Cost of Living Now and Down the Road

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Re: Cost of Living Now and Down the Road

Post by tcw57 »

Kammekor wrote: Wed Apr 17, 2019 12:53 pm You don't have to live in the most remote boonies to pay lower prices than Phnom Penh. Stick to the provincial centers and you could live on 1.300 USD - for now, and probably some years more. But prices have been on the rise (just like everywhere else by the way). When it comes to cost of living I believe Vietnam and Thailand both offer more bang for the buck in general (I wouldn't have thought so10 years ago....) so I would give those an eye too.

Outside of Phnom Penh you should be able to find a place to live for 100-200 USD a month, local groceries will be relatively cheap but if you fancy stuff like yoghurt or muesli life becomes seriously more expensive. Also take the costs of paperwork into account. The visa will be about 300 USD per person per year and if you live remotely there will be no 'agents' so a visa extension will cost you more because you will have to travel to Phnom Penh. If you stay out in the boonies travelling to Phnom Penh will be nice though because it'll break the (healthy but) boring daily routine. Stocking up on (good, branded) medicine might be another reason to visit the Penh. Same for seeing a doctor being able to make a real diagnosis. I used to like Kampong Cham, and could have lived there, but it has changed a lot over the last 10 years and it isn't the sleepy city it used to be anymore. I live about 550 KM from Phnom Penh. Quiet, cheap, silent, peaceful, but boring and still have the need to go to Phnom Penh several times a year (visa extension, driver license extension, doctor, stocking up on food and medicines [although not as bad as it used to be], flights out, ....).
Thank you very much for passing along the advice. I appreciate it. I have been offered a job in Stung Treng Province, near the city of Stung Treng itself. It's at a school run by a Korean Christian missionary. I'd be teaching English to the children from the surrounding villages. The upside: Hopefully do some good in helping the kids to improve their English. Room and board plus a decent monthly salary are on the table. We'd be able to bank most of what we earn each month. The downside: I'm not particularly religious, and am not sure how well my wife and I would be able to adjust to life in the Cambodian boonies. On this last point... I'm curious, are there any other foreigners living in the area in which you now reside? And, if not, do you ever find yourself wishing you lived in an expat community in PP, SR or wherever? As far as your suggestion regarding taking a look at Vietnam and Thailand, I have spent time in both of them in the past and liked both places. It's a shame that Thailand has made it such a trial to get and maintain a retirement visa. A friend of mine opted for Vietnam because it was much easier dealing with the visa situation.
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Re: Cost of Living Now and Down the Road

Post by johnny lightning »

FWIW I am currently in Dalat, VN. It is a welcome relief from the heat of Saigon. I don't know your tolerance for sweltering temps but it may be a consideration. I have been to Vietnam many a time and find it is slightly cheaper than Cambodia and the local food is better. Prices for western food are similar to Cambodia and equivalent accommodation also cheaper. No longer a consideration for you but smokes and booze are similar in price. The only downside is a lack of nightlife (except for plenty of KTVs, gag) and a small scattered expat community if you need some expat company once in a while.

BTW VN is staring to make their visas more difficult these days (long term).

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Re: Cost of Living Now and Down the Road

Post by explorer »

tcw57 wrote: Thu Apr 18, 2019 12:59 pm On this last point... I'm curious, are there any other foreigners living in the area in which you now reside? And, if not, do you ever find yourself wishing you lived in an expat community in PP, SR or wherever?
Different people have different ideas.

I never want to live in Phnom Penh. Look at the traffic, the crime.

If you live where there are a lot of foreigners, you meet some good people. You also meet a lot of people who will never do anything more exciting than drink beer. I find them boring. You also meet some mad people you want to avoid.

I prefer places where there are less foreigners. I spend a lot more time with Cambodians than with foreigners.

Living in a remote place is a good opportunity to learn Khmer, if you have not done so already.
## I thought I knew all the answers, but they changed all the questions. ##
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Re: Cost of Living Now and Down the Road

Post by Kammekor »

tcw57 wrote: Thu Apr 18, 2019 12:59 pm
Kammekor wrote: Wed Apr 17, 2019 12:53 pm You don't have to live in the most remote boonies to pay lower prices than Phnom Penh. Stick to the provincial centers and you could live on 1.300 USD - for now, and probably some years more. But prices have been on the rise (just like everywhere else by the way). When it comes to cost of living I believe Vietnam and Thailand both offer more bang for the buck in general (I wouldn't have thought so10 years ago....) so I would give those an eye too.

