Cost of Living in Siem Reap: My Monthly Budget And What Life Actually Costs Here

If you’ve ever wondered what it really costs to live in Siem Reap, you’re definitely not alone. It’s one of the most common questions people ask – usually right after they’ve spent a few days here and realised life feels surprisingly easy.

After living here for quite some time, I’ve got a solid handle on my monthly expenses. From the essentials, the lifestyle choices, and the little extras that sneak into the budget when you’re not paying attention.

I absolutely hate the word “cheap” when it comes to describing the cost of living in Siem Reap. “Cheap” is an incredibly relative term, and one person’s cheap is another person’s expensive. However, I do find Siem Reap to be particularly budget friendly for people who are used to Western level expenses such as those in the UK, Australia or North America. So if you’re receiving an income (pension/salary etc) from higher COL countries, it may feel very “cheap”.

This isn’t a strict “how much you should spend” guide because everyone has different standards that they expect, and varying levels of socialising they like to do. It’s just a pretty transparent look at one person’s (mine!) real lifestyle and costs, so you can get a realistic idea of the cost of living in Siem Reap and see whether it might work for you too. I know people who spend far less than I do, and I also know people who spend far more.

Why So Many People Choose to Live Here

It’s no secret that Siem Reap is my favourite place in the world, but there’s a big reason Siem Reap keeps pulling people back in. Compared to other places in Cambodia and throughout Southeast Asia, it offers an easy balance of affordability, comfort, and community. Cambodia also has one of the most straightforward visa processes for long term stays – no visa runs or regularly reporting! The cost of living in Siem Reap isn’t the lowest in Southeast Asia, but it’s certainly lower than many places, and far better value than most western countries.

In Siem Reap, you’ve also got:

• A relaxed pace of life
• Plenty of cafes and places to work from if you’re a digital nomad
• A strong expat and long-stay crowd to help you get your bearings
• Great food and drink, from $2 street meals to proper Western comfort food
• And of course, living next to Angkor Wat never stops being a bit surreal

It’s not just budget friendly – it’s comfortable, which is why so many people end up staying longer than planned. Anywhere in the world can be cheap if you decide to live in a tent in the woods and eat foraged berries. But Siem Reap offers a high standard of living at prices that pale in comparison to what many are used to.

My Monthly Cost of Living in Siem Reap

Here’s a realistic breakdown of what I personally spend in a typical month. Some months dip lower, some climb higher, but this is a very honest average. Like I said before, everyone has different standards of living they consider essential, and different areas of their life where they’re willing to spend the extra money. As you’ll see further down, social life and entertainment is my weak spot!

Don’t judge me, I just really like going out! Many people will spend far less than me on this, so for reference I’ll also show how you can have a much cheaper social life.

🏠 Rent (Including Bills)

$200 per month
This is easily the best value part of my budget. My own rent is for a large detached 1 bedroom bungalow around 1km from Pub Street in a quiet area. We also have a shared communal pool and some beautiful communal spaces to use. We’re close to lots of cafes and restaurants, and a very short journey to all of my favourite nightlife spots.

My rent includes:

• Wi-Fi
• Water
• General building maintenance costs
• Pool Maintenance

In general, if you spend a bit of time looking, you can find an excellent western style apartment for $180-$250. Coming from the west, this is extremely affordable and one of the reasons overall cost of living in Siem Reap feels low. You can absolutely spend more in Siem Reap but this setup is comfortable and works perfectly for my lifestyle. If you’re looking for a brand new serviced apartment, or a private villa with a pool, naturally you’ll pay more. If you’re willing to go further from town, you’ll pay less. There’s a lot of flexibility here.

💡 Electricity

$40 – $80 per month
This is my main variable cost because I use air conditioning quite a bit (no regrets – Siem Reap heat is no joke). Electricity costs will vary massively from person to person. In Siem Reap, the government rate from EDC is 7-800riel per kWh if you pay them directly, and can fluctuate slightly depending on usage and time of year, so hotter months like April you can expect higher electric bills if you’re using a lot of AC.

In most apartment buildings or rented accommodation however, you’ll pay the electric through the landlord, and in general a flat rate of 1000riel per kWh is expected. This is common practice and it’s rare to find rented accommodation where this isn’t the case.

• Cooler months: closer to $40
• Hot season: can reach around $80

Even at the higher end, it’s still very manageable, but it’s definitely the bill that fluctuates the most throughout the year. And don’t forget, this is because I’m an air conditioning addict. If you’re watching your spending you can easily bring this down a bit.

🛂 Visa Costs

About $50 a month (averaged)
Visa extensions are one of those costs that people forget to include when they first think about living here, but it’s something you have to pay, so you need to factor it in to your budget.

