Moving to Cambodia from Switzerland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Switzerland to Cambodia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Switzerland to Cambodia, you would find that Cambodia is 69.8% cheaper than Switzerland overall. A CHF60,598 salary in Switzerland would need to be roughly KHR114,457,940 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 55°F in Bern, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Switzerland and Cambodia.
What does your salary buy?
CHF60,598 → KHR114,457,940
To maintain the same standard of living in Cambodia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 81.7% less
Groceries
pay 44.1% less
Transportation
pay 49.9% less
Housing
pay 74.5% less
Childcare
pay 88.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 77.4% 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
The numbers behind daily life in Cambodia compared to Switzerland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Switzerland 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 Switzerland 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
Switzerland 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
Switzerland 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
share of people below the poverty line
Switzerland generally does better on employment & economy, though Cambodia leads in unemployment rate.
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
Switzerland performs better than Cambodia across all family life metrics.
Data: Swiss Federal Tax Administration, 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 | Bern | Phnom Penh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 94°/78°F (34°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) | 90°/76°F (32°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) | 87°/73°F (30°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bern | Phnom Penh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) | 88°/71°F (31.2°/21.5°C) |
| Feb | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) | 91°/72°F (32.7°/22.5°C) |
| Mar | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) | 94°/76°F (34.5°/24.2°C) |
| Apr | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) | 95°/78°F (34.9°/25.4°C) |
| May | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) | 94°/78°F (34.3°/25.4°C) |
| Jun | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) | 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.3°C) |
| Jul | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) | 90°/76°F (32.4°/24.7°C) |
| Aug | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) | 90°/77°F (32.2°/25.0°C) |
| Sep | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) | 89°/75°F (31.7°/24.1°C) |
| Oct | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) | 87°/75°F (30.8°/23.9°C) |
| Nov | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) | 87°/73°F (30.4°/22.8°C) |
| Dec | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) | 86°/71°F (30.2°/21.4°C) |
Data:
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology,
Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Switzerland 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.
Switzerland passport holder visiting Cambodia
Visa on Arrival
Cambodia passport holder visiting Switzerland
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 Switzerland?
On average Cambodia is about 62% less expensive than Switzerland, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Cambodia?
Budget about KHR28,614,485 for 3 months in Cambodia (based on a CHF60,598 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: 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?
Switzerland 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 Switzerland.
How is healthcare in Cambodia compared to Switzerland?
Cambodia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 2.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Cambodia, compared to 44.4 in Switzerland. Cambodia scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Switzerland: 86).
What's the weather like in Cambodia compared to Switzerland?
The average high temperature in Phnom Penh is 90°F, compared to 55°F in Bern. Phnom Penh receives around 51.8 in of rainfall per year, while Bern gets 42.8 in.
What language do they speak in Cambodia?
The official language in Cambodia is Khmer. In Switzerland, the official languages are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German.
