Moving to Cambodia from Iran

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Iran to Cambodia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Iran to Cambodia, you would find that Cambodia is 2.0 times more expensive than Iran overall. A IRR103,106,250,000 salary in Iran would need to be roughly KHR307,687,835 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 72°F in Tehran, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Iran to Cambodia.

What does your salary buy?

IRR103,106,250,000 KHR307,687,835

To maintain the same standard of living in Cambodia

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 7.4% more

Groceries

pay 2.6 times more

Transportation

pay 65.5% more

Housing

pay 2.4 times more

Childcare

pay 4.0 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 68.7% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 IRR = 0.0029 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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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Iran to Cambodia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2014

per 100,000 people per year

IR
2.4
KH
1.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IR
20.6
KH
18.8

Cambodia performs significantly better than Iran across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

IR
$1,064
KH
$350
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

affects wait times and access to care

IR
15.1
KH
2.1

Cambodia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iran leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IR
51.0
KH
60.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IR
9.1t
KH
1.1t

Iran generally does better on environment, though Cambodia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

IR
12.3
KH
3.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IR
81.3%
KH
1.0%

Iran generally does better on infrastructure, though Cambodia leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

IR
9.1%
KH
0.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IR
$16,200
KH
$5,100

Cambodia generally does better on employment & economy, though Iran leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

IR
75.2 yrs
KH
70.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IR
14.8
KH
29.6

Iran performs better than Cambodia across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Tehran Rain: 9.1 in/yr (230 mm)
72° / 53°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Tehran Phnom Penh
Jan–Mar 52°/35°F (11°/2°C) 91°/73°F (33°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 82°/61°F (28°/16°C) 94°/78°F (34°/25°C)
Jul–Sep 94°/72°F (35°/22°C) 90°/76°F (32°/25°C)
Oct–Dec 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) 87°/73°F (30°/23°C)
View all months
Month Tehran Phnom Penh
Jan 45°/30°F (7.2°/-1.1°C) 88°/71°F (31.2°/21.5°C)
Feb 50°/33°F (9.9°/0.7°C) 91°/72°F (32.7°/22.5°C)
Mar 60°/41°F (15.4°/5.2°C) 94°/76°F (34.5°/24.2°C)
Apr 71°/52°F (21.9°/10.9°C) 95°/78°F (34.9°/25.4°C)
May 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.1°C) 94°/78°F (34.3°/25.4°C)
Jun 93°/70°F (34.1°/20.9°C) 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.3°C)
Jul 98°/75°F (36.8°/24.0°C) 90°/76°F (32.4°/24.7°C)
Aug 96°/73°F (35.4°/23.0°C) 90°/77°F (32.2°/25.0°C)
Sep 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.2°C) 89°/75°F (31.7°/24.1°C)
Oct 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) 87°/75°F (30.8°/23.9°C)
Nov 62°/44°F (16.5°/6.7°C) 87°/73°F (30.4°/22.8°C)
Dec 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.3°C) 86°/71°F (30.2°/21.4°C)

Data: Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iran 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.

Iran passport

Iran passport holder visiting Cambodia

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

Cambodia passport holder visiting Iran

Visa Free
Cambodia passport holders can enter Iran without a visa.

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 Iran?

Costs in Cambodia and Iran are broadly similar overall, though categories like rent and dining differ between cities.

How much money do I need to move to Cambodia?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly KHR76,921,959 in Cambodia on a IRR103,106,250,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Cambodia?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Cambodia has 3.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Cambodia safe for expats?

Cambodia performs significantly better than Iran across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Cambodia is 1.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.4 in Iran.

How is healthcare in Cambodia compared to Iran?

Cambodia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iran leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 2.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Cambodia, compared to 15.1 in Iran. Cambodia scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iran: 74).

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

The average high temperature in Phnom Penh is 90°F, compared to 72°F in Tehran. Phnom Penh receives around 51.8 in of rainfall per year, while Tehran gets 9.1 in.

What language do they speak in Cambodia?

The official language in Cambodia is Khmer. In Iran, the official language is Persian (Farsi).

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At a Glance

IR KH
Population 86,758,304 16,713,015
Currency Iranian Rial (IRR) Cambodian Riel (KHR)
Languages Persian (Farsi) Khmer
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +98 +855
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 115 117