Moving to Cambodia from New Mexico

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from New Mexico to Cambodia, you would find that Cambodia is 50.1% cheaper than New Mexico. A $75,000 salary in New Mexico would need to be roughly KHR205,716,998 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 64°F in Santa Fe, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 KHR205,716,998

To maintain the same standard of living in Cambodia

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 62.6% less

Groceries

pay 26.7% less

Transportation

pay 1.5% less

Housing

pay 67.7% less

Childcare

pay 77.5% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 66.3% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 4007.5 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 New Mexico 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 New Mexico 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

NM
32.2%
KH
3.9%

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

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

share of households with internet

NM
84.5%
KH
60.0%

New Mexico 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

NM
4.2%
KH
0.2%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

NM
$56,008
KH
$5,100

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

NM
74.5 yrs
KH
70.7 yrs

New Mexico 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.

Santa Fe Rain: 15.7 in/yr (399 mm)
64° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Santa Fe Phnom Penh
Jan–Mar 48°/22°F (9°/-5°C) 91°/73°F (33°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/43°F (23°/6°C) 94°/78°F (34°/25°C)
Jul–Sep 82°/53°F (28°/12°C) 90°/76°F (32°/25°C)
Oct–Dec 54°/28°F (12°/-2°C) 87°/73°F (30°/23°C)
View all months
Month Santa Fe Phnom Penh
Jan 43°/19°F (5.9°/-7.4°C) 88°/71°F (31.2°/21.5°C)
Feb 47°/21°F (8.3°/-6.2°C) 91°/72°F (32.7°/22.5°C)
Mar 54°/27°F (12.3°/-2.6°C) 94°/76°F (34.5°/24.2°C)
Apr 63°/33°F (17.4°/0.6°C) 95°/78°F (34.9°/25.4°C)
May 73°/43°F (22.6°/6.3°C) 94°/78°F (34.3°/25.4°C)
Jun 83°/52°F (28.3°/11.2°C) 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.3°C)
Jul 85°/56°F (29.6°/13.4°C) 90°/76°F (32.4°/24.7°C)
Aug 83°/55°F (28.1°/12.8°C) 90°/77°F (32.2°/25.0°C)
Sep 77°/48°F (25.1°/9.1°C) 89°/75°F (31.7°/24.1°C)
Oct 65°/38°F (18.6°/3.1°C) 87°/75°F (30.8°/23.9°C)
Nov 53°/28°F (11.6°/-2.5°C) 87°/73°F (30.4°/22.8°C)
Dec 43°/19°F (6.2°/-7.4°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 New Mexico?

Generally yes: Cambodia runs about 32% cheaper than New Mexico 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 KHR51,429,250 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 New Mexico and Cambodia.

How is healthcare in Cambodia compared to New Mexico?

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

What's the weather like in Cambodia compared to New Mexico?

The average high temperature in Phnom Penh is 90°F, compared to 64°F in Santa Fe. Phnom Penh receives around 51.8 in of rainfall per year, while Santa Fe gets 15.7 in.

What language do they speak in Cambodia?

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

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At a Glance

KH
Population 2,059,179 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