Moving to Portugal from Cambodia

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Cambodia to Portugal, you would find that Portugal is 2.1 times more expensive than Cambodia overall. A KHR300,562,500 salary in Cambodia would need to be roughly €87,633 in Portugal to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Lisbon averages 69°F vs 90°F in Phnom Penh, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Cambodia to Portugal.

What does your salary buy?

KHR300,562,500 €87,633

To maintain the same standard of living in Portugal

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 2.5 times more

Groceries

pay 14.9% more

Transportation

pay 97.9% more

Housing

pay 2.4 times more

Childcare

pay 2.2 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.1 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 KHR = 0.0002 EUR (July 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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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

KH
1.8
PT
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

KH
18.8
PT
7.2

Portugal performs significantly better than Cambodia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

KH
$350
PT
$4,928
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

KH
2.1
PT
57.7

Cambodia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Portugal leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

KH
60.0
PT
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

KH
1.1t
PT
3.3t

Cambodia generally does better on environment, though Portugal leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

KH
3.0
PT
43.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

KH
1.0%
PT
12.3%

Portugal generally does better on infrastructure, though Cambodia leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

KH
0.2%
PT
6.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

KH
$5,100
PT
$41,700

Cambodia generally does better on employment & economy, though Portugal 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
PT
81.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

KH
29.6
PT
2.5

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

Data: General Department of Taxation, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

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

Lisbon Rain: 29.6 in/yr (751 mm)
69° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Phnom Penh Lisbon
Jan–Mar 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) 61°/48°F (16°/9°C)
Apr–Jun 94°/78°F (34°/25°C) 71°/56°F (22°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/76°F (32°/25°C) 81°/63°F (27°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/73°F (30°/23°C) 65°/53°F (18°/12°C)
View all months
Month Phnom Penh Lisbon
Jan 88°/71°F (31.2°/21.5°C) 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C)
Feb 91°/72°F (32.7°/22.5°C) 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C)
Mar 94°/76°F (34.5°/24.2°C) 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C)
Apr 95°/78°F (34.9°/25.4°C) 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C)
May 94°/78°F (34.3°/25.4°C) 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C)
Jun 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.3°C) 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C)
Jul 90°/76°F (32.4°/24.7°C) 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C)
Aug 90°/77°F (32.2°/25.0°C) 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C)
Sep 89°/75°F (31.7°/24.1°C) 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C)
Oct 87°/75°F (30.8°/23.9°C) 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C)
Nov 87°/73°F (30.4°/22.8°C) 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C)
Dec 86°/71°F (30.2°/21.4°C) 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C)

Data: Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Cambodia passport

Cambodia passport holder visiting Portugal

Visa Required
Cambodia passport holders need a visa to enter Portugal.
Portugal passport

Portugal passport holder visiting Cambodia

Visa on Arrival
Portugal 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 Portugal than Cambodia?

Day-to-day costs in Portugal run about 33% higher than Cambodia on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to Portugal?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a KHR300,562,500 comparable salary, that's around €21,908 in Portugal for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Portugal?

With 43.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Portugal 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 Portugal.

Is Portugal safe for expats?

Portugal performs significantly better than Cambodia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Portugal is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.8 in Cambodia.

How is healthcare in Portugal compared to Cambodia?

Cambodia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Portugal leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 57.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Portugal, compared to 2.1 in Cambodia. Portugal scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Cambodia: 58).

What's the weather like in Portugal compared to Cambodia?

The average high temperature in Lisbon is 69°F, compared to 90°F in Phnom Penh. Lisbon receives around 29.6 in of rainfall per year, while Phnom Penh gets 51.8 in.

What language do they speak in Portugal?

The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. In Cambodia, the official language is Khmer.

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At a Glance

KH PT
Population 16,713,015 10,242,081
Currency Cambodian Riel (KHR) Euro (€)
Languages Khmer Portuguese
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +855 +351
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 117 112