Dar es Salaam 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.

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
🇹🇿Tanzania

Dar es Salaam

56Freedom Score#92Global rank$1,500Per month

Tanzania's Indian Ocean hub — warm Swahili coast, a booming port-city energy, and the gateway to Zanzibar and safari country with an easy e-visa.

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.

ExpenseDar es SalaamSiem Reap
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$1,500$885✓
Rent, 1BR city centre$700$334✓
Meal, mid-range$12$5✓
Coworking deskper monthn.a.n.a.
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper60.032.0✓

Quality of life

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

MeasureDar es SalaamSiem Reap
Safety
45
68
Healthcare
53
40
Walkability
42
58
English spoken
52
42
Food & dining
55
68
Nightlife
58
55
Outdoors
36
36
Nomad community
38
55
Climate quality
68
68
Public transit
40
25

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureDar es SalaamSiem Reap
Freedom Score56/10064/100✓
Global rankof 100 cities#92#71✓
Internet25 Mbps55 Mbps✓
Average temperature79°F82°F
Air quality65/100✓45/100
Airport connectivity52/10058/100✓
Nomad visaE-visa 90dLong-stay visa
Headline tax rateon local income20%10%

Which should you choose?

Choose Dar es Salaam if English is more widely spoken.

Choose Siem Reap if runs $615/mo cheaper, rent is $366/mo lower, internet is faster at 55 Mbps and it scores higher on safety (68 vs 45).

What each city is known for

Dar es Salaam

  • Indian Ocean Swahili coast
  • Gateway to Zanzibar and safaris
  • E-visa on arrival
  • Growing, bustling port city

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: Dar es Salaam or Siem Reap?
Siem Reap scores higher on the Freedom Score (64/100 against 56/100), 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: Dar es Salaam or Siem Reap?
Siem Reap is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $885 against $1,500, a difference of $615 a month or about $7,380 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $700/mo in Dar es Salaam versus $334/mo in Siem Reap.
Which is safer: Dar es Salaam or Siem Reap?
Siem Reap scores higher on safety, 68/100 against 45/100. 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 Dar es Salaam and Siem Reap?
Dar es Salaam averages 25 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 Dar es Salaam or Siem Reap?
Dar es Salaam sits in Tanzania (E-visa 90d) 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.
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.