Moving to Palau from Cambodia

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Cambodia to Palau — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Cambodia to Palau, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Palauan.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Cambodia and Palau stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2018

per 100,000 people per year

KH
1.8
PW
11.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

KH
18.8
PW
22.2

Cambodia performs better than Palau across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

KH
$350
PW
$1,857
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

affects wait times and access to care

KH
2.1
PW
17.8

Palau generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cambodia leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

KH
1.1t
PW
82.8t

Cambodia performs better than Palau across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

KH
3.0
PW
6.9

Palau performs significantly better than Cambodia across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

KH
0.2%
PW
1.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

KH
$5,100
PW
$15,800

Cambodia generally does better on employment & economy, though Palau leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

KH
70.7 yrs
PW
74.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

KH
29.6
PW
11.3

Palau performs significantly better than Cambodia across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Cambodia passport

Cambodia passport holder visiting Palau

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

Palau passport holder visiting Cambodia

Visa on Arrival
Palau 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

Can I work remotely from Palau?

With 6.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Palau can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Cambodia and Palau.

Is Palau safe for expats?

Cambodia performs better than Palau across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Palau is 11.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.8 in Cambodia.

How is healthcare in Palau compared to Cambodia?

Palau generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cambodia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 17.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Palau, compared to 2.1 in Cambodia. Palau scores 65 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Cambodia: 58).

What language do they speak in Palau?

The official languages in Palau are English and Palauan. In Cambodia, the official language is Khmer.

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At a Glance

KH PW
Population 16,713,015 21,695
Currency Cambodian Riel (KHR) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Khmer English, Palauan
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +855 +680
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 117