Moving to Cambodia from Vanuatu

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Vanuatu to Cambodia — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Vanuatu to Cambodia, and you’d need to navigate life in Khmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Vanuatu and Cambodia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

per 100,000 people per year

VU
0.3
KH
1.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

VU
12.5
KH
18.8

Vanuatu performs better than Cambodia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

VU
$141
KH
$350
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

affects wait times and access to care

VU
1.6
KH
2.1

Cambodia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Vanuatu leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

VU
57.0
KH
60.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

VU
0.9t
KH
1.1t

Vanuatu performs better than Cambodia 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

VU
1.1
KH
3.0
Internet access The World Factbook, 2021

share of households with internet

VU
66.0%
KH
60.0%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

VU
5.1%
KH
0.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

VU
$3,000
KH
$5,100

Cambodia generally does better on employment & economy, though Vanuatu leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

VU
75.1 yrs
KH
70.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

VU
14.3
KH
29.6

Vanuatu generally does better on family life, though Cambodia leads in education spending.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Port Vila Rain: 87.5 in/yr (2222 mm)
83° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Port Vila Phnom Penh
Jan–Mar 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) 91°/73°F (33°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 82°/70°F (28°/21°C) 94°/78°F (34°/25°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/67°F (26°/19°C) 90°/76°F (32°/25°C)
Oct–Dec 84°/71°F (29°/22°C) 87°/73°F (30°/23°C)
View all months
Month Port Vila Phnom Penh
Jan 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.4°C) 88°/71°F (31.2°/21.5°C)
Feb 86°/74°F (30.2°/23.6°C) 91°/72°F (32.7°/22.5°C)
Mar 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.4°C) 94°/76°F (34.5°/24.2°C)
Apr 84°/72°F (28.9°/22.5°C) 95°/78°F (34.9°/25.4°C)
May 82°/70°F (27.7°/21.3°C) 94°/78°F (34.3°/25.4°C)
Jun 80°/69°F (26.7°/20.5°C) 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.3°C)
Jul 79°/67°F (25.9°/19.5°C) 90°/76°F (32.4°/24.7°C)
Aug 79°/67°F (26.1°/19.3°C) 90°/77°F (32.2°/25.0°C)
Sep 80°/67°F (26.7°/19.6°C) 89°/75°F (31.7°/24.1°C)
Oct 82°/69°F (27.8°/20.6°C) 87°/75°F (30.8°/23.9°C)
Nov 84°/71°F (28.9°/21.7°C) 87°/73°F (30.4°/22.8°C)
Dec 85°/72°F (29.7°/22.4°C) 86°/71°F (30.2°/21.4°C)

Data: Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-hazards Department Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-hazards Department, Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Vanuatu 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.

Vanuatu passport

Vanuatu passport holder visiting Cambodia

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

Cambodia passport holder visiting Vanuatu

Visa Required
Cambodia passport holders need a visa to enter Vanuatu.

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?

With 3.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Cambodia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Vanuatu and Cambodia.

Is Cambodia safe for expats?

Vanuatu performs better than Cambodia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Cambodia is 1.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.3 in Vanuatu.

How is healthcare in Cambodia compared to Vanuatu?

Cambodia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Vanuatu leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 2.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Cambodia, compared to 1.6 in Vanuatu. Cambodia scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Vanuatu: 47).

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

The average high temperature in Phnom Penh is 90°F, compared to 83°F in Port Vila. Phnom Penh receives around 51.8 in of rainfall per year, while Port Vila gets 87.5 in.

What language do they speak in Cambodia?

The official language in Cambodia is Khmer. In Vanuatu, the official languages are Bislama, English and French.

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At a Glance

VU KH
Population 308,043 16,713,015
Currency Vanuatu Vatu (VUV) Cambodian Riel (KHR)
Languages Bislama, English, French Khmer
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +678 +855
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 117