Cartagena vs Siem Reap

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.

Cartagena, Colombia
🇨🇴Colombia

Cartagena

60Freedom Score#83Global rank$888Per month

Colombia's jewel on the Caribbean — a UNESCO walled colonial city, azure waters, perfect US market hours, and the warmth of the coast at a fraction of Miami prices.

Siem Reap, Cambodia
🇰🇭Cambodia

Siem Reap

64Freedom Score#71Global rank$885Per month

Gateway to Angkor Wat — sunrise over the world's largest religious monument, a laid-back café scene, and a long-stay visa built for nomads.

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.

ExpenseCartagenaSiem Reap
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$888$885✓
Rent, 1BR city centre$569$334✓
Meal, mid-range$18$5✓
Coworking deskper month$92n.a.
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper30.2✓32.0

Quality of life

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

MeasureCartagenaSiem Reap
Safety
40
68
Healthcare
60
40
Walkability
60
58
English spoken
40
42
Food & dining
80
68
Nightlife
80
55
Outdoors
68
36
Nomad community
60
55
Climate quality
78
68
Public transit
40
25

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureCartagenaSiem Reap
Freedom Score60/10064/100✓
Global rankof 100 cities#83#71✓
Internet30 Mbps55 Mbps✓
Average temperature82°F82°F
Air quality45/10045/100
Airport connectivity60/100✓58/100
Nomad visa90 daysLong-stay visa
Headline tax rateon local income0%10%

Which should you choose?

Choose Cartagena if it is more walkable, the climate scores better, the nomad community is larger and the headline tax rate is lower.

Choose Siem Reap if runs $3/mo cheaper, rent is $235/mo lower, internet is faster at 55 Mbps and it scores higher on safety (68 vs 40).

What each city is known for

Cartagena

  • US market opens at 9:30am — perfect trading schedule
  • UNESCO walled city: one of the Americas' most photogenic spots
  • Rosario Islands 45 minutes by boat — Caribbean paradise
  • Street food in Getsemani neighbourhood is world-class

Siem Reap

  • Angkor Wat: the largest religious monument on earth
  • 6–12 month long-stay visa
  • Tiny expat town, easy community
  • Temples, rice paddies, low costs

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for digital nomads: Cartagena or Siem Reap?
Siem Reap scores higher on the Freedom Score (64/100 against 60/100), 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: Cartagena or Siem Reap?
Siem Reap is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $885 against $888, a difference of $3 a month or about $36 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $569/mo in Cartagena versus $334/mo in Siem Reap.
Which is safer: Cartagena or Siem Reap?
Siem Reap scores higher on safety, 68/100 against 40/100. 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 Cartagena and Siem Reap?
Cartagena averages 30 Mbps and Siem Reap averages 55 Mbps, so Siem Reap has the headroom if you push large files or run video calls all day.
What visa would I need for Cartagena or Siem Reap?
Cartagena sits in Colombia (90 days) and Siem Reap in Cambodia (Long-stay visa). Requirements, income floors and processing times change often, so check the visa and residency guide before you commit to either.
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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.