Mexico City 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.

Mexico City, Mexico
🇲🇽Mexico

Mexico City

64Freedom Score#69Global rank$1,200Per month

CDMX is a cultural powerhouse with European architecture, world-class food, and US market hour alignment that suits traders perfectly.

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.

ExpenseMexico CityPhnom Penh
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$1,200✓$1,268
Rent, 1BR city centre$900$642✓
Meal, mid-range$12$6✓
Coworking deskper month$200$150✓
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper45.640.0✓

Quality of life

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

MeasureMexico CityPhnom Penh
Safety
60
58
Healthcare
70
45
Walkability
85
55
English spoken
60
42
Food & dining
100
70
Nightlife
90
65
Outdoors
66
36
Nomad community
90
58
Climate quality
82
68
Public transit
75
42

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureMexico CityPhnom Penh
Freedom Score64/100✓62/100
Global rankof 100 cities#69✓#80
Internet150 Mbps✓55 Mbps
Average temperature63°F84°F
Air quality75/100✓55/100
Airport connectivity80/100✓62/100
Nomad visa180 daysE-visa 30d
Headline tax rateon local income25%10%

Which should you choose?

Choose Mexico City if runs $68/mo cheaper, internet is faster at 150 Mbps, it scores higher on safety (60 vs 58) and it is more walkable.

Choose Phnom Penh if rent is $258/mo lower and the headline tax rate is lower.

What each city is known for

Mexico City

  • One hour behind EST — trade opens at 8:30am, very civilized
  • 180-day visa-free entry, renewable with a border run
  • Condesa & Roma: Brooklyn-level cool at a fraction of the price
  • Fastest-growing nomad city in Latin America

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: Mexico City or Phnom Penh?
Mexico City scores higher on the Freedom Score (64/100 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: Mexico City or Phnom Penh?
Mexico City 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 Mexico City versus $642/mo in Phnom Penh.
Which is safer: Mexico City or Phnom Penh?
Mexico City scores higher on safety, 60/100 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 Mexico City and Phnom Penh?
Mexico City averages 150 Mbps and Phnom Penh averages 55 Mbps, so Mexico City has the headroom if you push large files or run video calls all day.
What visa would I need for Mexico City or Phnom Penh?
Mexico City sits in Mexico (180 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

Related comparisons

Barcelona vs Mexico CityLisbon vs Mexico CityMexico City vs PhuketAmsterdam vs Mexico CityBarcelona vs Phnom PenhLisbon vs Phnom PenhPhnom Penh vs PhuketAmsterdam vs Phnom Penh
Mexico City city guidePhnom Penh city guideCompare all citiesCost of livingVisas & residencyTax intelligenceBanking & financeRelocation playbooks

YourLifeMatch — your life, perfectly placed. About · Privacy · Terms · Contact

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.