This is a guest post from Jen Joslin, best known for her blog http://www.twocantravel.com.

She lives in Phnom Penh, Cambodia with her husband, stand-up comedian Stevo Joslin. They have been living and traveling in Asia together since 2011, and have been living in Phnom Penh, Cambodia since 2015. Jen works as a first grade teacher at a small international school. When he’s not on stage, Stevo dabbles in curriculum consulting, teaches swimming, and does English tutoring. Combined they earn less than $35,000 USD per year, yet this is the happiest they’ve ever been; both pursuing their passions while enjoying the pleasures of daily life in Phnom Penh.

[This cost of living in Cambodia post first appeared in 2016. We updated it together in May of 2018] Phnom Penh is at that sweet spot of development for expat living. An influx of foreign investment in recent years has meant more businesses, amenities and quality international schools geared toward foreigners. While gentrification has it’s positives and negatives, there is much to be said for the comforts and ease of life these businesses provide expats. At the same time, Phnom Penh retains its chaotic pace and Cambodian charm. Its not hard to get away from the foreign influence and experience local living.

All the development means you’ll have the option to shop at organic food stores or pay half the price at local outdoor markets. A typical meal at a Cambodian restaurant costs less than $2, or you can enjoy an upscale dining experience for $100+. A cappuccino at a foreign coffee chain costs $3, while a locally sourced brew at a Cambodian stall costs less than $0.75.

You can rent a luxury, serviced apartment with a pool, gym, 24-hour security guard, and cleaning service for anywhere from $400 to $3000, or live in a comfortable Cambodian style apartment for under $350. Phnom Penh is a city of choice, and whether you are seeking western creature-comforts or want to experience a more local way of life, the city has what you are looking for at prices much less than what you would pay in most developed countries.

Tuk-tuks and motorbikes, called “motos,” are the preferred method of transport for both locals and expats, though more and more luxury SUVs are crowding the roads every day (mainly driven by Cambodian officials).

Phnom Penh’s recently expanded international airport and bus services make it a great base for travel throughout the region. Southeast Asian countries are all a short plane ride away. Comfortable buses are available for travel throughout Cambodia and to bordering countries.

The expat scene in Phnom Penh is a thriving community with interesting people, young and old, from around the world. There are events taking place every day of the week. These can include networking events, restaurant openings, athletic tournaments, street fairs, documentary film showings, riverboat parties, art galleries, plays, live music, stand-up comedy and more. Phnom Penh is a popular city for young families as well, with plenty of activities and businesses catering to children.

So let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. What does it really cost to live in Phnom Penh?

Stevo and I earn less than $35,000 combined annually. We currently pay $400 per month plus $75-100 a month in utilities for a one-bedroom apartment in a western style building with a rooftop gym and once a week cleaning service. It’s located a few blocks from the Russian Market, which is one of the more popular expat areas. The apartment came fully furnished and we have a large kitchen, double burner gas stove, an enclosed shower, air conditioning units in both the bedroom and living room, large picture windows with lots of natural light and beautiful views of the city. Previously we paid $350 per month in rent plus $75-$100 in utilities for a three bedroom, three bath Cambodian-style apartment on the fringes of the Russian Market, one of the more popular expat areas. We have a housekeeper come twice per week for $40 a month. We eat at mid-range restaurants about three times per week ($15-20 per meal for two), and go to events around the city several nights per week. Jen goes to a Khmer kickboxing gym and yoga studio. We travel around Cambodia about once per month to Kampot, Sihanoukville, Siem Reap, and other provinces. We have taken trips around the region to Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, China, Taiwan, Laos and Vietnam, and are planning for more international travel. We live better and feel happier than we did back in our hometown in southern California. Our life in Phnom Penh is simple, fulfilling, and never dull.

Source: cheapestdestinationsblog.com

Money in Cambodia

Cambodia primarily uses US Dollars and Cambodian Riel. The exchange rate is roughly 4000 Riel to 1 USD, so most transactions are made in USD with small change given in Riel. ATMs dispense USD unless otherwise stated, in which case you become an instant thousandaire!

Source: cheapestdestinationsblog.com

Where to live in Phnom Penh and Housing Costs

Phnom Penh is divided into districts. A majority of expats live in BKK 1, 2 or 3, Russian Market, or by the Riverside. BKK 1 and 2 tend to be more expensive with restaurants, bars, and shops geared toward expats. BKK 3 (near the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum) and the Russian Market have a good blend of western and local amenities. The Riverside area tends to be crowded with tourists and can feel seedy due to the lady bars and nightclubs in the area. However, it is close to many restaurants, shops, and attractive tourist sites. Another area of the city growing in popularity with expats is Tuol Kork, located 20-30 minutes from downtown. Phnom Penh is expanding outward, and the further outside the city center you go, the less you can expect to pay in rent.

