Oaxaca 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.

Oaxaca, Mexico
🇲🇽Mexico

Oaxaca

73Freedom Score#38Global rank$1,108Per month

Mexico's culinary capital — mole, mezcal, and colonial streets at ultra-low cost, with a fast-growing slow-travel nomad scene.

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.

ExpenseOaxacaPhnom Penh
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$1,108✓$1,268
Rent, 1BR city centre$498✓$642
Meal, mid-range$8$6✓
Coworking deskper month$99✓$150
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper24.6✓40.0

Quality of life

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

MeasureOaxacaPhnom Penh
Safety
57
58
Healthcare
55
45
Walkability
75
55
English spoken
50
42
Food & dining
95
70
Nightlife
65
65
Outdoors
66
36
Nomad community
60
58
Climate quality
90
68
Public transit
45
42

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureOaxacaPhnom Penh
Freedom Score73/100✓62/100
Global rankof 100 cities#38✓#80
Internet35 Mbps55 Mbps✓
Average temperature68°F84°F
Air quality42/10055/100✓
Airport connectivity42/10062/100✓
Nomad visaMexico DN visaE-visa 30d
Headline tax rateon local income15%10%

Which should you choose?

Choose Oaxaca if runs $160/mo cheaper, rent is $144/mo lower, it is more walkable and English is more widely spoken.

Choose Phnom Penh if internet is faster at 55 Mbps, it scores higher on safety (58 vs 57) and the headline tax rate is lower.

What each city is known for

Oaxaca

  • Legendary food scene — mole, mezcal, and street markets
  • Among the cheapest cities on this list — under $1,200/mo
  • US market opens 8:30am local — early-bird trading
  • Colonial UNESCO centre, walkable and deeply cultural

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: Oaxaca or Phnom Penh?
Oaxaca scores higher on the Freedom Score (73/100 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: Oaxaca or Phnom Penh?
Oaxaca is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $1,108 against $1,268, a difference of $160 a month or about $1,920 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $498/mo in Oaxaca versus $642/mo in Phnom Penh.
Which is safer: Oaxaca or Phnom Penh?
Phnom Penh scores higher on safety, 58/100 against 57/100. 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 Oaxaca and Phnom Penh?
Oaxaca averages 35 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 Oaxaca or Phnom Penh?
Oaxaca sits in Mexico (Mexico DN visa) 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

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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.