant weather most of the year.
Worth checking specifics if care needs are ongoing.
Solid enough for day-to-day remote work.
Is Phnom Penh right for you?
Set your own priorities and see where it ranks against every city in the dataset.
Run the recommender →How are these scores calculated?
Every city on CityMatch is scored 1-10 on seven criteria — cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet — and those seven numbers are combined into the overall score shown throughout the site using a consistent, automated formula (an equal-weighted average by default, or your own weighting via the recommender tool). The same method is applied identically to every city, so scores are comparable across the full database.
Sources & data provenance
The current dataset is an internally curated starter dataset built for this version of the site, reflecting each city's general reputation on each criterion rather than a live feed from a single external provider. It is not yet sourced from a specific third-party API. If that changes, this section will be updated to name the exact sources in use.
Last updated: 17 July 2026
Strengths & trade-offs
Strengths
At 8/10, Phnom Penh is genuinely easy on the budget — one of the more affordable options for the lifestyle it offers.
Climate scores 8/10 — genuinely pleasant weather is one of the clearer reasons people choose Phnom Penh.
Internet and connectivity score 7/10, making remote work a non-issue rather than a workaround.
Trade-offs
Environment and air quality score just 4/10 — a real consideration if pollution affects you personally.
Transport is the soft spot at 4/10 — plan on a car or regular rideshares rather than relying on public transit alone.
Is Phnom Penh safe?
Safety is inconsistent in Phnom Penh (5/10) — some areas are genuinely fine, others warrant more caution. It's worth checking which part of the city you'll actually be in.
At night
We'd lean toward rideshares or taxis after dark rather than walking unfamiliar routes, particularly outside the main tourist and business districts.
For tourists
Tourists should do a bit more homework here than usual — checking which districts are considered fine for visitors and which are best avoided, especially after dark.
For families
Families would want to weigh the 4.7/10 average of safety, healthcare and environment carefully against what specifically matters most to your household.
For solo travelers
Solo travelers, and particularly those less familiar with the region, may want to research specific neighborhoods and current local advice more closely before finalizing plans.
On public transport
We'd be more selective about late-night public transport here — daytime use is generally fine, but off-peak service and platforms are worth a second thought.
Practical tips
- →Research specific neighborhoods before booking accommodation.
- →Arrange transport in advance for anything after dark rather than walking unfamiliar routes.
What's the climate like in Phnom Penh?
Climate is one of Phnom Penh's clearer strengths at 8/10 — the kind of weather that makes outdoor plans a default rather than a gamble.
Seasonal character
A high climate score without a specific "warm-climate" tag usually points to a genuinely comfortable, moderate seasonal cycle — mild rather than hot.
Comfort level
Comfort level is high enough that climate rarely dictates day-to-day plans — a rare trait among the cities we track.
Best time to live here
With a climate this consistent, there isn't a single "best" window — most of the year works.
Note: this reflects our single aggregate 1-10 climate score rather than month-by-month temperature, humidity or rainfall data, which we don't currently track — treat it as a general read rather than a forecast.
Quality of life in Phnom Penh
Put together, quality of life in Phnom Penh is shaped less by any single number and more by the combination: phnom penh doesn't lean strongly toward any particular pace — it's neither a nightlife-driven city nor a notably sleepy one, more of a middle-ground, live-and-let-live kind of place, paired with an outdoor/environment picture that's generally favorable and transport that's worth planning around.
Pace & lifestyle
Phnom Penh doesn't lean strongly toward any particular pace — it's neither a nightlife-driven city nor a notably sleepy one, more of a middle-ground, live-and-let-live kind of place.
Nature & outdoors
Outdoor time is reasonably pleasant, with environment (4/10) and climate (8/10) scores that don't get in the way, without being a specific draw either.
Getting around
Transport (4/10) has real gaps — plan on a mix of public options, walking and rideshares depending on where you end up living.
Culture & leisure
Phnom Penh isn't specifically marketed on culture or nightlife in our data, which usually means a more everyday, less tourist-oriented pace of life — good for routine, less exciting for a short visit.
Based on its actual score profile, Phnom Penh tends to suit people who prioritize cost of living and climate over environment & air quality — see "Who Phnom Penh suits" above for the specific profiles that fit best.
How clean is Phnom Penh?
Phnom Penh scores 4/10 on environment, suggesting air quality dips at certain times of year — a reasonable proxy for a public realm that's serviceable rather than pristine.
Public spaces
We don't have a dedicated public-space or waste-management score — the environment figure above (driven mainly by air quality) is the best available proxy, and it suggests room for improvement in at least some areas.
Infrastructure maintenance
General infrastructure maintenance isn't a criterion we score independently, so treat any specific claims about road quality, public bins, or graffiti with caution unless they come from a recent, first-hand source.
The "environment" score behind all of this is CityMatch's single combined measure of air quality and general environmental conditions — 10 meaning consistently clean air, 1 meaning significant pollution. It doesn't separately break out waste management, noise, or visual upkeep, which aren't part of our current dataset.
