Hoi An 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.

Hoi An, Vietnam
🇻🇳Vietnam

Hoi An

71Freedom Score#43Global rank$1,050Per month

A UNESCO lantern-lit old town between rice paddies and the river — Vietnam's most picturesque base, with 45-day visa-free and rock-bottom costs.

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.

ExpenseHoi AnPhnom Penh
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$1,050✓$1,268
Rent, 1BR city centre$400✓$642
Meal, mid-range$6$6
Coworking deskper month$100✓$150
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper40.040.0

Quality of life

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

MeasureHoi AnPhnom Penh
Safety
82
58
Healthcare
48
45
Walkability
88
55
English spoken
35
42
Food & dining
82
70
Nightlife
45
65
Outdoors
70
36
Nomad community
58
58
Climate quality
75
68
Public transit
40
42

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureHoi AnPhnom Penh
Freedom Score71/100✓62/100
Global rankof 100 cities#43✓#80
Internet45 Mbps55 Mbps✓
Average temperature79°F84°F
Air quality40/10055/100✓
Airport connectivity35/10062/100✓
Nomad visa45 days freeE-visa 30d
Headline tax rateon local income20%10%

Which should you choose?

Choose Hoi An if runs $218/mo cheaper, rent is $242/mo lower, it scores higher on safety (82 vs 58) and it is more walkable.

Choose Phnom Penh if internet is faster at 55 Mbps, English is more widely spoken and the headline tax rate is lower.

What each city is known for

Hoi An

  • UNESCO old town of lanterns and tailors
  • 45-day visa-free for Westerners
  • Among the cheapest nomad towns
  • Rice paddies and river beaches

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: Hoi An or Phnom Penh?
Hoi An scores higher on the Freedom Score (71/100 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: Hoi An or Phnom Penh?
Hoi An is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $1,050 against $1,268, a difference of $218 a month or about $2,616 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $400/mo in Hoi An versus $642/mo in Phnom Penh.
Which is safer: Hoi An or Phnom Penh?
Hoi An scores higher on safety, 82/100 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 Hoi An and Phnom Penh?
Hoi An averages 45 Mbps and Phnom Penh averages 55 Mbps, so Phnom Penh has the headroom if you push large files or run video calls all day.
What visa would I need for Hoi An or Phnom Penh?
Hoi An sits in Vietnam (45 days free) 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.
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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.