Siem Reap vs Tokyo

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.

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.

Tokyo, Japan
🇯🇵Japan

Tokyo

86Freedom Score#7Global rank$3,500Per month

The world's most efficient megacity offers unmatched safety, infrastructure, and culinary depth — at a premium price and tough 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.

ExpenseSiem ReapTokyo
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$885✓$3,500
Rent, 1BR city centre$334✓$1,800
Meal, mid-range$5✓$8
Coworking deskper monthn.a.$350
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper32.0✓54.3

Quality of life

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

MeasureSiem ReapTokyo
Safety
68
95
Healthcare
40
100
Walkability
58
90
English spoken
42
65
Food & dining
68
100
Nightlife
55
90
Outdoors
36
68
Nomad community
55
70
Climate quality
68
72
Public transit
25
100

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureSiem ReapTokyo
Freedom Score64/10086/100✓
Global rankof 100 cities#71#7✓
Internet55 Mbps300 Mbps✓
Average temperature82°F60°F
Air quality45/10075/100✓
Airport connectivity58/100100/100✓
Nomad visaLong-stay visa90 days
Headline tax rateon local income10%23%

Which should you choose?

Choose Siem Reap if runs $2,615/mo cheaper, rent is $1,466/mo lower and the headline tax rate is lower.

Choose Tokyo if internet is faster at 300 Mbps, it scores higher on safety (95 vs 68), it is more walkable and English is more widely spoken.

What each city is known for

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

Tokyo

  • Safest major city on earth — leave your laptop at a cafe
  • Fastest fiber speeds globally, rock-solid reliability
  • Unmatched food, culture, and quality of life at every budget
  • Warning: US market opens at 10:30pm — night trading only

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for digital nomads: Siem Reap or Tokyo?
Tokyo scores higher on the Freedom Score (86/100 against 64/100), 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: Siem Reap or Tokyo?
Siem Reap is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $885 against $3,500, a difference of $2,615 a month or about $31,380 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $334/mo in Siem Reap versus $1,800/mo in Tokyo.
Which is safer: Siem Reap or Tokyo?
Tokyo scores higher on safety, 95/100 against 68/100. 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 Siem Reap and Tokyo?
Siem Reap averages 55 Mbps and Tokyo averages 300 Mbps, so Tokyo has the headroom if you push large files or run video calls all day.
What visa would I need for Siem Reap or Tokyo?
Siem Reap sits in Cambodia (Long-stay visa) and Tokyo in Japan (90 days). 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.