Housing Options There are a variety of housing options in Phnom Penh ranging from upscale apartments with 24-hour security guards, pools and gyms, to basic Cambodian-style apartments in local neighborhoods. There are even old French colonial buildings and wooden countryside-style homes still available in parts of the city. Western-style homes in gated communities with tree-lined streets and parks are also available, and many more of these housing developments are popping up on the outskirts of the city and near the airport. Housing costs range from hundreds to thousands of dollars depending on location, size, and style.

Cost of Housing Typically single expats pay anywhere from $150-500 per month depending if they rent their own place or live in a shared apartment. The Facebook group Phnom Penh Housing is a great resource to find a roommate and see what housing options are available.

Couples and families can expect to pay $250-$1000+ depending on what type of amenities they require.

Utilities Some apartments include utilities while others charge an additional fee for water, trash pick-up, cable, and Wi-Fi. One thing to note is that electricity is almost always charged in addition to rent and can be expensive. Landlords charge different rates to unsuspecting tenants, but the standard rate is usually 1000 Riel ($0.25USD)/kilowatt. We use a fan during the day and run our air-conditioner in one room for most of the night. Our electric bill is usually around $65 per month, just to give you an idea.

Finding a Place to Live There are many real estate agencies in the city to help you secure accommodation. You should not have to pay the real estate agent a fee as the landlord will pay them a commission. We had a good experience working with a local agent we met through an apartment advertisement online. He spoke great English and took us to half a dozen different properties based on our criteria. Once we found a place, he went through the details of our lease together with us and our landlord. We gave a one-month security deposit and first month’s rent, signed a lease, and were done!

Source: cheapestdestinationsblog.com

Cambodian People

Cambodian people are some of the friendliest people in the world. They are quick to smile and happy to help. Many Cambodians in Phnom Penh speak English, making it easier to make Cambodian friends, and simplifying basic daily tasks like shopping or eating out.

Safety in Phnom Penh Sadly, petty crime is on the rise in Phnom Penh. Bag and phone snatching is a common occurrence, so always be on guard when you are in a tuk-tuk or walking. We have been robbed three times in three years, and know very few expats who haven’t had something stolen at some point. We now take Grab taxis at night as an additional safety measure. Download the Grab app to your phone. It works similarly to Uber, and you pay in cash at the end of your ride. As is true in the rest of the world, a vast majority of people in Cambodia are kind, decent, hard-working people who shouldn’t be overlooked.

A Brief Recent History of Cambodia To understand Cambodia as it is today, it is important to know about it’s recent, tragic past. In the 1940-1960s Cambodia was developing at a similar rate to Thailand and Vietnam. During the Vietnam War, Cambodia’s northeast was heavily bombed, which, along with internal strife in the country, aided in the Khmer Rouge’s rise to power during the 1970s. Cambodia’s people suffered a mass genocide by the Khmer Rouge regime from 1975-1979, who killed an estimated 1/3 of the total population. People were forced out of Phnom Penh into the countryside and made to work as farmers. Educated people such as teachers, doctors, lawyers and business owners, were killed first. Hundreds of thousands of others, including women and children, died of starvation. Thousands more were put in prison, tortured, and forced into absurd confessions that they were spies of the KGB or had betrayed the Khmer Rouge in some way. They were brutally murdered and put into mass graves.

Today the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and Choeung Ek Killing Fields in Phnom Penh are tourist sites aimed to educate visitors about the horrific atrocities committed against the Cambodian people. The Khmer Rouge retained their seat at the United Nations until the early 1990s. The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) located outside Phnom Penh has only started trying Khmer Rouge leaders responsible for the deaths of millions, within the last decade. The trials are currently ongoing and can be viewed by the public.

Cambodia is still recovering from the loss of the majority of its educated population and the subsequent trauma that has been passed down to the next generations.

Working in Cambodia

Depending on their profession, expats in Phnom Penh live on an estimated $12,000 to $60,000 per year. Phnom Penh is a thriving city of opportunity. Expats work and volunteer in a variety of fields in Phnom Penh, from NGOs, education, hospitality and tourism, the medical field, consulting, technology, and business. Some expats come to the city on expat packages, in which case pay and benefits are usually more attractive. Many other people, including Stevo and I, simply show up and look for work. Integrating into the expat scene and learning about opportunities through word of mouth is a good way to find jobs that may not be posted online.

Bongthom.com newspaper job listings , and the local HRinc site are all good resources to view job listings in the city.

Source: cheapestdestinationsblog.com