Moving to Cambodia from Illinois

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Illinois to Cambodia, you would find that Cambodia is 52.5% cheaper than Illinois. A $75,000 salary in Illinois would need to be roughly KHR206,855,302 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 63°F in Springfield, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 KHR206,855,302

To maintain the same standard of living in Cambodia

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 63.4% less

Groceries

pay 23.4% less

Transportation

pay 12.0% less

Housing

pay 70.6% less

Childcare

pay 82.3% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 65.5% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 4041.88 KHR (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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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Illinois to Cambodia, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
208 ↑ 7% vs 2015

people born in United States live in Cambodia · UN DESA

Who's moving to Cambodia?

Top countries of origin for Cambodia's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

IL
34.6%
KH
3.9%

Cambodia performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

IL
89.6%
KH
60.0%

Illinois performs better than Cambodia across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

IL
4.8%
KH
0.2%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

IL
$70,691
KH
$5,100

Illinois generally does better on employment & economy, though Cambodia leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

IL
76.8 yrs
KH
70.7 yrs

Illinois performs better than Cambodia across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Springfield Rain: 37.4 in/yr (951 mm)
63° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

Phnom Penh Rain: 51.8 in/yr (1316 mm)
90° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Springfield Phnom Penh
Jan–Mar 42°/25°F (6°/-4°C) 91°/73°F (33°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 74°/52°F (23°/11°C) 94°/78°F (34°/25°C)
Jul–Sep 83°/61°F (29°/16°C) 90°/76°F (32°/25°C)
Oct–Dec 52°/33°F (11°/1°C) 87°/73°F (30°/23°C)
View all months
Month Springfield Phnom Penh
Jan 35°/19°F (1.6°/-7.4°C) 88°/71°F (31.2°/21.5°C)
Feb 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.2°C) 91°/72°F (32.7°/22.5°C)
Mar 52°/32°F (11.2°/0.1°C) 94°/76°F (34.5°/24.2°C)
Apr 65°/42°F (18.1°/5.8°C) 95°/78°F (34.9°/25.4°C)
May 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.4°C) 94°/78°F (34.3°/25.4°C)
Jun 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.6°C) 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.3°C)
Jul 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.6°C) 90°/76°F (32.4°/24.7°C)
Aug 85°/64°F (29.4°/17.6°C) 90°/77°F (32.2°/25.0°C)
Sep 79°/55°F (26.1°/12.6°C) 89°/75°F (31.7°/24.1°C)
Oct 66°/44°F (19.1°/6.6°C) 87°/75°F (30.8°/23.9°C)
Nov 52°/34°F (11.3°/1.1°C) 87°/73°F (30.4°/22.8°C)
Dec 38°/22°F (3.5°/-5.3°C) 86°/71°F (30.2°/21.4°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.

United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Cambodia

Visa on Arrival
United States passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Cambodia.
Cambodia passport

Cambodia passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Cambodia passport holders need a visa to enter United States.

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 Cambodia than Illinois?

Generally yes: Cambodia runs about 32% cheaper than Illinois on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Cambodia?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around KHR51,713,826 in Cambodia for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Cambodia?

Working remotely from Cambodia's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Illinois and Cambodia.

How is healthcare in Cambodia compared to Illinois?

Cambodia performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Phnom Penh is 90°F, compared to 63°F in Springfield. Phnom Penh receives around 51.8 in of rainfall per year, while Springfield gets 37.4 in.

What language do they speak in Cambodia?

The official language in Cambodia is Khmer. In Illinois, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

KH
Population 12,830,632 16,713,015
Currency United States Dollar ($) Cambodian Riel (KHR)
Languages English Khmer
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +855
Time zones 11 1
Emergency number 911 117