Known as the “Kingdom of Wonder”, Cambodia is an expat hotspot for those dreaming of living a more luxurious lifestyle at an affordable cost.
Centrally located in the beating heart of Southeast Asia it is a country undergoing a renaissance thanks to 15 years boom in economic growth and tourism centered around the world-renowned temples of Angkor Wat.
When you look at the cost of living it is not hard to understand why an estimated 250,000 expats have decided to relocate and make Cambodia their new home.
Finding a nice place to call home is made that much easier thanks to Cambodia’s great value property rentals. Even in the capital city of Phnom Penh, it’s easy to find a two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment with separate living room, kitchen, and balcony in a nice area for as little as $350. Or you could head down to Sihanoukville, the country’s most popular beach town, where you can find something similar from around just $200.
Utilities are equally affordable with $100 a month being enough to cover the cost of your water bill, cable TV, private trash collection, and your electric bill, even if you like to use the air-conditioning all day long. And, for the amazingly low amount of $1 a week you can get unlimited network calls and SMS as well as an incredibly generous 10GB of 4G LTE mobile data.
Expat Paul Howard says, “Living in Cambodia has been a game changer for me. The lifestyle I can afford is amazing and I feel a real sense of freedom compared to my life back home.”
In Phnom Penh you don’t need to worry about having your own car or motorbike as there are plenty of other options available. If you’d rather not have a vehicle of your own, the city has a growing network of public buses on the main boulevards which senior citizens can travel for free on. If you are under 50 then the cost per trip is a very reasonable 30 cents. Tuk tuks are also available or you can easily get a private air-conditioned taxi from $1 a ride.
Grocery shopping shouldn’t set you back more than $150 a month at one of the country’s western style supermarket chains such as Lucky or Thai Huot or well-stocked minimarts like the famously named 7-Elephants.
A meal for two can be had at a mid-range western or local restaurant for between $7 to $15 while a glass of ice cold beer costs about 55 cents. If you prefer wine then Cambodia is the place for you due to very low import taxes meaning that a decent bottle of French or Australian wine costs $7.50 upwards.
Tom Richter from San Diego and now living in Phnom Penh says, “My check from Social Security comes to just over $1,000 per month. But in Phnom Penh that’s a sizable amount.”
Staying fit and healthy is also inexpensive with membership of a quality gym costing $25 a month, doctor visits costing just $25 at well-respected health clinics, and $20 will pay for a professional dental cleaning and polish with filling costing around the same amount. Regular medications including original name brands and generics can be found at modern pharmacy chains like U-Care for less than 10% of the prices charged in the States.
IL Cambodia correspondent, Steven King says, “You may find you enjoy living your affordable life of luxury here so much that you never want to leave.”