Who Phnom Penh suits
Digital nomad
Digital nomads — remote workers who need fast internet and an affordable, pleasant base (fit score 6.4/10 here).
Budget-conscious mover
Budget-conscious movers — movers for whom affordability outweighs every other factor (fit score 6.2/10 here).
Freelancer
Freelancers — independent workers balancing cost of living against healthcare access (fit score 6.2/10 here).
Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurs — founders and small business owners who need reliable connectivity and a livable base without big-city costs (fit score 6.2/10 here).
In depth
Cost of living
Phnom Penh is genuinely affordable: at 8/10 on our cost-of-living score, day-to-day expenses — rent, groceries, going out — go noticeably further here than in most cities on this list.
Safety
Safety is a mixed picture in Phnom Penh, scoring 5/10 — some neighborhoods are clearly safer than others, so location within the city matters more than usual.
Climate
The climate is a major selling point: Phnom Penh scores 8/10, with the kind of mild, sunny conditions that make outdoor life a year-round option rather than a summer-only one.
Quality of life
Phnom Penh scores 5.9/10 overall, but that average hides a real spread: cost of living (8/10) is genuinely strong, while environment & air quality (4/10) pulls the picture down considerably. The average across all seven criteria is 5.9/10.
Transport
Getting around Phnom Penh takes some planning: transport scores 4/10, and a car or rideshare budget is worth factoring in for anything off the main routes.
Internet & remote work
Connectivity in Phnom Penh scores 7/10 — solid enough for remote work day-to-day, without being a headline reason to move here.
Why choose Phnom Penh?
Phnom Penh isn't the right fit for everyone, but for the right profile — someone who values cost of living and can live with environment & air quality — it scores well at 5.9/10 overall. Use the comparisons and rankings below to see how it stacks up against the alternatives.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Phnom Penh safe?
Phnom Penh scores 5/10 on safety, a mixed picture. Safety varies noticeably by neighborhood here, so it's worth researching specific areas before you commit to one.
What budget do I need to live in Phnom Penh?
Phnom Penh scores 8/10 on affordability — one of the cheaper cities in our database. A modest budget covers a comfortable lifestyle here compared to most of the 303 cities we track.
Is Phnom Penh good for families?
Phnom Penh isn't a natural fit for families on paper: the average of safety, healthcare and environment scores (4.7/10) is below what most family-focused cities on our site score.
Is Phnom Penh a good city for students?
Phnom Penh isn't an obvious student pick: affordability (8/10) and transport (4/10) average out lower than the cities we specifically tag for students.
Is Phnom Penh suitable for digital nomads?
Yes — Phnom Penh is one of our tagged digital-nomad destinations, with an internet score of 7/10 and a cost-of-living score of 8/10 to match.
What's the climate like in Phnom Penh?
Phnom Penh scores 8/10 on climate — mild, pleasant conditions for most of the year, one of the better climate scores in our database.
Is Phnom Penh pleasant to live in year-round?
Reasonably — Phnom Penh scores 8/10 on climate and 4/10 on environment, a fair rather than exceptional combination across the year.
Is Phnom Penh a good choice for a first move abroad?
A first move abroad is more demanding in Phnom Penh: safety, healthcare, transport and environment average out to just 4.5/10, so more preparation and local research is worth doing before committing.
Is the internet good enough for remote work in Phnom Penh?
Phnom Penh scores 7/10 on internet — generally fine for remote work, without being a standout choice for it.
Is Phnom Penh a good place to retire?
It has real appeal for retirees: healthcare, climate and safety average out to 6.0/10 here — the three criteria that tend to matter most for that stage of life.
What are good alternatives to Phnom Penh?
Based on continent, tags and overall score, Cebu City and Bangalore are the closest matches to Phnom Penh in our database — worth comparing directly if you're still deciding.
Is Phnom Penh worth living in?
Reasonably — Phnom Penh scores 5.9/10 overall, a solid if unremarkable all-round profile. Whether it's "worth it" depends more on which specific criteria matter most to you than on the average alone.
Who should move to Phnom Penh?
Based on its score profile, Phnom Penh suits people who value cost of living and climate more than the average mover — see the "Who Phnom Penh suits" section above for the specific profiles (families, digital nomads, students, etc.) that fit best.
Is Phnom Penh walkable, and is public transport good?
Not especially — Phnom Penh scores just 4/10 on transport, so expect to lean on a car, bike or rideshares more than public transit alone.
What's the biggest advantage of living in Phnom Penh?
Cost of living is Phnom Penh's standout strength, scoring 8/10 — the highest of its seven criteria on CityMatch.
What's the biggest downside of living in Phnom Penh?
Environment & air quality is the clearest trade-off, scoring just 4/10 — the lowest of Phnom Penh's seven criteria, and worth weighing against its strengths.