Climate
Phnom Penh logs 4 outdoor-dinner months a year to Siem Reap's 3 — Phnom Penh wins by 1. Siem Reap also leads on hot days by 15.
Phnom Penh
Feels-like °C
Dinner outside
Siem Reap
Feels-like °C
Dinner outside
Cost of Living
Siem Reap is $80/mo cheaperPhnom Penh runs about $927/mo for a balanced lifestyle against Siem Reap's $847/mo — Siem Reap comes in $80 cheaper each month, roughly 9% less.
Phnom Penh
$927monthly · balanced
Siem Reap
$847monthly · balanced
Mobility
On mobility, Phnom Penh scores 1.6 vs Siem Reap's 1.4 (0–5 scale), with the biggest gap on public transit. Siem Reap still holds an edge on car efficiency.
Culture
Phnom Penh's culture score of 3.1 sits well above Siem Reap's 1.2, with the biggest gap on arts & culture.
Nature & Outdoors
Siem Reap's nature & outdoors score of 3.0 sits well above Phnom Penh's 2.0, with the biggest gap on forest access. Phnom Penh still holds an edge on surfing & watersports.
Safety
Siem Reap's safety score is ~2.0× Phnom Penh's — below average, while Phnom Penh lands near the floor, with the biggest gap on walking safety. Phnom Penh still holds an edge on wildfire safety.
Career
Phnom Penh's career score of 2.2 sits well above Siem Reap's 1.3, with the biggest gap on career opportunities.
Social & Community
Phnom Penh's social & community score of 3.3 sits well above Siem Reap's 3.0, with the biggest gap on everyday english. Siem Reap still holds an edge on multicultural mix.
Food & Dining
On food & dining, Phnom Penh scores 3.0 vs Siem Reap's 2.0 (0–5 scale), with the biggest gap on food delivery.
Family
On family, Phnom Penh scores 1.9 vs Siem Reap's 1.3 (0–5 scale), with the biggest gap on international schools. Siem Reap still holds an edge on wellness/spa.
Healthcare
On healthcare, Phnom Penh scores 2.7 vs Siem Reap's 1.7 (0–5 scale), with the biggest gap on public healthcare quality.
Air Quality
Phnom Penh averages 32.2 µg/m³ (unhealthy) PM2.5 annually versus Siem Reap's 22.9 µg/m³ (sensitive-groups) — Siem Reap breathes ~29% cleaner air (9.3 µg/m³ lower).
Phnom Penh
Siem Reap
PM2.5 annual average
WHO classification
City Scale
Both maps at the same real-world scale — 1 cm on either map is the same distance.
Phnom Penh (2.4M) and Siem Reap (315K) are 7.7x in population — Phnom Penh is the larger metro, Siem Reap the smaller; on land area Phnom Penh spans roughly 6.0x more ground.
Phnom Penh is roughly 6.8x the scale of Siem Reap
Combined population & area comparison
Phnom PenhSiem ReapCity Scale Rankings
Phnom Penh2.4M7.7xSiem Reap315K1xPhnom Penh354 km²6.0xSiem Reap59 km²1xPhnom Penh
Siem Reap
Who Thrives Here
Phnom Penh favours the big city energy, while Siem Reap suits the outdoor enthusiast. Both cities work well for the winter escapist.
Frequently asked about Phnom Penh vs Siem Reap
▶Which is cheaper, Phnom Penh or Siem Reap?
▶How does the climate compare between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap?
▶Is Phnom Penh or Siem Reap safer?
▶Should I move to Phnom Penh or Siem Reap?
The best city depends on what matters to you
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