Moving to Cambodia from South Africa
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from South Africa to Cambodia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from South Africa to Cambodia, you would find that Cambodia is 6.0% cheaper than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,218,000 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly KHR367,360,110 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 77°F in Pretoria, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from South Africa to Cambodia.
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,218,000 → KHR367,360,110
To maintain the same standard of living in Cambodia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 20.4% less
Groceries
pay 38.1% more
Transportation
pay 7.8% more
Housing
pay 31.0% less
Childcare
pay 28.0% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 23.4% 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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from South Africa to Cambodia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Cambodia performs significantly better than South Africa 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
South Africa 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
South Africa 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
South Africa 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 South Africa 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
South Africa generally does better on family life, though Cambodia leads in life expectancy.
Data: South African Revenue Service, 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 | Pretoria | Phnom Penh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 94°/78°F (34°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 90°/76°F (32°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | 87°/73°F (30°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | Phnom Penh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | 88°/71°F (31.2°/21.5°C) |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | 91°/72°F (32.7°/22.5°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | 94°/76°F (34.5°/24.2°C) |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | 95°/78°F (34.9°/25.4°C) |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | 94°/78°F (34.3°/25.4°C) |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.3°C) |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | 90°/76°F (32.4°/24.7°C) |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | 90°/77°F (32.2°/25.0°C) |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | 89°/75°F (31.7°/24.1°C) |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | 87°/75°F (30.8°/23.9°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 87°/73°F (30.4°/22.8°C) |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 86°/71°F (30.2°/21.4°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa 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.
South Africa passport holder visiting Cambodia
Visa on Arrival
Cambodia passport holder visiting South Africa
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 South Africa?
No — Cambodia is on average about 22% more expensive than South Africa. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Cambodia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly KHR91,840,028 in Cambodia on a ZAR1,218,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Cambodia?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Cambodia has 3.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Cambodia safe for expats?
Cambodia performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Cambodia is 1.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 45.5 in South Africa.
How is healthcare in Cambodia compared to South Africa?
South Africa 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 8.1 in South Africa. Cambodia scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Cambodia compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Phnom Penh is 90°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Phnom Penh receives around 51.8 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.
What language do they speak in Cambodia?
The official language in Cambodia is Khmer. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
Compare further: South Africa vs. Cambodia
At a Glance
ZA
|
KH
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,516,665 | 16,713,015 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Cambodian Riel (KHR) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Khmer |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +855 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 117 |