Phnom Penh vs Riga

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.

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.

Riga, Latvia
🇱🇻Latvia

Riga

52Freedom Score#98Global rank$1,200Per month

Latvia's capital has the world's highest concentration of Art Nouveau architecture, EU access, and a nightlife scene that punches well above its small size.

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.

ExpensePhnom PenhRiga
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$1,268$1,200✓
Rent, 1BR city centre$642$535✓
Meal, mid-range$6✓$18
Coworking deskper month$150$90✓
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper40.0✓44.2

Quality of life

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

MeasurePhnom PenhRiga
Safety
58
70
Healthcare
45
70
Walkability
55
70
English spoken
42
80
Food & dining
70
70
Nightlife
65
80
Outdoors
36
68
Nomad community
58
60
Climate quality
68
50
Public transit
42
80

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasurePhnom PenhRiga
Freedom Score62/100✓52/100
Global rankof 100 cities#80✓#98
Internet55 Mbps57 Mbps✓
Average temperature84°F46°F
Air quality55/100✓20/100
Airport connectivity62/10070/100✓
Nomad visaE-visa 30dEU Schengen
Headline tax rateon local income10%20%

Which should you choose?

Choose Phnom Penh if the climate scores better and the headline tax rate is lower.

Choose Riga if runs $68/mo cheaper, rent is $107/mo lower, internet is faster at 57 Mbps and it scores higher on safety (70 vs 58).

What each city is known for

Phnom Penh

  • 30-day e-visa on arrival
  • Royal Palace and riverside promenade
  • Among the cheapest SE Asian capitals
  • Friendly, USD-friendly economy

Riga

  • Most Art Nouveau buildings per capita in the entire world
  • EU Schengen access — explore all 27 EU countries
  • Sub-$900/mo affordable European capital — rare
  • Riga nightlife: Kalku iela hidden bars and techno clubs

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for digital nomads: Phnom Penh or Riga?
Phnom Penh scores higher on the Freedom Score (62/100 against 52/100), 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: Phnom Penh or Riga?
Riga 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: $642/mo in Phnom Penh versus $535/mo in Riga.
Which is safer: Phnom Penh or Riga?
Riga scores higher on safety, 70/100 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 Phnom Penh and Riga?
Phnom Penh averages 55 Mbps and Riga averages 57 Mbps, so Riga has the headroom if you push large files or run video calls all day.
What visa would I need for Phnom Penh or Riga?
Phnom Penh sits in Cambodia (E-visa 30d) and Riga in Latvia (EU Schengen). 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.