When you spread the yearly or multi-month extension fees across the year, it usually works out somewhere around $50. It’s not huge, but it’s a real and unavoidable part of the cost of living in Siem Reap. Budgeting around $600 a year (yes, yes, I know – your mate does it cheaper!) is a good idea for your long term visa and work permit costs and gives you some wiggle room. If you’re on a retirement visa, you won’t need a work permit and the cost comes down slightly.

👉Don’t forget to read all about Cambodia Visas by clicking here!

🥗 Food & Groceries

$375 – $475 per month
Food is one of the best parts of living here and also one of the easiest ways to overspend if you’re not paying attention. I eat out very frequently because there’s plenty of incredible restaurants in town that I love eating at. Plus – I hate cooking! A lot of my at home grocery costs are for things like snacks or microwave meals, don’t judge me. My high eating out costs are because I eat a lot of western food and at higher end restaurants, many people could easily spend a half or a third of this.

Groceries – $100 to $150

Local markets are very cost effective, especially for fruit, veg, and basic ingredients like pork or chicken. Imported items from supermarkets can push the bill up quickly, so it depends how often you want Western comforts. (You’ll take the Crunchie bars and Chicago Town pizzas from my cold dead body). If you’re looking for a lower cost of living in Siem Reap, shopping at local markets and cooking your own food can be incredibly budget friendly – and probably healthier.

Eating Out – $275 to $325

I eat out regularly, because it’s affordable and honestly just part of my lifestyle here. I eat at a lot of western restaurants (read: more expensive) so my costs are higher than many people spend, but like I said, it’s also lower than many others. Where I’m spending $10-$15 for a meal, you could easily opt for a fantastic $1-5 meal at a local restaurant if you’re looking to cut costs.

Typical, but not definitive, meal prices for one person:

• Local meals: $1.50 – $5
• Casual Western food: $5 – $10
• Nicer restaurants or bigger western meals: $10+

If you love trying new places, this category naturally becomes a bigger part of your budget. I could very easily cut costs here, but I neither want nor need to, so I don’t. Which brings me to my biggest expense up next…

🍻 Social Life & Entertainment

$400 – $500 per month
Siem Reap is a very social city, and it’s easy to fill your calendar without spending a fortune. However, I’m partial to nice whiskey, nights out, and of course, the local beer. After showing you my costs, I’ll also show what you could be spending for a great social life. It’s worth noting, that when I visit a pub in the UK, I can blink and be more than $100 down – so this feels like a great deal for the amount of entertainment I get.

My budget usually includes:

• Coffee shops
• Plenty of nights out (3-4 times a week)
• Quiz nights or any of the many regular events in Siem Reap that I attend
• Occasional day trips like camping at Kulen Mountain or going fishing locally
• Activities like paintballing, laser tag, or my frequent trips to the cinema

You could very very easily spend less if you wanted to live quietly, but for me this is a big part of enjoying life here. I usually drink local beers which are very budget friendly, or nicer whiskeys which can range anywhere from $4 to $18 per drink, and I rarely feel the need to check prices. If you’re looking to cut costs, read on.

Whilst my social expenses may seem high, it’s very easy to be spending way less. The easiest way is not to go out drinking as much! However, if you do like drinking and socialising, there are plenty of places offering local draft beers for as little as $0.50 to $1, or mixed drinks like Gin and Tonic for as little as $1.

There are also many places with great happy hour specials if you like premium drinks but without the premium prices. One of my favourites is Picasso Bar, where their cocktail happy hours can get you 2 great cocktails made with premium ingredients for only $5 ($2.50 per drink).

🛵 Transport

$50 – $100 per month
Getting around Siem Reap is simple and cheap because the city is compact.

To add to my overall transport costs, I had a one off payment of $700 buying a great condition Honda Zoomer X (110cc) scooter. It’s not my first Honda Zoomer and it won’t be my last! I absolutely love them. They’re small, light, nippy and great for getting about town and picking up a bit of shopping. With all the bikes I’ve had here, I never hesitate to pick up another Honda Zoomer. If you’re not comfortable riding a scooter, it’s not a problem, Siem Reap is small and tuktuk transport is cheap and abundant.

My typical monthly transport costs include:

• Fuel for my scooter
• Occasional tuk-tuks (for when I’m drinking or just don’t feel like driving!)
• Small maintenance jobs on my scooter

Transport is rarely something you need to worry about budget-wise here. It’s a very walkable city too, if you don’t mind the heat or the green season rains and you’re looking to reduce your cost of living in Siem Reap. However, if you just wanted to use tuktuks to get around, I reccommend using apps like PassApp or Grab. You can get almost anywhere in town for $1-2 with these apps.

🐈 Pets!

