Cost Of Living In Phnom Phen

[Livinginexile]

Hi trendsetters,

My company is sending me off to Phnom Phen to work on a twin tower complex next month.

I've never spent more than a few days there in the past and was wondering what's the cost of living over there.

Anyone spent expat time there recently?

Thanks in advance

Edited September 26, 2011 by Livinginexile

[OLDAUSSIE]

I lived there for a few years, & IMO its much cheaper than Thailand. Try and get yourself Medical insurance just in case of a serious accident or illness you may have to be airlifted to Thailand or Vietnam for treatment.

[MJCM]

This could help as a starter: http://www.canbypublications.com/phnompenh/phnom-penh-living.htm

[koknia]

I lived there for 6 years a long time ago. A lot of the costs have obviously increased, but it's still an OK deal these days.

The main thing for me is the food in PP. I can eat pretty much anything, but Cambodian food isn't very interesting, especially after being there for a while. Plus the street food is nowhere nearly as tasty and hygienic as Thailand. So when eating out, I would usually go for other types of Asian eats, or even western. This pushes food costs up quite a bit if you don't want to cook all your meals.

Booze is still cheap though.

[Livinginexile]

This could help as a starter: http://www.canbypublications.com/phnompenh/phnom-penh-living.htm

This is great! thanks very much.

Thanks for all the info guys:)

[phuketrichard]

I lived there for a year (2008-2009) and found it about the same price EXCEPT for drinking and cig.

most everything comes from somewhere else but it does seem that western food in the supermarket (there are a few) the imported food is cheaper because there is no tax.

HOUSING is what costs thou, Most Farangs (there they are Barangs) live on the 2,3rd floor of a shop house and it sucks. no place to park ur car and no ventilation and noisy.

I lived across the Tonle Sap (go to the end of street 136 and take the local ferry to the other side ) and there is a really nice apt block near the Wat. I paid $400 for sea view studio with internet, cable and maid included. You can also find a few houses there or on the other side of the Peninsula right on the Mekong.

There are house, but not downtown area an run $800 up. There is one agted housing estate near Northbridge International School but their three bedrooms places run about $2,500/month and there is another on the northern part of town (heading out towards the killing fields)

Cambodian food is not nearly as good as thai or as plentiful but Luk Luk and amok is very good.(Their street chicken and rice, ($1) but the chicken has the bones included :-). It is quiet easy thou to have a very good meal with wine for less than $15 and lots of choices around the riverside

Electricity is more as is internet (and not as fast)

Check out the local forum 440 and u will find all the info u need,

PS: although i live here i prefer it over there and as soon as my daughter graduates hs in june and is off to college i will be heading back

Edited September 29, 2011 by phuketrichard

[Livinginexile]

I lived there for a year (2008-2009) and found it about the same price EXCEPT for drinking and cig.

most everything comes from somewhere else but it does seem that western food in the supermarket (there are a few) the imported food is cheaper because there is no tax.

HOUSING is what costs thou, Most Farangs (there they are Barangs) live on the 2,3rd floor of a shop house and it sucks. no place to park ur car and no ventilation and noisy.

I lived across the Tonle Sap (go to the end of street 136 and take the local ferry to the other side ) and there is a really nice apt block near the Wat. I paid $400 for sea view studio with internet, cable and maid included. You can also find a few houses there or on the other side of the Peninsula right on the Mekong.

There are house, but not downtown area an run $800 up. There is one agted housing estate near Northbridge International School but their three bedrooms places run about $2,500/month and there is another on the northern part of town (heading out towards the killing fields)

Cambodian food is not nearly as good as thai or as plentiful but Luk Luk and amok is very good.(Their street chicken and rice, ($1) but the chicken has the bones included :-). It is quiet easy thou to have a very good meal with wine for less than $15 and lots of choices around the riverside

Electricity is more as is internet (and not as fast)

Check out the local forum 440 and u will find all the info u need,

PS: although i live here i prefer it over there and as soon as my daughter graduates hs in june and is off to college i will be heading back

I very much appreciate your post Richard i will have a look in the areas you suggested.

My company is going to pay my hotel bill for 2 weeks but then i'm expected to find my own occomodation in this time (they can offer me local accom near their office out near the airport but i will find my own).

Thanks again for taking the time

[phuketrichard]

I lived there for a year (2008-2009) and found it about the same price EXCEPT for drinking and cig.

most everything comes from somewhere else but it does seem that western food in the supermarket (there are a few) the imported food is cheaper because there is no tax.

HOUSING is what costs thou, Most Farangs (there they are Barangs) live on the 2,3rd floor of a shop house and it sucks. no place to park ur car and no ventilation and noisy.

I lived across the Tonle Sap (go to the end of street 136 and take the local ferry to the other side ) and there is a really nice apt block near the Wat. I paid $400 for sea view studio with internet, cable and maid included. You can also find a few houses there or on the other side of the Peninsula right on the Mekong.

There are house, but not downtown area an run $800 up. There is one agted housing estate near Northbridge International School but their three bedrooms places run about $2,500/month and there is another on the northern part of town (heading out towards the killing fields)

Cambodian food is not nearly as good as thai or as plentiful but Luk Luk and amok is very good.(Their street chicken and rice, ($1) but the chicken has the bones included :-). It is quiet easy thou to have a very good meal with wine for less than $15 and lots of choices around the riverside

Electricity is more as is internet (and not as fast)

Check out the local forum 440 and u will find all the info u need,

PS: although i live here i prefer it over there and as soon as my daughter graduates hs in june and is off to college i will be heading back

I very much appreciate your post Richard i will have a look in the areas you suggested.

My company is going to pay my hotel bill for 2 weeks but then i'm expected to find my own occomodation in this time (they can offer me local accom near their office out near the airport but i will find my own).

Thanks again for taking the time

where u end up you'll enjoy living there, The Cambodians are nice people . Make sure u get out of the city as often as u can.

Living on the river was the best part of my life there and the ferry runs 6 am -9 pm. and its only a 10 minute drive across the Japanese bridge if u want hang out at night

You can see my photos here

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

I'm moving from BKK to Phnom Penh in a few weeks. Have visited five times in last year for some times as long as 2 weeks. Love it there. I think some of the rent ranges given above are too high. You can get a very nice 1-bedroom apartment in the central or nearby districts (PP is fairly small so most things are reachable to moto taxi in a few minutes) in the $250 to $350 range. Best advice is to read the expat forum linked above. There are many threads on living in PP and Cambodia.

[markprotti]

can some one guide me over the price of living .. for a torist like me . say if i wanna stay for 2 - 3 months ..

[phuketrichard]

Mark, just read above,

For only a stay of 2-3 months i would just find a nice gh or small hotel and stay there, That way u don't need to buy anything.

Many charge about $400-500/month and u get tv/air con/hot water/daily cleaning/internet/cable.

With an apt u would need to get all those on ur own.

As far as nice apt for $250. yea if u like living on a noisy street in a 2 window place with no air con or any amenities, ( all of which u would need get on ur own. You can also find places for $80/month easily

I looked at many before i moved to the other side of the river. Best ones i saw were on street 108 facing the park for $350.

Make sure u check what they charge you for electricity. Gov rate is 800/kwh but many places will charge u 1,000-1,500/