Moving to Cambodia from South Carolina
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Carolina to Cambodia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Carolina to Cambodia, you would find that Cambodia is 50.0% cheaper than South Carolina. A $75,000 salary in South Carolina would need to be roughly KHR196,936,530 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 66°F in Columbia, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between South Carolina and Cambodia.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → KHR196,936,530
To maintain the same standard of living in Cambodia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 66.2% less
Groceries
pay 29.6% less
Transportation
pay 6.3% less
Housing
pay 71.2% less
Childcare
pay 78.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 54.9% 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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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from South Carolina to Cambodia.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Cambodia compared to South Carolina.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Cambodia performs significantly better than South Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
South Carolina performs better than Cambodia across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
South Carolina generally does better on employment & economy, though Cambodia leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
South Carolina 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Columbia | Phnom Penh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 47°/28°F (8°/-2°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 94°/78°F (34°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) | 90°/76°F (32°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 55°/36°F (13°/2°C) | 87°/73°F (30°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Columbia | Phnom Penh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C) | 88°/71°F (31.2°/21.5°C) |
| Feb | 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C) | 91°/72°F (32.7°/22.5°C) |
| Mar | 56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C) | 94°/76°F (34.5°/24.2°C) |
| Apr | 67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C) | 95°/78°F (34.9°/25.4°C) |
| May | 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) | 94°/78°F (34.3°/25.4°C) |
| Jun | 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C) | 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.3°C) |
| Jul | 90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C) | 90°/76°F (32.4°/24.7°C) |
| Aug | 88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C) | 90°/77°F (32.2°/25.0°C) |
| Sep | 80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C) | 89°/75°F (31.7°/24.1°C) |
| Oct | 68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C) | 87°/75°F (30.8°/23.9°C) |
| Nov | 55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C) | 87°/73°F (30.4°/22.8°C) |
| Dec | 42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°C) | 86°/71°F (30.2°/21.4°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
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 holder visiting Cambodia
Visa on Arrival
Cambodia passport holder visiting United States
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 Carolina?
On average Cambodia is about 35% less expensive than South Carolina, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Cambodia?
Budget about KHR49,234,132 for 3 months in Cambodia (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Cambodia?
From major Cambodia cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in South Carolina and Cambodia are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Cambodia compared to South Carolina?
Cambodia performs significantly better than South Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Cambodia compared to South Carolina?
The average high temperature in Phnom Penh is 90°F, compared to 66°F in Columbia. Phnom Penh receives around 51.8 in of rainfall per year, while Columbia gets 46.3 in.
What language do they speak in Cambodia?
The official language in Cambodia is Khmer. In South Carolina, the official language is English.
