Bali vs Phnom Penh

Real cost of living, rent, internet, safety and visa terms for both cities, side by side — then open the interactive tool to weight them against your own priorities.

Bali, Indonesia
🇮🇩Indonesia

Bali

83Freedom Score#11Global rank$1,200Per month

Bali combines spiritual beauty, a world-leading coworking scene, and low cost of living into one of the most beloved nomad islands on earth.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia
🇰🇭Cambodia

Phnom Penh

62Freedom Score#80Global rank$1,268Per month

Cambodia's riverside capital blends Royal Palace grandeur, French-colonial boulevards, and an easy e-visa with one of Southeast Asia's lowest cost floors.

The short answer

Compare these two in the full toolBoth cities pre-loaded — add your income and priorities to get a personal match score

Cost of living

Monthly figures for one person. Rent, meals and coworking are measured values, not shares of the total budget.

ExpenseBaliPhnom Penh
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$1,200✓$1,268
Rent, 1BR city centre$900$642✓
Meal, mid-range$3✓$6
Coworking deskper month$150$150
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper35.4✓40.0

Quality of life

Scored 0–100 on the same attributes the match engine weights, so these agree with the interactive tool.

MeasureBaliPhnom Penh
Safety
70
58
Healthcare
60
45
Walkability
60
55
English spoken
75
42
Food & dining
80
70
Nightlife
80
65
Outdoors
92
36
Nomad community
100
58
Climate quality
80
68
Public transit
80
42

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureBaliPhnom Penh
Freedom Score83/100✓62/100
Global rankof 100 cities#11✓#80
Internet100 Mbps✓55 Mbps
Average temperature82°F84°F
Air quality70/100✓55/100
Airport connectivity70/100✓62/100
Nomad visa60 daysE-visa 30d
Headline tax rateon local income10%10%

Which should you choose?

Choose Bali if runs $68/mo cheaper, internet is faster at 100 Mbps, it scores higher on safety (70 vs 58) and it is more walkable.

Choose Phnom Penh if rent is $258/mo lower.

What each city is known for

Bali

  • Biggest coworking density of any island on the planet
  • 0% tax on foreign-sourced income for most nomads
  • Massive global nomad community — instant social circle
  • Canggu & Seminyak: luxury villa lifestyle at startup prices

Phnom Penh

  • 30-day e-visa on arrival
  • Royal Palace and riverside promenade
  • Among the cheapest SE Asian capitals
  • Friendly, USD-friendly economy

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for digital nomads: Bali or Phnom Penh?
Bali scores higher on the Freedom Score (83/100 against 62/100), which makes it the stronger all-round base. That is an average, though — if cost, climate or community is what actually decides it for you, the tables above will point the other way as often as not.
Which is cheaper: Bali or Phnom Penh?
Bali is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $1,200 against $1,268, a difference of $68 a month or about $816 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $900/mo in Bali versus $642/mo in Phnom Penh.
Which is safer: Bali or Phnom Penh?
Bali scores higher on safety, 70/100 against 58/100. Safety scores blend crime levels, political stability and healthcare access, and they describe a city as a whole — individual neighbourhoods vary far more than the headline number suggests.
How fast is the internet in Bali and Phnom Penh?
Bali averages 100 Mbps and Phnom Penh averages 55 Mbps, so Bali has the headroom if you push large files or run video calls all day.
What visa would I need for Bali or Phnom Penh?
Bali sits in Indonesia (60 days) and Phnom Penh in Cambodia (E-visa 30d). Requirements, income floors and processing times change often, so check the visa and residency guide before you commit to either.
Open the interactive comparison

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Cost, connectivity and quality-of-life figures come from the YourLifeMatch city dataset. Where a value is not confirmed it reads n.a. rather than an estimate. Figures are for planning, not professional advice.