Quito vs Siem Reap

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.

Quito, Ecuador
🇪🇨Ecuador

Quito

62Freedom Score#81Global rank$1,100Per month

The highest constitutional capital — a UNESCO colonial old town at 9,350 ft, straddling the equator, with Ecuador's territorial 0% foreign-income tax.

Siem Reap, Cambodia
🇰🇭Cambodia

Siem Reap

64Freedom Score#71Global rank$885Per month

Gateway to Angkor Wat — sunrise over the world's largest religious monument, a laid-back café scene, and a long-stay visa built for nomads.

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.

ExpenseQuitoSiem Reap
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$1,100$885✓
Rent, 1BR city centre$400$334✓
Meal, mid-range$8$5✓
Coworking deskper monthn.a.n.a.
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper44.032.0✓

Quality of life

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

MeasureQuitoSiem Reap
Safety
53
68
Healthcare
77
40
Walkability
62
58
English spoken
28
42
Food & dining
68
68
Nightlife
55
55
Outdoors
75
36
Nomad community
45
55
Climate quality
58
68
Public transit
55
25

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureQuitoSiem Reap
Freedom Score62/10064/100✓
Global rankof 100 cities#81#71✓
Internet55 Mbps55 Mbps
Average temperature60°F82°F
Air quality45/10045/100
Airport connectivity65/100✓58/100
Nomad visa90 days freeLong-stay visa
Headline tax rateon local income13%10%

Which should you choose?

Choose Quito if it is more walkable.

Choose Siem Reap if runs $215/mo cheaper, rent is $66/mo lower, it scores higher on safety (68 vs 53) and English is more widely spoken.

What each city is known for

Quito

  • UNESCO colonial center at 9,350 ft
  • Stand on the equator at Mitad del Mundo
  • Territorial tax — 0% on foreign income
  • Andes mountains surrounding the city

Siem Reap

  • Angkor Wat: the largest religious monument on earth
  • 6–12 month long-stay visa
  • Tiny expat town, easy community
  • Temples, rice paddies, low costs

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for digital nomads: Quito or Siem Reap?
Siem Reap 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: Quito or Siem Reap?
Siem Reap is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $885 against $1,100, a difference of $215 a month or about $2,580 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $400/mo in Quito versus $334/mo in Siem Reap.
Which is safer: Quito or Siem Reap?
Siem Reap scores higher on safety, 68/100 against 53/100. 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 Quito and Siem Reap?
Quito averages 55 Mbps and Siem Reap averages 55 Mbps — effectively the same.
What visa would I need for Quito or Siem Reap?
Quito sits in Ecuador (90 days free) and Siem Reap in Cambodia (Long-stay visa). 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.