Moving to United States from Cambodia
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Cambodia to United States — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Cambodia to United States, you would find that United States is 2.6 times more expensive than Cambodia overall. A KHR300,000,000 salary in Cambodia would need to be roughly $194,000 in United States 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.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Cambodia to United States.
What does your salary buy?
KHR300,000,000 → $194,000
To maintain the same standard of living in United States
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 3.3 times more
Groceries
pay 64.1% more
Transportation
pay 53.3% more
Housing
pay 4.1 times more
Childcare
pay 3.5 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.6 times 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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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Cambodia to United States, and how the trend has changed.
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.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
50.154,891
Cambodia
Key Indicator Comparison
How Cambodia and United States stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Cambodia generally does better on safety, though United States 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Cambodia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States 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 United States 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
share of households with internet
United States generally does better on infrastructure, though Cambodia leads in water stress level.
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
share of people below the poverty line
Cambodia generally does better on employment & economy, though United States leads in gdp per capita.
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
United States performs significantly better than Cambodia across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2019–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2011–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2010–2016), General Department of Taxation (2016), Internal Revenue Service (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
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,
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 holder visiting United States
Visa Required
United States 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 United States than Cambodia?
Day-to-day costs in United States run about 162% higher than Cambodia on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to United States?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a KHR300,000,000 comparable salary, that's around $48,500 in United States for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from United States?
With 38.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, United States 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 United States.
Is United States safe for expats?
Cambodia generally does better on safety, though United States leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in United States is 5.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.8 in Cambodia.
How is healthcare in United States compared to Cambodia?
Cambodia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 36.8 doctors per 10,000 people in United States, compared to 2.1 in Cambodia. United States scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Cambodia: 58).
What's the weather like in United States 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 United States?
The official language in United States is English. In Cambodia, the official language is Khmer.
