Based on 2026 cost of living data, here's how much you need to earn (before tax) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia — from bare minimum to living well.
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Try Wise for Free →We start with actual monthly costs in Phnom Penh: rent for a 1-bedroom apartment, groceries, utilities, transport, and healthcare. For the "comfortable" tier, we apply the 50/30/20 rule — your essentials should be 50% of take-home pay, leaving 30% for wants and 20% for savings.
We then reverse-calculate the gross (pre-tax) salary you'd need, using Cambodia's progressive tax brackets and mandatory deductions. All figures are in USD for 2026.
How much you need varies dramatically within Phnom Penh. Here's the breakdown for 17 neighborhoods:
| Neighborhood | Get By | Comfortable | Live Well |
|---|---|---|---|
| BKK1 | $11,940 | $23,880 | $29,850 |
| Tonle Bassac | $11,508 | $23,016 | $28,770 |
| Daun Penh (Riverside) | $11,130 | $22,260 | $27,825 |
| BKK2 | $10,860 | $21,720 | $27,150 |
| Toul Tom Poung (Russian Market) | $10,590 | $21,180 | $26,475 |
| Chamkarmon | $10,428 | $20,856 | $26,070 |
| BKK3 | $10,320 | $20,640 | $25,800 |
| Toul Kork | $10,050 | $20,100 | $25,125 |
| Olympic | $9,888 | $19,776 | $24,720 |
| Chroy Changvar | $9,780 | $19,560 | $24,450 |
| Boeung Kak | $9,672 | $19,344 | $24,180 |
| Tuol Sleng | $9,510 | $19,020 | $23,775 |
| Sen Sok | $9,132 | $18,264 | $22,830 |
| Meanchey | $8,808 | $17,616 | $22,020 |
| Russey Keo | $8,808 | $17,616 | $22,020 |
| Chbar Ampov | $8,592 | $17,184 | $21,480 |
| Prek Pnov | $8,268 | $16,536 | $20,670 |
To live comfortably in Phnom Penh in 2026, you need a gross annual salary of approximately $20,640. This covers rent, groceries, utilities, transport, healthcare, and leaves 30% for wants and 20% for savings (50/30/20 rule). The minimum to get by is $10,320.
Monthly rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Phnom Penh is approximately $450. Essential monthly expenses (groceries, utilities, transport, healthcare) add roughly $410. The effective tax rate is 0.0%.
$10,320 is the bare minimum salary to get by in Phnom Penh — it covers rent and essential expenses with very little left over. For a comfortable lifestyle with savings, you'd want at least $20,640.
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