Outside of Phnom Penh you should be able to find a place to live for 100-200 USD a month, local groceries will be relatively cheap but if you fancy stuff like yoghurt or muesli life becomes seriously more expensive. Also take the costs of paperwork into account. The visa will be about 300 USD per person per year and if you live remotely there will be no 'agents' so a visa extension will cost you more because you will have to travel to Phnom Penh. If you stay out in the boonies travelling to Phnom Penh will be nice though because it'll break the (healthy but) boring daily routine. Stocking up on (good, branded) medicine might be another reason to visit the Penh. Same for seeing a doctor being able to make a real diagnosis. I used to like Kampong Cham, and could have lived there, but it has changed a lot over the last 10 years and it isn't the sleepy city it used to be anymore. I live about 550 KM from Phnom Penh. Quiet, cheap, silent, peaceful, but boring and still have the need to go to Phnom Penh several times a year (visa extension, driver license extension, doctor, stocking up on food and medicines [although not as bad as it used to be], flights out, ....).
Thank you very much for passing along the advice. I appreciate it. I have been offered a job in Stung Treng Province, near the city of Stung Treng itself. It's at a school run by a Korean Christian missionary. I'd be teaching English to the children from the surrounding villages. The upside: Hopefully do some good in helping the kids to improve their English. Room and board plus a decent monthly salary are on the table. We'd be able to bank most of what we earn each month. The downside: I'm not particularly religious, and am not sure how well my wife and I would be able to adjust to life in the Cambodian boonies. On this last point... I'm curious, are there any other foreigners living in the area in which you now reside? And, if not, do you ever find yourself wishing you lived in an expat community in PP, SR or wherever? As far as your suggestion regarding taking a look at Vietnam and Thailand, I have spent time in both of them in the past and liked both places. It's a shame that Thailand has made it such a trial to get and maintain a retirement visa. A friend of mine opted for Vietnam because it was much easier dealing with the visa situation.
In Stueng Treng there's a small expat community but I don't know much about it in detail. You will find some foreigners though based for a year or more.

About the Korean, check with him what his motives are, why is he running the place? what drives him? Helping people? Converting people?

About the Catholics, where I live (Ratanakiri) you can find them too. I avoid them like a plaque and I would never be able to work for them. But to each his own. I never socialize with them. I do sometimes socialize with other foreigners but not that much. Most people are there for a few months, or a year max, and it's nice to have a chat with them about what's going on in the world in general, but that's about it.

Before you agree to anything with the 'school', make sure you reach an agreement about the paperwork (work permit, employment letter, visa) and about who pays for what. Even in Ratanakiri the immigration police and ministry of labor have woken up and are doing checks for paperwork now. If your Korean bible-reader has an MoU with the ministry you can legally work there and apply for a free NGO visa. But if he has some illegal non (officially) registered center all you are entitled to get is a one time EG extension, followed by tourist visa. There are ways around that at present, but not sure about the future.

About Stung Treng itself, it's a pretty boring dusty town in one of the most remote provinces in Cambodia, ravel to Phnom Penh will take you 7-11 hours, depending on the level of comfort needed and the risk you're willing to take. Mini vans typically do a return trip these days, meaning they they will literally try to fly the roads to be home before dinner..... Maybe other posters have more detailed info about that area.
Last edited by Kammekor on Thu Apr 18, 2019 4:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Cost of Living Now and Down the Road

Post by Kammekor »

One addition about your wife: bring it on the table too. Finding a job for her will be impossible, volunteering might be something to keep her busy, but ask the Korean for advise.

I have worked with a (female) teacher before, and she brought her husband. He volunteered for a large NGO and organized sports classes and tournaments for them. Just an example. But to make that happen, you need pretty good contacts.
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Re: Cost of Living Now and Down the Road

Post by Bitte_Kein_Lexus »

I'd be very wary about moving here on $1300/month for two. Sure, it's doable and likely more comfortable than living off the same in a western country, but it's far from a lavish lifestyle. If you have money set aside for emergencies (medical/travel/etc) the it might be alright.

If you're on a set pension and looking for lower costs and you're both able to live cheaply, it might be worth it. Get ready to eat lots of rice and pork though. Costs for staples are often pricier than in other countries, though that's often offset by cheaper prices elsewhere (restaurants, etc).
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Re: Cost of Living Now and Down the Road

Post by tcw57 »

You don't have to live in the most remote boonies to pay lower prices than Phnom Penh. Stick to the provincial centers and you could live on 1.300 USD - for now, and probably some years more. But prices have been on the rise (just like everywhere else by the way). When it comes to cost of living I believe Vietnam and Thailand both offer more bang for the buck in general (I wouldn't have thought so10 years ago....) so I would give those an eye too.

Outside of Phnom Penh you should be able to find a place to live for 100-200 USD a month, local groceries will be relatively cheap but if you fancy stuff like yoghurt or muesli life becomes seriously more expensive. Also take the costs of paperwork into account. The visa will be about 300 USD per person per year and if you live remotely there will be no 'agents' so a visa extension will cost you more because you will have to travel to Phnom Penh. If you stay out in the boonies travelling to Phnom Penh will be nice though because it'll break the (healthy but) boring daily routine. Stocking up on (good, branded) medicine might be another reason to visit the Penh. Same for seeing a doctor being able to make a real diagnosis. I used to like Kampong Cham, and could have lived there, but it has changed a lot over the last 10 years and it isn't the sleepy city it used to be anymore. I live about 550 KM from Phnom Penh. Quiet, cheap, silent, peaceful, but boring and still have the need to go to Phnom Penh several times a year (visa extension, driver license extension, doctor, stocking up on food and medicines [although not as bad as it used to be], flights out, ....).

