Is Phnom Penh Expensive?

Cambodia · Southeast Asia · Currency: USD

24.8
COLI Index
#97
of 182 Cities
0.0%
Total Deductions
$450
1BR Rent/mo

About Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh has a cost of living index of 24.8, making it a very low cost city compared to New York (baseline = 100). It ranks #97 out of 182 cities tracked globally.

The local currency is USD. A salary of $75,000 USD in New York would need to be approximately $18,600 in Phnom Penh to maintain the same purchasing power.

The approximate average effective income tax rate in Cambodia is 0%. This is a tax-free jurisdiction with no mandatory employee deductions.

Monthly Cost Breakdown in Phnom Penh

Estimated monthly expense allocation for a mid-range earner living in Phnom Penh. Housing costs are based on average one-bedroom rent in the city center ($450/month), with other categories adjusted for the local cost of living index.

Housing
29%
Food & Groceries
20%
Transportation
11%
Utilities
7%
Healthcare
6%
Other & Savings
27%

Estimates based on a mid-range salary adjusted for Phnom Penh's COLI of 24.8 and Cambodia's total deduction rate of 0.0%. Individual expenses will vary.

Tax & Deductions Breakdown in Phnom Penh

Estimated annual deductions for a mid-range salary of $18,600 in Phnom Penh. This shows all mandatory payroll deductions as a local employee.

Income Tax
0%
Total Deductions: 0.0%
Est. Take-Home: $18,600/yr

Rates shown are for a local employee. Expat rates may differ — use the main converter for personalized calculations.

Salary Ranges by Job Title in Phnom Penh (2026)

Estimated annual salaries in Phnom Penh (USD) adjusted for cost of living. These figures represent local purchasing-power-adjusted ranges based on global baseline data.

Job Title Entry Level Mid Level Senior Level
Doctor (General) $19,840 $44,640 $86,800
Surgeon $29,760 $69,440 $124,000
Dentist $17,360 $39,680 $74,400
Pharmacist $14,880 $31,000 $49,600
Nurse $7,440 $14,384 $24,800
Psychologist $11,160 $21,080 $37,200
Software Engineer $11,160 $21,080 $44,640
DevOps Engineer $12,400 $23,560 $43,400
Data Scientist $12,400 $23,560 $42,160
Mechanical Engineer $9,920 $19,344 $34,720
Civil Engineer $9,424 $17,856 $33,480
Electrical Engineer $10,416 $19,840 $35,960
Architect $9,424 $17,856 $32,240
UX Designer $9,920 $18,600 $34,720
Product Manager $13,640 $24,800 $47,120
Project Manager $11,160 $19,840 $37,200
Financial Analyst $10,416 $19,344 $35,960
Accountant $8,680 $15,376 $27,280
Business Analyst $10,416 $18,600 $34,720
Consultant $11,160 $22,320 $44,640
Investment Banker $19,840 $37,200 $86,800
Actuary $14,880 $27,280 $49,600
Lawyer $12,400 $24,800 $54,560
Paralegal $7,440 $12,896 $21,080
Marketing Manager $9,424 $17,856 $33,480
Sales Manager $9,920 $19,840 $39,680
Graphic Designer $7,440 $13,640 $24,800
Content Writer $6,200 $12,400 $22,320
HR Manager $9,424 $17,360 $32,240
Operations Manager $11,160 $20,336 $37,200
CEO / Executive $24,800 $54,560 $124,000
Teacher $6,200 $11,904 $21,080
Professor $12,400 $23,560 $44,640
Research Scientist $11,160 $21,080 $38,440
Pilot $12,400 $29,760 $62,000
Chef $6,200 $12,400 $24,800
Journalist $6,200 $12,896 $23,560

Salary ranges are estimates adjusted by Phnom Penh's COLI (24.8) relative to the New York baseline (100). Actual salaries depend on experience, company, and industry.

How Much Do You Need to Earn in Phnom Penh?

Understanding your take-home pay is critical when evaluating a move to Phnom Penh. With total deductions of approximately 0.0% (income tax + social security) in Cambodia and average one-bedroom rent of $450/month, here is what a mid-range salary looks like:

$18,600
Gross Annual (Mid-Range)
$1,550
Monthly Take-Home

After taxes, a mid-range earner in Phnom Penh takes home approximately $1,550 per month. With housing consuming roughly 29% of after-tax income, careful budgeting is essential in this very low cost city. Your purchasing power in Phnom Penh is 403% of what it would be in New York for the same nominal salary.

Neighborhoods in Phnom Penh

17 neighborhoods tracked with cost multipliers relative to the city average. This neighborhood-level data helps you understand exactly how costs vary within Phnom Penh.

NeighborhoodMultipliervs City Avg
BKK1 1.30x +30%
Tonle Bassac 1.22x +22%
Daun Penh (Riverside) 1.15x +15%
BKK2 1.10x +10%
Toul Tom Poung (Russian Market) 1.05x +5%
Chamkarmon 1.02x +2%
BKK3 1.00x +0%
Toul Kork 0.95x -5%
Olympic 0.92x -8%
Chroy Changvar 0.90x -10%
Boeung Kak 0.88x -12%
Tuol Sleng 0.85x -15%
Sen Sok 0.78x -22%
Meanchey 0.72x -28%
Russey Keo 0.72x -28%
Chbar Ampov 0.68x -32%
Prek Pnov 0.62x -38%

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Salary Comparison: Phnom Penh vs Other Cities

To maintain the same standard of living as $75,000 USD in Phnom Penh, here's what you'd need in other cities:

City COLI Equivalent Salary Difference
New York 100 $302,419 +75%
London 87.5 £199,260 +72%
Singapore 87.7 S$345,507 +72%
Dubai 72.4 AED 793,205 +66%
Berlin 51.2 €131,286 +52%
Tokyo 77.3 ¥36,213,251 +68%
Sydney 74.5 A$320,140 +67%
Toronto 62.3 C$255,088 +60%

Compare Phnom Penh With Other Cities

See detailed side-by-side comparisons of salaries, rent, taxes, and neighborhoods.

