Krakow 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.

Krakow, Poland
🇵🇱Poland

Krakow

72Freedom Score#40Global rank$1,765Per month

Poland's cultural heart — a UNESCO medieval old town, fast cheap internet, and a strong tech scene at a fraction of Western European cost.

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.

ExpenseKrakowSiem Reap
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$1,765$885✓
Rent, 1BR city centre$794$334✓
Meal, mid-range$12$5✓
Coworking deskper month$158n.a.
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper39.232.0✓

Quality of life

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

MeasureKrakowSiem Reap
Safety
75
68
Healthcare
65
40
Walkability
80
58
English spoken
75
42
Food & dining
70
68
Nightlife
80
55
Outdoors
62
36
Nomad community
65
55
Climate quality
62
68
Public transit
80
25

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureKrakowSiem Reap
Freedom Score72/100✓64/100
Global rankof 100 cities#40✓#71
Internet140 Mbps✓55 Mbps
Average temperature49°F82°F
Air quality62/100✓45/100
Airport connectivity62/100✓58/100
Nomad visa90-day+ stayLong-stay visa
Headline tax rateon local income24%10%

Which should you choose?

Choose Krakow if internet is faster at 140 Mbps, it scores higher on safety (75 vs 68), it is more walkable and English is more widely spoken.

Choose Siem Reap if runs $880/mo cheaper, rent is $460/mo lower, the climate scores better and the headline tax rate is lower.

What each city is known for

Krakow

  • EU access at Eastern-European prices — very affordable
  • UNESCO medieval old town, fully walkable centre
  • Fast, cheap fiber and a large IT/startup labor market
  • Growing nomad community with cheap flights across Europe

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: Krakow or Siem Reap?
Krakow scores higher on the Freedom Score (72/100 against 64/100), 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: Krakow or Siem Reap?
Siem Reap is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $885 against $1,765, a difference of $880 a month or about $10,560 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $794/mo in Krakow versus $334/mo in Siem Reap.
Which is safer: Krakow or Siem Reap?
Krakow scores higher on safety, 75/100 against 68/100. 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 Krakow and Siem Reap?
Krakow averages 140 Mbps and Siem Reap averages 55 Mbps, so Krakow has the headroom if you push large files or run video calls all day.
What visa would I need for Krakow or Siem Reap?
Krakow sits in Poland (90-day+ stay) 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.