I have lived and worked in Saudi, Qatar, London, Hanoi and Saigon. In every place I found people who either said it was the worst place to live or the best place, like Dickens. Seems Cambo has its share of half full/ half empties. Auckland? So you looked online and found it was a great place. Did your research tell you about the beggars on the streets, the Maori and Pacific island gangs who dominate some suburbs, the cost of housing tha puts several families in one room, the homeless families who sleep in their cars, kids who go to school in a cold winter with bare feet and no breakfast? But yes it is a fantastic, beautiful city. My point being every city in the world is both the best and the worst, and I am sure PP is no different. You suggest I might change my mind after 10 years....true I only lived in Saigon for 7 years but I never stopped loving it, although as a retirement option it's a bit expensive and a bit too big and crowded (10 million in the same place, give orvtake) which is why I am keen on Pp.

hdgh29 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2019 1:07 pm true I only lived in Saigon for 7 years but I never stopped loving it, although as a retirement option it's a bit expensive and a bit too big and crowded (10 million in the same place, give orvtake) which is why I am keen on Pp.

I must admit I haven't been in Ho Chi Minh for at least 15 years (Thank God...) but from what I hear from people familiar with the city it is cheaper than Phnom Penh.

Several websites confirm that. An example:

https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/c ... +Minh+City

and one more:

https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-livi ... phnom-penh

Again, the info is not from my own experience, but based on what do you think Phnom Penh would be cheaper?

Ho Chi Minh City is way cheaper (Vietnam in general actually) to Phnom Penh, especially when it comes to produce, electricity (although getting more expensive very quickly for some reason), transportation (not personal cars), and various goods. The only thing cheaper off the top of my head in Phnom Penh are personal vehicles.

That being said, I really can't stand Ho Chi Minh city and doubt my family would ever attempt to live there again, although I'm finding since I've come back that I don't like the new Chinese version of Phnom Penh much either so I'd rather move more rural eventually.

I've been here for 16 years, and I often wonder if people who arrive here for the first time bring with them all the excitement I did in 2003 get the same thrill I did.

I hope so.

joelightcloud wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2019 6:11 pm I've been here for 16 years, and I often wonder if people who arrive here for the first time bring with them all the excitement I did in 2003 get the same thrill I did.

I hope so.

Me too.
But it is not the same (as it wasin the olden days), because future new arrivals in Cambodia are basing their expectations on things they read on the internet. We can repeat x1000 that you need to come and see for yourself before you move to Cambodia, but the internet force is powerful.

Well I guess nothing is like it was in the old days, which would apply to anywhere, but obviously it must still be pretty good for expats to stay there and to continue to retire there in numbers. Although I have been a bit confused by some of the replies to my OP, seems to be some long term expats who think the city is a corrupt expensive dump. Makes me wonder why they stay....on the run? Hiding out? Maybe the cheap sex? Or maybe they would find something to complain about wherever they lived. Combination of all of those?

hdgh29 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2019 11:12 pm Well I guess nothing is like it was in the old days, which would apply to anywhere, but obviously it must still be pretty good for expats to stay there and to continue to retire there in numbers. Although I have been a bit confused by some of the replies to my OP, seems to be some long term expats who think the city is a corrupt expensive dump. Makes me wonder why they stay....on the run? Hiding out? Maybe the cheap sex? Or maybe they would find something to complain about wherever they lived. Combination of all of those?

It's quite hot most of the time and the visa is pretty easy to get. There is indeed cheap sex and drugs available. Nobody wants to kill you for no reason. There are few rules.

@OP Sorry, didn't see that you were talking specifically about PP, and I don't know a thing about living there. A couple of days is usually enough for me. Cambodia in general I like mostly because of Cambodians. Lots of nice people here. But of course you are not going to read that in the news.There are some positive threads on the forum but, if you count the numbers, people seem to prefer reading about the dark side of life.

When I was talking about "olden days", I meant the days before people made life decisions based on what they read on the internet. This is not directed at you, but there are some incredibly naive people out there, and we've had a few of them visiting the forum recently.

There are a couple of negative posters on here, but I think they are mostly trying to be helpful. LOL. At least one of them wants to warn you against everything in Cambodia "for your own good".
And yes, sometimes you wonder what some people are doing here if everything bugs them so much.