Moving to Cambodia from Syria

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Syria to Cambodia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Syria to Cambodia, and you’d need to navigate life in Khmer. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Phnom Penh averages 90°F vs 78°F in Damascus, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Cambodia compared to Syria.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2011

per 100,000 people per year

SY
2.1
KH
1.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SY
29.9
KH
18.8

Cambodia performs significantly better than Syria across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

SY
$122
KH
$350
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

affects wait times and access to care

SY
11.9
KH
2.1

Syria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cambodia leads in adult obesity rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

SY
83.0
KH
60.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SY
1.3t
KH
1.1t

Cambodia performs significantly better than Syria across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SY
7.3
KH
3.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SY
124.4%
KH
1.0%

Cambodia generally does better on infrastructure, though Syria leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SY
13.5%
KH
0.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SY
$2,900
KH
$5,100

Cambodia performs significantly better than Syria across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SY
74.3 yrs
KH
70.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SY
15.9
KH
29.6

Syria performs better than Cambodia across all family life metrics.

Data: Ministry of Finance, Syria, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Damascus Rain: 5.3 in/yr (134 mm)
78° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

Phnom Penh Rain: 51.8 in/yr (1316 mm)
90° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Damascus Phnom Penh
Jan–Mar 60°/35°F (15°/2°C) 91°/73°F (33°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/51°F (29°/11°C) 94°/78°F (34°/25°C)
Jul–Sep 96°/60°F (35°/15°C) 90°/76°F (32°/25°C)
Oct–Dec 70°/40°F (21°/5°C) 87°/73°F (30°/23°C)
View all months
Month Damascus Phnom Penh
Jan 55°/33°F (12.6°/0.4°C) 88°/71°F (31.2°/21.5°C)
Feb 59°/34°F (14.8°/1.3°C) 91°/72°F (32.7°/22.5°C)
Mar 66°/39°F (18.9°/3.7°C) 94°/76°F (34.5°/24.2°C)
Apr 76°/45°F (24.5°/7.0°C) 95°/78°F (34.9°/25.4°C)
May 85°/51°F (29.7°/10.5°C) 94°/78°F (34.3°/25.4°C)
Jun 94°/58°F (34.2°/14.2°C) 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.3°C)
Jul 98°/62°F (36.5°/16.9°C) 90°/76°F (32.4°/24.7°C)
Aug 97°/62°F (36.2°/16.5°C) 90°/77°F (32.2°/25.0°C)
Sep 92°/55°F (33.4°/13.0°C) 89°/75°F (31.7°/24.1°C)
Oct 82°/48°F (28.0°/8.9°C) 87°/75°F (30.8°/23.9°C)
Nov 69°/39°F (20.3°/4.0°C) 87°/73°F (30.4°/22.8°C)
Dec 58°/34°F (14.2°/1.3°C) 86°/71°F (30.2°/21.4°C)

Data: Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department, Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Syria 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.

Syria passport

Syria passport holder visiting Cambodia

Visa on Arrival
Syria passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Cambodia.
Cambodia passport

Cambodia passport holder visiting Syria

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Cambodia passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Syria.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

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?

Cambodia performs significantly better than Syria across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Cambodia is 1.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.1 in Syria.

How is healthcare in Cambodia compared to Syria?

Syria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cambodia leads in adult obesity rate. There are 2.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Cambodia, compared to 11.9 in Syria. Cambodia scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Syria: 64).

What's the weather like in Cambodia compared to Syria?

The average high temperature in Phnom Penh is 90°F, compared to 78°F in Damascus. Phnom Penh receives around 51.8 in of rainfall per year, while Damascus gets 5.3 in.

What language do they speak in Cambodia?

The official language in Cambodia is Khmer. In Syria, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

SY KH
Population 21,563,800 16,713,015
Currency Syrian Pound (SYP) Cambodian Riel (KHR)
Languages Arabic Khmer
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +963 +855
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 117