Moving to Cambodia from Jamaica
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Jamaica to Cambodia — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Jamaica to Cambodia, you would find that Cambodia is 20.5% cheaper than Jamaica overall. A JMD11,813,539 salary in Jamaica would need to be roughly KHR254,739,260 in Cambodia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Khmer. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Jamaica to Cambodia.
What does your salary buy?
JMD11,813,539 → KHR254,739,260
To maintain the same standard of living in Cambodia
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 29.9% less
Groceries
pay 32.0% less
Transportation
pay 33.1% less
Housing
pay 43.3% less
Childcare
pay 52.4% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 51.0% 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.
Get free moving quotes to Cambodia
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Key Indicator Comparison
How Jamaica and Cambodia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Jamaica 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Jamaica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cambodia leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Jamaica 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
Jamaica 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
Cambodia generally does better on employment & economy, though Jamaica 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Jamaica performs better than Cambodia across all family life metrics.
Data: Tax Admministration of Jamaica, 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 | Kingston | Phnom Penh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 87°/70°F (30°/21°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 94°/78°F (34°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 91°/76°F (33°/24°C) | 90°/76°F (32°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 88°/73°F (31°/23°C) | 87°/73°F (30°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kingston | Phnom Penh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87°/70°F (30.3°/21.1°C) | 88°/71°F (31.2°/21.5°C) |
| Feb | 86°/70°F (30.2°/21.0°C) | 91°/72°F (32.7°/22.5°C) |
| Mar | 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.6°C) | 94°/76°F (34.5°/24.2°C) |
| Apr | 88°/73°F (31.1°/22.6°C) | 95°/78°F (34.9°/25.4°C) |
| May | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.6°C) | 94°/78°F (34.3°/25.4°C) |
| Jun | 90°/76°F (32.1°/24.2°C) | 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.3°C) |
| Jul | 91°/76°F (32.8°/24.3°C) | 90°/76°F (32.4°/24.7°C) |
| Aug | 91°/76°F (32.7°/24.2°C) | 90°/77°F (32.2°/25.0°C) |
| Sep | 90°/75°F (32.1°/24.0°C) | 89°/75°F (31.7°/24.1°C) |
| Oct | 89°/74°F (31.7°/23.4°C) | 87°/75°F (30.8°/23.9°C) |
| Nov | 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.8°C) | 87°/73°F (30.4°/22.8°C) |
| Dec | 87°/71°F (30.6°/21.8°C) | 86°/71°F (30.2°/21.4°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Service, Jamaica,
Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Jamaica 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.
Jamaica passport holder visiting Cambodia
Visa on Arrival
Cambodia passport holder visiting Jamaica
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 Jamaica?
Generally yes: Cambodia runs about 15% cheaper than Jamaica 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 JMD11,813,539 comparable salary, that's around KHR63,684,815 in Cambodia for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Cambodia?
With 3.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Cambodia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Jamaica and Cambodia.
Is Cambodia safe for expats?
Jamaica 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 53.3 in Jamaica.
How is healthcare in Cambodia compared to Jamaica?
Jamaica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cambodia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 2.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Cambodia, compared to 5.5 in Jamaica. Cambodia scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Jamaica: 74).
What's the weather like in Cambodia compared to Jamaica?
The average high temperature in Phnom Penh is 90°F, compared to 89°F in Kingston. Phnom Penh receives around 51.8 in of rainfall per year, while Kingston gets 32.0 in.
What language do they speak in Cambodia?
The official language in Cambodia is Khmer. In Jamaica, the official languages are English and Jamaican Patois.