$60 a month
This one is entirely on me, but in addition to my own costs, I’ve got 2 very greedy cats to keep happy! It usually costs around $60 a month for food and extras such as kitty litter as we order in bulk for delivery from Phnom Penh. And not to mention all of the food that they steal from me….
Every now and then we get an additional (expected) veterinary bill for something like vaccinations or neutering, but those are pretty cheap in Cambodia.

🏥 Health Insurance

$50 – $80 per month
This depends on coverage and I’ve had a few different plans, but I always include it in my budget for peace of mind. My insurance costs aren’t too high as I’m only in my 30’s and don’t have any pre-existing health conditions.

If you’re older, or have some health problems, your costs will be higher. I do not recommend going without health insurance regardless of your situation. Healthcare is pay-to-play in Cambodia, and I also recommend a good insurance plan with decent coverage for things like repatriation and hospital transfers (for serious issues).

Healthcare is something people often neglect to factor in, which can sometimes be a huge mistake. If you don’t have any health problems it can feel like you’re invincible – but you’re not! Anyone can get into an accident and need emergency healthcare. Time and time again I’ve seen foreigners in Cambodia in some pretty dire situations because they didn’t have insurance.

My Total Monthly Cost of Living in Siem Reap (Drumroll Please…)

My personal average usually lands around:

$1600 – $2070 per month 💰

That’s for a lifestyle where I’m more than comfortable, eating out regularly, socialising probably way too much, and rarely thinking about money. I also have a great home, my own transport and good insurance.

Because my rent is relatively low, my overall monthly budget is also lower than many expats, which shows how much housing can shape your total cost of living. Everyone has certain areas they focus on, and although my home is incredible, I prefer to spend less on this area and more on going out and having fun. For some people, they may prefer a nicer home and less money on partying – or fat cats!

If you were looking to live a decent quality of life, while also keeping your cost of living in Siem Reap low, I would recommend a budget of around:

$1000 – $1,500 per month 💰

That would allow you to live an enjoyable life in Siem Reap that still allows you to socialise and have plenty of fun, you would just be making some smarter choices than me!

What Impacts Your Budget the Most

Housing Choices

Rent is often the biggest factor in someone’s cost of living in Siem Reap. A modern serviced apartment with one of the corporate landlords and a pool can double your monthly total instantly, as can large private villas.

How Often You Eat Out

Siem Reap makes it very easy to eat out every day – and many people, like myself, do. However, you can massively impact your budget by being more cost efficient with eating. Even using the food delivery apps, you can easily have a great meal delivered to your home for just a couple of dollars.

Lifestyle Habits

Nights out, travel, fitness classes, and hobbies all add personality (and cost) to your budget. I think this is one area where your budget can be made or broken. There’s so much to do in Siem Reap and a great community of people to socialise with.

Is Siem Reap Still budget friendly in 2026?

“Budget friendly” is of course just as relative as “Cheap”, but for the quality of life you get, Siem Reap is excellent value in my opinion, especially with dramatic rises in cost of living for many countries. If you have a reasonable income such as western pensions or employment, or you’re a digital nomad working online, you’ll find that your money can stretch incredibly far and offer you a much more pleasant lifestyle. You’ll also be in one of the coolest cities in the world, surrounded by great people…

You can live:

• Simply on a very small budget if you wanted to
• Very comfortably on a moderate budget
• Or incredibly luxuriously without the same bills you’ll get in higher COL countries

That flexibility is one of the biggest reasons people stay.

My Take On the Cost of Living in Siem Reap

For me, living in Siem Reap hits a sweet spot that’s hard to beat anywhere else in the world.

My monthly expenses are low enough (compared to places like the UK) to feel financially relaxed, but my lifestyle still feels incredibly full with good food, a social community, and a pace of life that’s much less stressful than back home.

And that for me is the biggest thing about the cost of living in Siem Reap – it’s not just about spending less, it’s about getting more freedom and flexibility with your money.

The Cost of Living in Siem Reap as a Couple

Living in Siem Reap as a couple can noticeably reduce your cost of living per person, mainly because the biggest expenses are easy to share. Rent is the most obvious example – a one bedroom apartment or even a small house often doesn’t cost more than an apartment suitable for one, so splitting $2-300 between two people can bring individual housing costs down to well under $150 each. Utilities like electricity, Wi-Fi, and water also tend to stay relatively similar regardless of whether one or two people are living there, which means you’re essentially halving those bills.

Transport and everyday lifestyle costs can also become more efficient as a pair. Sharing a scooter, splitting grocery shops, and cooking at home more often can lower your monthly spend without really changing your quality of life. Even things like streaming subscriptions, gym memberships (couples or family deals are common), and bulk grocery buys stretch further. While eating out and socialising might rise slightly because you’re doing things together, most couples will still find that overall the cost of living in Siem Reap works out significantly cheaper per person than living solo – all while enjoying a more comfortable setup.

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