Moving to Cambodia from Kenya
What to Expect
Considering a move from Kenya to Cambodia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Kenya to Cambodia, you would find that Cambodia is 30.9% more expensive than Kenya overall. A KES9,690,000 salary in Kenya would need to be roughly KHR504,199,605 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. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Phnom Penh averages 90°F vs 74°F in Nairobi, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Kenya and Cambodia.
What does your salary buy?
KES9,690,000 → KHR504,199,605
To maintain the same standard of living in Cambodia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 21.6% more
Groceries
pay 87.9% more
Transportation
pay 9.0% more
Housing
pay 67.0% more
Childcare
pay 2.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 21.7% 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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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Cambodia compared to Kenya.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Cambodia performs significantly better than Kenya 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 Kenya 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
Kenya performs better than Cambodia 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
Cambodia performs significantly better than Kenya across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Cambodia generally does better on employment & economy, though Kenya 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
Kenya generally does better on family life, though Cambodia leads in life expectancy.
Data: Revenue Authority, 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 | Nairobi | Phnom Penh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/55°F (23°/13°C) | 94°/78°F (34°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/50°F (22°/10°C) | 90°/76°F (32°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 87°/73°F (30°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Nairobi | Phnom Penh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 76°/53°F (24.5°/11.5°C) | 88°/71°F (31.2°/21.5°C) |
| Feb | 78°/53°F (25.6°/11.6°C) | 91°/72°F (32.7°/22.5°C) |
| Mar | 78°/56°F (25.6°/13.1°C) | 94°/76°F (34.5°/24.2°C) |
| Apr | 75°/57°F (24.1°/14.0°C) | 95°/78°F (34.9°/25.4°C) |
| May | 73°/56°F (22.6°/13.2°C) | 94°/78°F (34.3°/25.4°C) |
| Jun | 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C) | 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.3°C) |
| Jul | 69°/50°F (20.6°/10.1°C) | 90°/76°F (32.4°/24.7°C) |
| Aug | 71°/50°F (21.4°/10.2°C) | 90°/77°F (32.2°/25.0°C) |
| Sep | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.5°C) | 89°/75°F (31.7°/24.1°C) |
| Oct | 76°/54°F (24.7°/12.5°C) | 87°/75°F (30.8°/23.9°C) |
| Nov | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.1°C) | 87°/73°F (30.4°/22.8°C) |
| Dec | 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.6°C) | 86°/71°F (30.2°/21.4°C) |
Data:
Kenya Meteorological Department,
Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Kenya 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.
Kenya passport holder visiting Cambodia
Visa on Arrival
Cambodia passport holder visiting Kenya
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 Kenya?
On average Cambodia is around 68% pricier than Kenya, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Cambodia?
Budget about KHR126,049,901 for 3 months in Cambodia (based on a KES9,690,000 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: 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?
Cambodia performs significantly better than Kenya across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Cambodia is 1.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.9 in Kenya.
How is healthcare in Cambodia compared to Kenya?
Cambodia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kenya leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 2.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Cambodia, compared to 1.0 in Kenya. Cambodia scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Kenya: 53).
What's the weather like in Cambodia compared to Kenya?
The average high temperature in Phnom Penh is 90°F, compared to 74°F in Nairobi. Phnom Penh receives around 51.8 in of rainfall per year, while Nairobi gets 40.3 in.
What language do they speak in Cambodia?
The official language in Cambodia is Khmer. In Kenya, the official languages are English and Swahili.
