Moving to Cambodia from Malta

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Malta to Cambodia, you would find that Cambodia is 44.5% cheaper than Malta overall. A €64,304 salary in Malta would need to be roughly KHR200,355,640 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 72°F in Valletta, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

€64,304 KHR200,355,640

To maintain the same standard of living in Cambodia

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 63.2% less

Groceries

pay 9.6% less

Transportation

pay 24.1% less

Housing

pay 51.5% less

Childcare

pay 50.8% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 56.3% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 4677.0 KHR (June 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

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

MT
0.6
KH
1.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MT
1.9
KH
18.8

Malta performs better than Cambodia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

MT
$5,706
KH
$350
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

MT
42.8
KH
2.1

Malta generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cambodia leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

MT
21.0
KH
60.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MT
3.2t
KH
1.1t

Malta 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

MT
43.0
KH
3.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MT
78.3%
KH
1.0%

Malta 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

MT
3.1%
KH
0.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MT
$57,200
KH
$5,100

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

MT
83.2 yrs
KH
70.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MT
4.5
KH
29.6

Malta performs better than Cambodia across all family life metrics.

Data: Government of Malta - Inland Revenue, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Valletta Rain: 21.8 in/yr (553 mm)
72° / 59°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Valletta Phnom Penh
Jan–Mar 60°/49°F (16°/10°C) 91°/73°F (33°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 74°/59°F (23°/15°C) 94°/78°F (34°/25°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/70°F (30°/21°C) 90°/76°F (32°/25°C)
Oct–Dec 69°/57°F (20°/14°C) 87°/73°F (30°/23°C)
View all months
Month Valletta Phnom Penh
Jan 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.2°C) 88°/71°F (31.2°/21.5°C)
Feb 60°/49°F (15.5°/9.3°C) 91°/72°F (32.7°/22.5°C)
Mar 62°/50°F (16.7°/10.1°C) 94°/76°F (34.5°/24.2°C)
Apr 66°/53°F (19.1°/11.9°C) 95°/78°F (34.9°/25.4°C)
May 74°/59°F (23.3°/14.9°C) 94°/78°F (34.3°/25.4°C)
Jun 82°/65°F (27.5°/18.4°C) 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.3°C)
Jul 87°/70°F (30.7°/21.0°C) 90°/76°F (32.4°/24.7°C)
Aug 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.8°C) 90°/77°F (32.2°/25.0°C)
Sep 82°/68°F (28.0°/20.1°C) 89°/75°F (31.7°/24.1°C)
Oct 76°/63°F (24.2°/17.1°C) 87°/75°F (30.8°/23.9°C)
Nov 68°/57°F (20.1°/13.9°C) 87°/73°F (30.4°/22.8°C)
Dec 62°/52°F (16.7°/11.0°C) 86°/71°F (30.2°/21.4°C)

Data: Meteorological Office Meteorological Office, Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malta 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.

Malta passport

Malta passport holder visiting Cambodia

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

Cambodia passport holder visiting Malta

Visa Required
Cambodia passport holders need a visa to enter Malta.

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 Malta?

Generally yes: Cambodia runs about 33% cheaper than Malta 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 €64,304 comparable salary, that's around KHR50,088,910 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 Malta and Cambodia.

Is Cambodia safe for expats?

Malta performs better than Cambodia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Cambodia is 1.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Malta.

How is healthcare in Cambodia compared to Malta?

Malta 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 42.8 in Malta. Cambodia scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malta: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Phnom Penh is 90°F, compared to 72°F in Valletta. Phnom Penh receives around 51.8 in of rainfall per year, while Valletta gets 21.8 in.

What language do they speak in Cambodia?

The official language in Cambodia is Khmer. In Malta, the official languages are English and Maltese.

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At a Glance

MT KH
Population 464,186 16,713,015
Currency Euro (€) Cambodian Riel (KHR)
Languages English, Maltese Khmer
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +356 +855
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 117