Dhaka vs Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh comes out ahead overall, winning 5 of 7 criteria.
Summary
Phnom Penh comes out clearly ahead of Dhaka overall (5.9 vs 5.1, winning 5 of 7 criteria), though Dhaka still leads on at least one criterion — worth weighing if that happens to be a priority for you.
Quick answers
Safety: Phnom Penh (5/10 vs 4/10).
Climate: Phnom Penh (8/10 vs 7/10).
Overall, Phnom Penh scores higher (5.9/10 vs 5.1/10) across all seven criteria combined.
Cost of living: Dhaka and Phnom Penh tie on this (8/10 each).
Phnom Penh — Phnom Penh scores higher once we weight toward households with kids prioritizing safety, healthcare and clean air (4.8 vs 5.6 for Dhaka vs Phnom Penh), driven largely by safety.
Phnom Penh — Phnom Penh scores higher once we weight toward remote workers who need fast internet and an affordable, pleasant base (5.9 vs 6.4 for Dhaka vs Phnom Penh), driven largely by cost of living.
Where each city wins
No standout advantage on any single criterion.
- +Safety: slightly better than Dhaka (5.0 vs 4.0)
- +Environment & air quality: slightly better than Dhaka (4.0 vs 3.0)
- +Public transport: slightly better than Dhaka (4.0 vs 3.0)
Which city fits your profile?
Phnom Penh comes out ahead for nearly every profile we tested — digital nomad, freelancer, young family, budget-conscious mover, safety-first mover and retiree, among others — winning 10 of 10 weighted comparisons against Dhaka. There's no profile in our set where Dhaka pulls ahead.
See the full breakdown by profile
Phnom Penh scores higher once we weight toward remote workers who need fast internet and an affordable, pleasant base (5.9 vs 6.4 for Dhaka vs Phnom Penh), driven largely by cost of living.
Phnom Penh scores higher once we weight toward independent workers balancing cost of living against healthcare access (5.5 vs 6.2 for Dhaka vs Phnom Penh), driven largely by cost of living.
Phnom Penh scores higher once we weight toward households with kids prioritizing safety, healthcare and clean air (4.8 vs 5.6 for Dhaka vs Phnom Penh), driven largely by safety.
Phnom Penh scores higher once we weight toward movers for whom affordability outweighs every other factor (5.6 vs 6.2 for Dhaka vs Phnom Penh), driven largely by cost of living.
Phnom Penh scores higher once we weight toward people relocating somewhere unfamiliar who weigh personal safety above all (4.4 vs 5.3 for Dhaka vs Phnom Penh), driven largely by safety.
Phnom Penh scores higher once we weight toward retirees prioritizing healthcare, climate and a calm environment over nightlife or internet speed (5.0 vs 5.8 for Dhaka vs Phnom Penh), driven largely by climate.
Phnom Penh scores higher once we weight toward students who need affordability, transit and a lively social scene (5.4 vs 6.0 for Dhaka vs Phnom Penh), driven largely by cost of living.
Phnom Penh scores higher once we weight toward expatriates relocating for work who lean on safety, healthcare and internet to stay settled and connected (4.8 vs 5.6 for Dhaka vs Phnom Penh), driven largely by safety.
Phnom Penh scores higher once we weight toward founders and small business owners who need reliable connectivity and a livable base without big-city costs (5.6 vs 6.2 for Dhaka vs Phnom Penh), driven largely by internet & connectivity.
Phnom Penh scores higher once we weight toward early-career movers who want nightlife and transit within budget, without yet prioritizing healthcare or climate (5.4 vs 6.0 for Dhaka vs Phnom Penh), driven largely by cost of living.
Which city should you choose?
Pick Phnom Penh instead if you're more of a digital nomad, freelancer, or young family.