Moving to Cambodia from New Zealand
What to Expect
Considering a move from New Zealand to Cambodia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from New Zealand to Cambodia, you would find that Cambodia is 49.2% cheaper than New Zealand overall. A NZ$130,000 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly KHR152,000,000 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 66°F in Auckland, making it significantly warmer.
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How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 58.9% less
Groceries
pay 20.7% less
Transportation
pay 41.4% less
Housing
pay 59.7% less
Childcare
pay 51.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 55.1% 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.
What salary do you need in Cambodia?
What does your salary buy?
NZ$130,000 → KHR152,000,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Cambodia
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Cambodia compared to New Zealand.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
New Zealand performs better than Cambodia 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 New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
New Zealand 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
share of households with internet
New Zealand 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 New Zealand 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
New Zealand performs better than Cambodia across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2019–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2011–2021), World Health Organization (2024), New Zealand Inland Revenue Department (2016), General Department of Taxation (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Cambodia vs New Zealand
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Auckland | Phnom Penh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 74°/61°F (23°/16°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 63°/51°F (18°/11°C) | 94°/78°F (34°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 60°/47°F (15°/8°C) | 90°/76°F (32°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 67°/55°F (20°/13°C) | 87°/73°F (30°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Auckland | Phnom Penh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/61°F (23.6°/16.0°C) | 88°/71°F (31.2°/21.5°C) |
| Feb | 75°/62°F (24.1°/16.5°C) | 91°/72°F (32.7°/22.5°C) |
| Mar | 73°/59°F (22.6°/14.9°C) | 94°/76°F (34.5°/24.2°C) |
| Apr | 68°/55°F (20.0°/12.7°C) | 95°/78°F (34.9°/25.4°C) |
| May | 63°/51°F (17.4°/10.6°C) | 94°/78°F (34.3°/25.4°C) |
| Jun | 59°/47°F (15.2°/8.4°C) | 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.3°C) |
| Jul | 58°/46°F (14.3°/7.5°C) | 90°/76°F (32.4°/24.7°C) |
| Aug | 59°/47°F (14.9°/8.2°C) | 90°/77°F (32.2°/25.0°C) |
| Sep | 62°/49°F (16.4°/9.7°C) | 89°/75°F (31.7°/24.1°C) |
| Oct | 64°/52°F (17.7°/11.2°C) | 87°/75°F (30.8°/23.9°C) |
| Nov | 67°/55°F (19.5°/12.8°C) | 87°/73°F (30.4°/22.8°C) |
| Dec | 71°/59°F (21.8°/14.9°C) | 86°/71°F (30.2°/21.4°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology
Can you move from New Zealand to Cambodia?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand 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.
New Zealand passport holder visiting Cambodia
Visa on Arrival
Cambodia passport holder visiting New Zealand
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 New Zealand?
On average Cambodia is about 49% less expensive than New Zealand, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Cambodia?
Budget about KHR38,000,000 for 3 months in Cambodia (based on a NZ$130,000 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: 4.2 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?
New Zealand performs better than Cambodia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Cambodia is 1.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.5 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in Cambodia compared to New Zealand?
Cambodia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 2.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Cambodia, compared to 36.1 in New Zealand. Cambodia scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in Cambodia compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Phnom Penh is 90°F, compared to 66°F in Auckland. Phnom Penh receives around 51.8 in of rainfall per year, while Auckland gets 43.3 in.
What language do they speak in Cambodia?
The official language in Cambodia is Khmer. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
