Moving to Cambodia from China
What to Expect
Considering a move from China to Cambodia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from China to Cambodia, you would find that Cambodia is 14.3% more expensive than China overall. A CN¥500,000 salary in China would need to be roughly KHR348,000,000 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 68°F in Shanghai, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Cambodia cheaper than China?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 34.1% more
Groceries
pay 37.6% more
Transportation
pay 13.5% more
Housing
pay 30.2% more
Childcare
pay 44.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 14.8% 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.
What salary do you need in Cambodia?
What does your salary buy?
CN¥500,000 → KHR348,000,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Cambodia
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from China to Cambodia.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Cambodia compared to China.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
China performs better than Cambodia across all safety metrics.
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 China 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 performs significantly better than China across all environment metrics.
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
China 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
China 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
China performs better than Cambodia across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2019–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2011–2021), World Health Organization (2024), State Administration of Taxation (2016), General Department of Taxation (2016), The World Factbook (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Cambodia vs China
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Shanghai | Phnom Penh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/36°F (10°/2°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/60°F (23°/16°C) | 94°/78°F (34°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) | 90°/76°F (32°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 62°/47°F (17°/9°C) | 87°/73°F (30°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Shanghai | Phnom Penh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°/33°F (7.7°/0.5°C) | 88°/71°F (31.2°/21.5°C) |
| Feb | 47°/35°F (8.6°/1.5°C) | 91°/72°F (32.7°/22.5°C) |
| Mar | 55°/41°F (12.7°/5.1°C) | 94°/76°F (34.5°/24.2°C) |
| Apr | 65°/51°F (18.6°/10.6°C) | 95°/78°F (34.9°/25.4°C) |
| May | 74°/60°F (23.5°/15.7°C) | 94°/78°F (34.3°/25.4°C) |
| Jun | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.3°C) | 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.3°C) |
| Jul | 89°/77°F (31.6°/24.8°C) | 90°/76°F (32.4°/24.7°C) |
| Aug | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.7°C) | 90°/77°F (32.2°/25.0°C) |
| Sep | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) | 89°/75°F (31.7°/24.1°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.3°/14.7°C) | 87°/75°F (30.8°/23.9°C) |
| Nov | 62°/47°F (16.7°/8.6°C) | 87°/73°F (30.4°/22.8°C) |
| Dec | 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.4°C) | 86°/71°F (30.2°/21.4°C) |
Data:
China Meteorological Administration,
Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology
Can you move from China to Cambodia?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between China 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.
China passport holder visiting Cambodia
Visa on Arrival
Cambodia passport holder visiting China
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 China?
On average Cambodia is around 14% pricier than China, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Cambodia?
Budget about KHR87,000,000 for 3 months in Cambodia (based on a CN¥500,000 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: 4.2 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?
China performs better than Cambodia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Cambodia is 1.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in China.
How is healthcare in Cambodia compared to China?
Cambodia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though China leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 2.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Cambodia, compared to 31.1 in China. Cambodia scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (China: 81).
What's the weather like in Cambodia compared to China?
The average high temperature in Phnom Penh is 90°F, compared to 68°F in Shanghai. Phnom Penh receives around 51.8 in of rainfall per year, while Shanghai gets 43.8 in.
What language do they speak in Cambodia?
The official language in Cambodia is Khmer. In China, the official language is Chinese.
