Phnom Penh vs Singapore

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.

Singapore, Singapore
🇸🇬Singapore

Singapore

86Freedom Score#6Global rank$3,500Per month

The world's most efficient city-state — zero capital gains tax, 407 Mbps internet, Changi Airport ranked #1 globally, and a territorial tax system that traders dream about.

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 PenhSingapore
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$1,268✓$3,500
Rent, 1BR city centre$642✓$2,600
Meal, mid-range$6✓$25
Coworking deskper month$150✓$350
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper40.0✓87.7

Quality of life

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

MeasurePhnom PenhSingapore
Safety
58
92
Healthcare
45
95
Walkability
55
85
English spoken
42
95
Food & dining
70
95
Nightlife
65
80
Outdoors
36
65
Nomad community
58
90
Climate quality
68
72
Public transit
42
95

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasurePhnom PenhSingapore
Freedom Score62/10086/100✓
Global rankof 100 cities#80#6✓
Internet55 Mbps380 Mbps✓
Average temperature84°F82°F
Air quality55/10055/100
Airport connectivity62/10098/100✓
Nomad visaE-visa 30dEP required
Headline tax rateon local income10%11%

Which should you choose?

Choose Phnom Penh if runs $2,232/mo cheaper, rent is $1,958/mo lower and the headline tax rate is lower.

Choose Singapore if internet is faster at 380 Mbps, it scores higher on safety (92 vs 58), it is more walkable and English is more widely spoken.

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

Singapore

  • 0% tax on foreign-sourced income — territorial system
  • Changi Airport: world's best for 14th time in 2026
  • 407 Mbps avg internet — fastest city on earth
  • 5-minute MRT everywhere — one of Asia's most walkable cities

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for digital nomads: Phnom Penh or Singapore?
Singapore scores higher on the Freedom Score (86/100 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: Phnom Penh or Singapore?
Phnom Penh is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $1,268 against $3,500, a difference of $2,232 a month or about $26,784 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $642/mo in Phnom Penh versus $2,600/mo in Singapore.
Which is safer: Phnom Penh or Singapore?
Singapore scores higher on safety, 92/100 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 Singapore?
Phnom Penh averages 55 Mbps and Singapore averages 380 Mbps, so Singapore has the headroom if you push large files or run video calls all day.
What visa would I need for Phnom Penh or Singapore?
Phnom Penh sits in Cambodia (E-visa 30d) and Singapore in Singapore (EP required). 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 Phnom PenhLisbon vs Phnom PenhPhnom Penh vs PhuketAmsterdam vs Phnom PenhBarcelona vs SingaporeLisbon vs SingaporePhuket vs SingaporeAmsterdam vs Singapore
Phnom Penh city guideSingapore 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.