Phnom Penh vs Zanzibar

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.

Zanzibar, Tanzania
🇹🇿Tanzania

Zanzibar

60Freedom Score#86Global rank$786Per month

A spice-island archipelago of turquoise water and UNESCO Stone Town — white-sand sandbanks, dhow sunsets, and Tanzania's easy e-visa.

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 PenhZanzibar
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$1,268$786✓
Rent, 1BR city centre$642$341✓
Meal, mid-range$6$6
Coworking deskper month$150n.a.
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper40.040.0

Quality of life

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

MeasurePhnom PenhZanzibar
Safety
58
58
Healthcare
45
40
Walkability
55
45
English spoken
42
42
Food & dining
70
58
Nightlife
65
48
Outdoors
36
41
Nomad community
58
42
Climate quality
68
82
Public transit
42
30

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasurePhnom PenhZanzibar
Freedom Score62/100✓60/100
Global rankof 100 cities#80✓#86
Internet55 Mbps✓28 Mbps
Average temperature84°F81°F
Air quality55/100✓35/100
Airport connectivity62/100✓52/100
Nomad visaE-visa 30dE-visa 90d
Headline tax rateon local income10%15%

Which should you choose?

Choose Phnom Penh if internet is faster at 55 Mbps, it is more walkable, the nomad community is larger and the headline tax rate is lower.

Choose Zanzibar if runs $482/mo cheaper, rent is $301/mo lower and the climate scores better.

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

Zanzibar

  • UNESCO Stone Town's Swahili doors
  • Sandbanks and turquoise lagoons
  • Dhow sunset cruises
  • Tanzania e-visa on arrival

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for digital nomads: Phnom Penh or Zanzibar?
Phnom Penh scores higher on the Freedom Score (62/100 against 60/100), 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 Zanzibar?
Zanzibar is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $786 against $1,268, a difference of $482 a month or about $5,784 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $642/mo in Phnom Penh versus $341/mo in Zanzibar.
Which is safer: Phnom Penh or Zanzibar?
Both score 58/100 on safety. That blends crime levels, political stability and healthcare access, and it describes each city as a whole rather than any particular neighbourhood.
How fast is the internet in Phnom Penh and Zanzibar?
Phnom Penh averages 55 Mbps and Zanzibar averages 28 Mbps, so Phnom Penh has the headroom if you push large files or run video calls all day.
What visa would I need for Phnom Penh or Zanzibar?
Phnom Penh sits in Cambodia (E-visa 30d) and Zanzibar in Tanzania (E-visa 90d). 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.