Moving to Cambodia from Canada
What to Expect
Considering a move from Canada to Cambodia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Canada to Cambodia, you would find that Cambodia is 46.7% cheaper than Canada overall. A CA$105,206 salary in Canada would need to be roughly KHR202,118,219 in Cambodia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Khmer. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Phnom Penh averages 90°F vs 52°F in Ottawa, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Canada and Cambodia.
What does your salary buy?
CA$105,206 → KHR202,118,219
To maintain the same standard of living in Cambodia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 59.7% less
Groceries
pay 27.3% less
Transportation
pay 7.0% less
Housing
pay 64.9% less
Childcare
pay 63.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 58.3% less
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 Canada to Cambodia.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Cambodia compared to Canada.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Canada generally does better on safety, though Cambodia leads in homicide rate.
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 Canada 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
Canada generally does better on environment, though Cambodia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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
Canada 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
Canada 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
Canada performs better than Cambodia across all family life metrics.
Data: Canada Revenue Agency, 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 | Ottawa | Phnom Penh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) | 94°/78°F (34°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 90°/76°F (32°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) | 87°/73°F (30°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Ottawa | Phnom Penh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) | 88°/71°F (31.2°/21.5°C) |
| Feb | 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) | 91°/72°F (32.7°/22.5°C) |
| Mar | 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) | 94°/76°F (34.5°/24.2°C) |
| Apr | 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) | 95°/78°F (34.9°/25.4°C) |
| May | 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) | 94°/78°F (34.3°/25.4°C) |
| Jun | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) | 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.3°C) |
| Jul | 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) | 90°/76°F (32.4°/24.7°C) |
| Aug | 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) | 90°/77°F (32.2°/25.0°C) |
| Sep | 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) | 89°/75°F (31.7°/24.1°C) |
| Oct | 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) | 87°/75°F (30.8°/23.9°C) |
| Nov | 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) | 87°/73°F (30.4°/22.8°C) |
| Dec | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) | 86°/71°F (30.2°/21.4°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Service of Canada,
Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Canada and Cambodia. To live, work, or study long-term in Cambodia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Cambodia's immigration authority.
Canada passport holder visiting Cambodia
Visa on Arrival
Cambodia passport holder visiting Canada
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Cambodia than Canada?
On average Cambodia is about 33% less expensive than Canada, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Cambodia?
Budget about KHR50,529,555 for 3 months in Cambodia (based on a CA$105,206 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Cambodia?
Connectivity is usually fine (Cambodia: 3.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Cambodia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Cambodia safe for expats?
Canada generally does better on safety, though Cambodia leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Cambodia is 1.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.3 in Canada.
How is healthcare in Cambodia compared to Canada?
Cambodia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 2.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Cambodia, compared to 25.0 in Canada. Cambodia scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Canada: 91).
What's the weather like in Cambodia compared to Canada?
The average high temperature in Phnom Penh is 90°F, compared to 52°F in Ottawa. Phnom Penh receives around 51.8 in of rainfall per year, while Ottawa gets 37.1 in.
What language do they speak in Cambodia?
The official language in Cambodia is Khmer. In Canada, the official languages are English and French.