Thank you very much for passing along the advice. I appreciate it. I have been offered a job in Stung Treng Province, near the city of Stung Treng itself. It's at a school run by a Korean Christian missionary. I'd be teaching English to the children from the surrounding villages. The upside: Hopefully do some good in helping the kids to improve their English. Room and board plus a decent monthly salary are on the table. We'd be able to bank most of what we earn each month. The downside: I'm not particularly religious, and am not sure how well my wife and I would be able to adjust to life in the Cambodian boonies. On this last point... I'm curious, are there any other foreigners living in the area in which you now reside? And, if not, do you ever find yourself wishing you lived in an expat community in PP, SR or wherever? As far as your suggestion regarding taking a look at Vietnam and Thailand, I have spent time in both of them in the past and liked both places. It's a shame that Thailand has made it such a trial to get and maintain a retirement visa. A friend of mine opted for Vietnam because it was much easier dealing with the visa situation.


In Stueng Treng there's a small expat community but I don't know much about it in detail. You will find some foreigners though based for a year or more.

About the Korean, check with him what his motives are, why is he running the place? what drives him? Helping people? Converting people?

About the Catholics, where I live (Ratanakiri) you can find them too. I avoid them like a plaque and I would never be able to work for them. But to each his own. I never socialize with them. I do sometimes socialize with other foreigners but not that much. Most people are there for a few months, or a year max, and it's nice to have a chat with them about what's going on in the world in general, but that's about it.

Before you agree to anything with the 'school', make sure you reach an agreement about the paperwork (work permit, employment letter, visa) and about who pays for what. Even in Ratanakiri the immigration police and ministry of labor have woken up and are doing checks for paperwork now. If your Korean bible-reader has an MoU with the ministry you can legally work there and apply for a free NGO visa. But if he has some illegal non (officially) registered center all you are entitled to get is a one time EG extension, followed by tourist visa. There are ways around that at present, but not sure about the future.

About Stung Treng itself, it's a pretty boring dusty town in one of the most remote provinces in Cambodia, ravel to Phnom Penh will take you 7-11 hours, depending on the level of comfort needed and the risk you're willing to take. Mini vans typically do a return trip these days, meaning they they will literally try to fly the roads to be home before dinner..... Maybe other posters have more detailed info about that area.

I was introduced to the missionary through the older brother of a long time Korean friend of mine. The missionary has been established in the Stung Treng area for a good amount of time, around 15 years. He started his work there with lepers and eventually built a school, a dorm and some other facilities for children from Stung Treng and surrounding villages. He does apparently have an MOU with the proper government authorities and eventually plans to build a larger school complex. ( If interested, you can see it here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKeCZi ... -3A/videos ) As far as his motives, helping and / or converting souls... good question. I would hope that the emphasis is on 'helping'. Only met twice, he seemed a sincere enough sort. Still, not being of a religious bent myself, adapting to the environment could be a challenge. Bottom line, if it works out we stay, if not, we go. Already made it clear that should we go, I would do my best to find a teacher for the kids. Will definitely need some time off either in PP or SR I'm sure, from time to time. Thanks very much for the follow up.
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Re: Cost of Living Now and Down the Road

Post by tcw57 »

I'd be very wary about moving here on $1300/month for two. Sure, it's doable and likely more comfortable than living off the same in a western country, but it's far from a lavish lifestyle. If you have money set aside for emergencies (medical/travel/etc) the it might be alright.

If you're on a set pension and looking for lower costs and you're both able to live cheaply, it might be worth it. Get ready to eat lots of rice and pork though. Costs for staples are often pricier than in other countries, though that's often offset by cheaper prices elsewhere (restaurants, etc).

Sorry for the late reply. Just checked the thread after quite some time. I appreciate the advice. At least, for the time being, have been offered a job in Stung Treng that comes along with room and board. Hopefully, it will allow the wife and I to set aside a good amount and leave us a bit better financially prepared for the time when we move to a new place to be on our own.
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Re: Cost of Living Now and Down the Road

Post by SINUS »

In 2014, my friend Vyacheslav created this “Cost of Living Calculator in Cambodia”.
It has been only 5 years ago and now we need to double the total amount.
With the help of Google translator you can use it. :)
Good luck. :)
http://cambofriends.com/skolko-nuzhno-deneg/
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Re: Cost of Living Now and Down the Road

Post by tcw57 »

SINUS wrote: Sat Jun 15, 2019 2:40 am In 2014, my friend Vyacheslav created this “Cost of Living Calculator in Cambodia”.
It has been only 5 years ago and now we need to double the total amount.
With the help of Google translator you can use it. :)
Good luck. :)
http://cambofriends.com/skolko-nuzhno-deneg/

Sinus, thank you much, very kind of you. I will give it a try!
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