Moving to Sri Lanka from Cambodia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Cambodia to Sri Lanka? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Cambodia to Sri Lanka, you would find that Sri Lanka is 10.9% cheaper than Cambodia overall. A KHR300,750,000 salary in Cambodia would need to be roughly LKR17,683,597 in Sri Lanka to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Sinhala and Tamil. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Cambodia and Sri Lanka.
What does your salary buy?
KHR300,750,000 → LKR17,683,597
To maintain the same standard of living in Sri Lanka
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 6.2% less
Groceries
pay 7.5% less
Transportation
pay 27.5% less
Housing
pay 32.6% less
Childcare
pay 87.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 94.4% more
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
The numbers behind daily life in Sri Lanka compared to Cambodia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Cambodia generally does better on safety, though Sri Lanka leads in road traffic deaths.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Cambodia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sri Lanka leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Cambodia generally does better on environment, though Sri Lanka leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Cambodia generally does better on infrastructure, though Sri Lanka leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
Sri Lanka generally does better on employment & economy, though Cambodia leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Sri Lanka generally does better on family life, though Cambodia leads in education spending.
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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Phnom Penh | Colombo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) | 88°/73°F (31°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 94°/78°F (34°/25°C) | 88°/77°F (31°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/76°F (32°/25°C) | 86°/77°F (30°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/73°F (30°/23°C) | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Phnom Penh | Colombo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 88°/71°F (31.2°/21.5°C) | 88°/72°F (30.9°/22.3°C) |
| Feb | 91°/72°F (32.7°/22.5°C) | 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.6°C) |
| Mar | 94°/76°F (34.5°/24.2°C) | 89°/75°F (31.7°/23.7°C) |
| Apr | 95°/78°F (34.9°/25.4°C) | 89°/76°F (31.8°/24.6°C) |
| May | 94°/78°F (34.3°/25.4°C) | 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.5°C) |
| Jun | 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.3°C) | 87°/78°F (30.4°/25.5°C) |
| Jul | 90°/76°F (32.4°/24.7°C) | 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.2°C) |
| Aug | 90°/77°F (32.2°/25.0°C) | 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.1°C) |
| Sep | 89°/75°F (31.7°/24.1°C) | 86°/77°F (30.2°/24.8°C) |
| Oct | 87°/75°F (30.8°/23.9°C) | 86°/75°F (30.0°/24.0°C) |
| Nov | 87°/73°F (30.4°/22.8°C) | 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 86°/71°F (30.2°/21.4°C) | 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.8°C) |
Data:
Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology,
National Meteorological Centre
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Cambodia and Sri Lanka. To live, work, or study long-term in Sri Lanka, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Sri Lanka's immigration authority.
Cambodia passport holder visiting Sri Lanka
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Sri Lanka passport holder visiting Cambodia
Visa on ArrivalData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Sri Lanka than Cambodia?
On average Sri Lanka is about 29% less expensive than Cambodia, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Sri Lanka?
Budget about LKR4,420,899 for 3 months in Sri Lanka (based on a KHR300,750,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Sri Lanka?
Connectivity is usually fine (Sri Lanka: 10.1 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Sri Lanka offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Sri Lanka safe for expats?
Cambodia generally does better on safety, though Sri Lanka leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Sri Lanka is 3.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.8 in Cambodia.
How is healthcare in Sri Lanka compared to Cambodia?
Cambodia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sri Lanka leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 11.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Sri Lanka, compared to 2.1 in Cambodia. Sri Lanka scores 67 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Cambodia: 58).
What's the weather like in Sri Lanka compared to Cambodia?
The average high temperature in Colombo is 87°F, compared to 90°F in Phnom Penh. Colombo receives around 99.4 in of rainfall per year, while Phnom Penh gets 51.8 in.
What language do they speak in Sri Lanka?
The official languages in Sri Lanka are Sinhala and Tamil. In Cambodia, the official language is Khmer.
