For one person, living is cheaper in Cambodia: $905 a month against $2,734 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $21,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
How much you'll spend in Cambodia and in the United States
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cambodia and in the United States actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $905 per month in Cambodia vs $2,734 in the United States, rent included.
Cambodia $905
United States $2,734
A couple spends around $1,472 per month in Cambodia vs $3,985 in the United States, rent included.
Cambodia $1,472
United States $3,985
A family of three spends $2,039 per month in Cambodia vs $5,235 in the United States, rent included.
Cambodia $2,039
United States $5,235
📏
The regional cost range is wider in the United States ($979–$5,160) than in Cambodia ($485–$1,083), so city choice matters more there.
🌍
The cost of living in Cambodia is roughly 67% lower than in the United States on average.
📊
Cambodia sits 33% below the global median, while the United States is 101% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cambodia
United States
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.08៛12.5K
$20.03$20.03
-84.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.28៛123.4K
$80.0$80.0
-62.17%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.09៛28.9K
$11.80$11.80
-39.92%
Cappuccino
$2.36៛9,611
$5.55$5.55
-57.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02៛4,175
$2.66$2.66
-61.65%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56៛2,270
$2.17$2.17
-74.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.02៛4,149
$6.12$6.12
-83.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.46៛10.0K
$7.94$7.94
-69.02%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cambodia
United States
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18៛8,877
$1.04$1.04
109.62%
White Bread(500g)
$1.62៛6,619
$3.59$3.59
-54.87%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.02៛4,143
$4.52$4.52
-77.43%
Eggs
$1.84៛7,483
$4.28$4.28
-57.01%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.68៛59.8K
$13.22$13.22
11.04%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.02៛16.4K
$12.60$12.60
-68.10%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.92៛40.4K
$17.60$17.60
-43.64%
Apples(1kg)
$3.91៛15.9K
$5.30$5.30
-26.23%
Banana(1kg)
$1.44៛5,878
$1.69$1.69
-14.79%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.20៛17.1K
$4.44$4.44
-5.41%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.54៛6,277
$4.77$4.77
-67.71%
Potato(1kg)
$1.35៛5,510
$2.97$2.97
-54.55%
Onion(1kg)
$1.13៛4,599
$3.15$3.15
-64.13%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.42៛5,799
$2.20$2.20
-35.45%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77៛3,147
$2.35$2.35
-67.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.78៛7,265
$10.98$10.98
-83.79%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.90៛44.4K
$15.05$15.05
-27.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.95៛3,864
$2.06$2.06
-53.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77៛7,213
$3.79$3.79
-53.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Cambodia
United States
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.98៛3,981
$1.94$1.94
-49.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$14.75៛60.1K
$59.4$59.4
-75.16%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.14៛4,653
$3.58$3.58
-68.16%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02៛4,169
$1.88$1.88
-45.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.92៛20.0K
$29.84$29.84
-83.51%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31៛5,346
$1.02$1.02
28.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.6K៛145.1M
$28.8K$28.8K
23.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.8K៛133.4M
$26.2K$26.2K
24.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cambodia
United States
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$103៛419.7K
$218$218
-52.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.41៛26.1K
$62.5$62.5
-89.74%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.50៛87.6K
$74.5$74.5
-71.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cambodia
United States
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$37.57៛153.1K
$41.86$41.86
-10.25%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.05៛40.9K
$22.81$22.81
-55.94%
Cinema Ticket
$5.12៛20.9K
$14.70$14.70
-65.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cambodia
United States
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$478៛1.9M
$1,489$1,489
-67.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,542៛26.7M
$25.3K$25.3K
-74.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cambodia
United States
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$27.54៛112.2K
$54.3$54.3
-49.32%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$22.23៛90.6K
$42.71$42.71
-47.95%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$75.2៛306.5K
$94.1$94.1
-20.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$49.57៛201.9K
$114$114
-56.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cambodia
United States
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$415៛1.7M
$1,659$1,659
-74.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$285៛1.2M
$1,348$1,348
-78.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$964៛3.9M
$2,682$2,682
-64.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$669៛2.7M
$2,169$2,169
-69.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,553៛10.4M
$3,283$3,283
-22.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,428៛5.8M
$2,482$2,482
-42.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cambodia
United States
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$278៛1.1M
$4,296$4,296
-93.53%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.07
6.55
23.21%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cambodia: October 24, 2026
Last update for the United States: October 25, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cambodia
$285 31.5%
United States
$1.3K 49.3% ↑ 373%$1.1K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cambodia
$247 27.3%
United States
$415 15.2% ↑ 67.9%$168
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cambodia
$131 14.5%
United States
$355 13% ↑ 171%$224
🍽Eating Out
Cambodia
$91 10%
United States
$328 12% ↑ 262%$237
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cambodia
$79 8.7%
United States
$137 5% ↑ 74.5%$59
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cambodia
$48 5.3%
United States
$71 2.6% ↑ 49.1%$23
🚌Getting Around
Cambodia
$25 2.8%
United States
$80 2.9% ↑ 222%$55
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cambodia
$669 32.8%
United States
$2.2K 41.4% ↑ 224%$1.5K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cambodia
$574 28.2%
United States
$953 18.2% ↑ 66%$379
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cambodia
$137 6.7%
United States
$417 8% ↑ 204%$280
🍽Eating Out
Cambodia
$326 16%
United States
$1.1K 20.3% ↑ 226%$736
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cambodia
$175 8.6%
United States
$305 5.8% ↑ 74.5%$130
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cambodia
$106 5.2%
United States
$165 3.2% ↑ 56.5%$60
🚌Getting Around
Cambodia
$52 2.5%
United States
$164 3.1% ↑ 217%$112
Cost Breakdown
🏠Average rent: $368 in Cambodia vs $1,620 in the United States. For reference, capital cities sit at $658 in Phnom Penh and $2,768 in Washington, DC.
💰Average salary: $226 in Cambodia vs $4,549 in the United States. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 340% higher in the United States.
⭐Dining out costs 159% more in the United States.
⭐Public transport is 425% more expensive in the United States.
⭐Salaries are about 20 times higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.
Cambodia→United States14,620 km≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
Cambodia
United States
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Cambodia vs United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cambodia more expensive than the United States?
Cambodia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 67% lower on average.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in the United States: a central one-bedroom averages $1,620 versus $368 in Cambodia.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in Cambodia, adding to the overall 202% price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget in Cambodia or in the United States?
$1,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Cambodia, but in the United States it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Cambodia or to the United States?
Cambodia is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.