Phnom Penh vs Abu Dhabi Phnom Penh vs Amsterdam Phnom Penh vs Athens Phnom Penh vs Atlanta Phnom Penh vs Auckland Phnom Penh vs Austin Phnom Penh vs Bali (Denpasar) Phnom Penh vs Bangalore Phnom Penh vs Bangkok Phnom Penh vs Barcelona Phnom Penh vs Beijing Phnom Penh vs Berlin Phnom Penh vs Bogotá Phnom Penh vs Boston Phnom Penh vs Brussels Phnom Penh vs Bucharest Phnom Penh vs Budapest Phnom Penh vs Buenos Aires Phnom Penh vs Cairo Phnom Penh vs Cancún Phnom Penh vs Cape Town Phnom Penh vs Casablanca Phnom Penh vs Charlotte Phnom Penh vs Chennai Phnom Penh vs Chiang Mai Phnom Penh vs Chicago Phnom Penh vs Copenhagen Phnom Penh vs Dallas Phnom Penh vs Delhi Phnom Penh vs Denver Phnom Penh vs Doha Phnom Penh vs Dubai Phnom Penh vs Dublin Phnom Penh vs Edinburgh Phnom Penh vs Fukuoka Phnom Penh vs Geneva Phnom Penh vs Guangzhou Phnom Penh vs Hanoi Phnom Penh vs Helsinki Phnom Penh vs Ho Chi Minh City Phnom Penh vs Hong Kong Phnom Penh vs Houston Phnom Penh vs Istanbul Phnom Penh vs Jakarta Phnom Penh vs Krakow Phnom Penh vs Kuala Lumpur Phnom Penh vs Lagos Phnom Penh vs Las Vegas Phnom Penh vs Lima Phnom Penh vs Lisbon Phnom Penh vs London Phnom Penh vs Los Angeles Phnom Penh vs Luxembourg City Phnom Penh vs Madrid Phnom Penh vs Manila Phnom Penh vs Marrakech Phnom Penh vs Medellín Phnom Penh vs Melbourne Phnom Penh vs Mexico City Phnom Penh vs Miami Phnom Penh vs Milan Phnom Penh vs Minneapolis Phnom Penh vs Montevideo Phnom Penh vs Montreal Phnom Penh vs Mumbai Phnom Penh vs Munich Phnom Penh vs Málaga Phnom Penh vs Nairobi Phnom Penh vs Nashville Phnom Penh vs New York Phnom Penh vs Nice Phnom Penh vs Osaka Phnom Penh vs Oslo Phnom Penh vs Panama City Phnom Penh vs Paris Phnom Penh vs Perth Phnom Penh vs Philadelphia Phnom Penh vs Phoenix Phnom Penh vs Phuket Phnom Penh vs Playa del Carmen Phnom Penh vs Portland Phnom Penh vs Porto Phnom Penh vs Prague Phnom Penh vs Raleigh Phnom Penh vs Riga Phnom Penh vs Riyadh Phnom Penh vs Rome Phnom Penh vs San Diego Phnom Penh vs San Francisco Phnom Penh vs San José (CR) Phnom Penh vs Santiago Phnom Penh vs Seattle Phnom Penh vs Seoul Phnom Penh vs Shanghai Phnom Penh vs Shenzhen Phnom Penh vs Singapore Phnom Penh vs Split Phnom Penh vs Stockholm Phnom Penh vs Sydney Phnom Penh vs São Paulo Phnom Penh vs Taipei Phnom Penh vs Tallinn Phnom Penh vs Tampa Phnom Penh vs Tel Aviv Phnom Penh vs Tokyo Phnom Penh vs Toronto Phnom Penh vs Valencia Phnom Penh vs Vancouver Phnom Penh vs Vienna Phnom Penh vs Warsaw Phnom Penh vs Washington DC Phnom Penh vs Zurich

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living index for Phnom Penh?

The cost of living index (COLI) for Phnom Penh is 24.8, which ranks #97 out of 182 cities globally. New York is the baseline at 100.

How much salary do I need in Phnom Penh to match $75,000 in New York?

To maintain the same purchasing power as $75,000 USD in New York, you would need approximately $18,600 in Phnom Penh.

What is the average rent in Phnom Penh?

The average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city center of Phnom Penh is approximately $450 USD.

What are the total payroll deductions in Cambodia?

The approximate effective income tax rate for a mid-range earner in Cambodia is a tax-free jurisdiction. Including social security and other mandatory contributions, total deductions are approximately 0.0%.

What are the cheapest neighborhoods in Phnom Penh?

The most affordable neighborhoods include Russey Keo, Chbar Ampov, Prek Pnov.

What are the most expensive areas in Phnom Penh?

The most expensive neighborhoods are BKK1, Tonle Bassac, Daun Penh (Riverside).

Data Sources & Methodology

Our cost of living index (COLI) uses New York City as the baseline (COLI = 100). Indices are derived from multiple sources including Numbeo, Expatistan, and national statistics agencies. Exchange rates are sourced from the European Central Bank.

Tax rates represent approximate effective rates for mid-range earners based on OECD Taxing Wages data and do not constitute tax advice. Neighborhood cost multipliers are estimated from local rental indices and property data. Salary ranges are modeled by adjusting global baseline figures by each city's COLI.

Last updated: 2026-02-25. Data is refreshed periodically and may not reflect very recent changes. All figures are estimates for informational purposes only.

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