Moving to Cambodia from South Korea
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Korea to Cambodia? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Korea to Cambodia, you would find that Cambodia is 35.7% cheaper than South Korea overall. A ₩113,056,500 salary in South Korea would need to be roughly KHR255,657,550 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 63°F in Seoul, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between South Korea and Cambodia.
What does your salary buy?
₩113,056,500 → KHR255,657,550
To maintain the same standard of living in Cambodia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 25.3% less
Groceries
pay 39.9% less
Transportation
pay 3.3% more
Housing
pay 38.1% less
Childcare
pay 54.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 48.6% 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 Korea to Cambodia.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Cambodia compared to South Korea.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
South Korea 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
South Korea 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 Korea 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 Korea 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 Korea 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 Korea performs better than Cambodia across all family life metrics.
Data: National Tax Service, South Korea, 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 | Seoul | Phnom Penh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) | 94°/78°F (34°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) | 90°/76°F (32°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) | 87°/73°F (30°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Seoul | Phnom Penh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) | 88°/71°F (31.2°/21.5°C) |
| Feb | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) | 91°/72°F (32.7°/22.5°C) |
| Mar | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) | 94°/76°F (34.5°/24.2°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) | 95°/78°F (34.9°/25.4°C) |
| May | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) | 94°/78°F (34.3°/25.4°C) |
| Jun | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) | 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.3°C) |
| Jul | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) | 90°/76°F (32.4°/24.7°C) |
| Aug | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) | 90°/77°F (32.2°/25.0°C) |
| Sep | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) | 89°/75°F (31.7°/24.1°C) |
| Oct | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) | 87°/75°F (30.8°/23.9°C) |
| Nov | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) | 87°/73°F (30.4°/22.8°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) | 86°/71°F (30.2°/21.4°C) |
Data:
Korea Meteorological Administration,
Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Korea 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 Korea passport holder visiting Cambodia
Visa on Arrival
Cambodia passport holder visiting South Korea
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 Korea?
On average Cambodia is about 15% less expensive than South Korea, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Cambodia?
Budget about KHR63,914,388 for 3 months in Cambodia (based on a ₩113,056,500 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Cambodia?
Connectivity is usually fine (Cambodia: 3.0 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?
South Korea performs better than Cambodia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Cambodia is 1.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in South Korea.
How is healthcare in Cambodia compared to South Korea?
South Korea 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 25.2 in South Korea. Cambodia scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Korea: 89).
What's the weather like in Cambodia compared to South Korea?
The average high temperature in Phnom Penh is 90°F, compared to 63°F in Seoul. Phnom Penh receives around 51.8 in of rainfall per year, while Seoul gets 55.8 in.
What language do they speak in Cambodia?
The official language in Cambodia is Khmer. In South Korea, the official language is Korean.
