Moving to District of Columbia from Cambodia

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Cambodia to District of Columbia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Cambodia to District of Columbia, you would find that District of Columbia is 3.5 times more expensive than Cambodia overall. A KHR300,000,000 salary in Cambodia would need to be roughly $262,000 in District of Columbia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Washington averages 66°F vs 90°F in Phnom Penh, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Cambodia and District of Columbia.

What does your salary buy?

KHR300,000,000 → $262,000

To maintain the same standard of living in District of Columbia

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 4.1 times more

Groceries

pay 2.0 times more

Transportation

pay 82.4% more

Housing

pay 6.1 times more

Childcare

pay 6.8 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 4.0 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 KHR = 0.0002 USD (October 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Cambodia to District of Columbia.

Moved in 2023
2,320 ↓ 28% vs 2022

people moved from Cambodia to United States · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to United States?

Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in District of Columbia compared to Cambodia.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate World Health Organization, 2024

share of adults with obesity

KH
4.9%
DC
25.3%

Cambodia performs better than District of Columbia across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access World Bank, 2024

share of households with internet

KH
68.5%
DC
90.3%

District of Columbia performs significantly better than Cambodia across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

KH
0.3%
DC
6.4%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

KH
$2,872
DC
$209,167

District of Columbia generally does better on employment & economy, though Cambodia leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

KH
70.8 yrs
DC
78.0 yrs

District of Columbia performs significantly better than Cambodia across all family life metrics.

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Phnom Penh Rain: 51.8 in/yr (1316 mm)
90° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

Washington Rain: 41.5 in/yr (1055 mm)
66° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Phnom Penh Washington
Jan–Mar 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 94°/78°F (34°/25°C) 75°/51°F (24°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/76°F (32°/25°C) 85°/62°F (29°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/73°F (30°/23°C) 57°/35°F (14°/2°C)
View all months
Month Phnom Penh Washington
Jan 88°/71°F (31.2°/21.5°C) 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C)
Feb 91°/72°F (32.7°/22.5°C) 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C)
Mar 94°/76°F (34.5°/24.2°C) 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C)
Apr 95°/78°F (34.9°/25.4°C) 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C)
May 94°/78°F (34.3°/25.4°C) 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C)
Jun 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.3°C) 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C)
Jul 90°/76°F (32.4°/24.7°C) 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C)
Aug 90°/77°F (32.2°/25.0°C) 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C)
Sep 89°/75°F (31.7°/24.1°C) 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C)
Oct 87°/75°F (30.8°/23.9°C) 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C)
Nov 87°/73°F (30.4°/22.8°C) 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C)
Dec 86°/71°F (30.2°/21.4°C) 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C)

Data: Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, National Weather Service National Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Cambodia and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.

Cambodia passport

Cambodia passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Cambodia passport holders need a visa to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Cambodia

Visa on Arrival
United States passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Cambodia.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in District of Columbia than Cambodia?

On average District of Columbia is around 254% pricier than Cambodia, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to District of Columbia?

Budget about $65,500 for 3 months in District of Columbia (based on a KHR300,000,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from District of Columbia?

From major District of Columbia cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Cambodia and District of Columbia are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in District of Columbia compared to Cambodia?

Cambodia performs better than District of Columbia across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in District of Columbia compared to Cambodia?

The average high temperature in Washington is 66°F, compared to 90°F in Phnom Penh. Washington receives around 41.5 in of rainfall per year, while Phnom Penh gets 51.8 in.

What language do they speak in District of Columbia?

The official language in District of Columbia is English. In Cambodia, the official language is Khmer.

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At a Glance

KH
Population 17,847,982 693,645
Currency Cambodian Riel (KHR) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Khmer English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +855 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 117 911