How liveable is Cambodia?

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Kenr
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Re: How liveable is Cambodia?

Post by Kenr »

Kammekor wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 4:05 pm
Kenr wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 3:51 pm Right now I just have to get my body adjusted to the different food here, so can’t get too carried away trying to be adventurous with the local food. What’s going in right now is coming out, fast, lol.
Welcome to the Kingdom of Multi Resistant Germs.

You will get used to it, eventually. Might take a week or two. Did you get a Typhoid vaccination? Highly recommended for this country.
Thanks for the welcome.

No typhoid vaccination that I know of, maybe as a kid or when I joined the military, I’ll check into that.

I have the same issue when I go to Thailand, takes a few outings before I don’t have to run and make a withdrawal 😀.
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Re: How liveable is Cambodia?

Post by phuketrichard »

Kenr wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 3:51 pm
violet wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 3:20 pm
Kenr wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 2:22 pm I’m staying at Season Residence on ST 144 in Phnom Penh. Paying $600 a month for a 48 square meter 1-bedroom apartment with a balcony overlooking the Main Street. Have a TV in the living room and one in the bedroom. Fully furnished with 2 AC units, cookware, and a washing machine with hot and cold water. Perfect size, not too big, hopefully keep electricity cost down running the AC.

I have noticed that eating out so far has been more expensive than I thought it would be, but only being here for four (4) days now I really haven’t gotten the lay of the land yet to find other dining options, but I’m sure I will.

So far everything seems very livable and comfortable.
What type of price are you paying for eating out?
How basic are you comfortable with? Kandal market has hot food for sale at particular times each day
I’ve had Lok lak a few times. I think the cheapest I paid was $7.50, most expensive was $16.00, yes $16.00, that was stupid on my part. I like basic foods, rice with pork, chicken, beef. I know there are cheaper options out there, just have to find the best hole in the wall joint, so far I’ve been eating at indoor restaurants, but that will change.

Right now I just have to get my body adjusted to the different food here, so can’t get too carried away trying to be adventurous with the local food. What’s going in right now is coming out, fast, lol.
Dam, plenty of indoor/ open air places near you and Kandal market where meat and or soup dishes with or without rice will run ya under $3.00
Head over to Street 172 where there lots of places that meals are under $5 and dont forget some great American food at Lonestar right off 172
tacos at Sundance are good as well :beer3:
In a nation run by swine, all pigs are upward-mobile and the rest of us are fucked until we can put our acts together: not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely. HST
Kenr
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Re: How liveable is Cambodia?

Post by Kenr »

phuketrichard wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 4:17 pm
Kenr wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 3:51 pm
violet wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 3:20 pm
Kenr wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 2:22 pm I’m staying at Season Residence on ST 144 in Phnom Penh. Paying $600 a month for a 48 square meter 1-bedroom apartment with a balcony overlooking the Main Street. Have a TV in the living room and one in the bedroom. Fully furnished with 2 AC units, cookware, and a washing machine with hot and cold water. Perfect size, not too big, hopefully keep electricity cost down running the AC.

I have noticed that eating out so far has been more expensive than I thought it would be, but only being here for four (4) days now I really haven’t gotten the lay of the land yet to find other dining options, but I’m sure I will.

So far everything seems very livable and comfortable.
What type of price are you paying for eating out?
How basic are you comfortable with? Kandal market has hot food for sale at particular times each day
I’ve had Lok lak a few times. I think the cheapest I paid was $7.50, most expensive was $16.00, yes $16.00, that was stupid on my part. I like basic foods, rice with pork, chicken, beef. I know there are cheaper options out there, just have to find the best hole in the wall joint, so far I’ve been eating at indoor restaurants, but that will change.

Right now I just have to get my body adjusted to the different food here, so can’t get too carried away trying to be adventurous with the local food. What’s going in right now is coming out, fast, lol.
Dam, plenty of indoor/ open air places near you and Kandal market where meat and or soup dishes with or without rice will run ya under $3.00
Head over to Street 172 where there lots of places that meals are under $5 and dont forget some great American food at Lonestar right off 172
tacos at Sundance are good as well :beer3:
I know, I’ll be checking things out around this area for sure. Just taking care of a few things, just sent my passport out to get the 1-year Retirement extension this morning and am trying to get adjusted to the time difference so I won’t be a night owl every day, not on vacation anymore, lol.
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Re: How liveable is Cambodia?

Post by truffledog »

Monica wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 2:11 pm
truffledog wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 1:41 am
While beeing in China my expat community was mosty other business people and teachers meeting in a few so called expat venues (hotel bars or western style pubs/bars/restaurants, mostly high end).

The expat community in Cambodia is much more diverse: people with a regular job, digital nomads, business owners (many in hospitality) longterm holiday makers, retirees, married to a cambodian type, one time tourists, short term visitors, backpackers and sex tourists and any mix of the above. The cities with a large number of expats tend to have an area where they meet as for example the riverside area in PP. Every city has many bars where the expat make up the majority of guests. You will have no problem finding them.
Yeh, I had similar experiences with China's social scene. There were regular expat restaurants/bars that we'd go to on the weekends, and you know you'd bump into the same friends/faces there every time lol

Is the riverside area that you mentioned like that too? Sounds like people kinda keep to themselves there and do their own thing.

And whereabout in China? :)
I lived in Hangzhou and worked in the silk business. In those years there was barely 500 expats (real expats and no foreign tourists) and some 7M chinese living there so the expat community was very small but well connected with regular events.

Riverside is good place to start socializing as all different expats, tourists and other permanent residents mix up with the locals. Once you will start woorking your collegues will probably lead you out to the lesser known areas and places. There are some streets with girlie bars only but they can easily be avoided.

When I first arrived I just had a drink/food at any bar/restaurant where I liked the vibe. After a short time one of the venues became my favourite hangout where I would get to know all the regular guests. Some became "friends". From there I just went with the flow.
work is for people who cant find truffles
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Re: How liveable is Cambodia?

Post by Kammekor »

Kenr wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 4:12 pm
No typhoid vaccination that I know of, maybe as a kid or when I joined the military, I’ll check into that.

I have the same issue when I go to Thailand, takes a few outings before I don’t have to run and make a withdrawal 😀.
With a 2 year validity / effectiveness that's not going to help you.
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Re: How liveable is Cambodia?

Post by Doc67 »

Two Words...

HEALTH INSURANCE.

When you get here with your partner, you have a network of one person. That's a lot better than none, and will be critical if you have an accident or get sick. The healthcare here is appalling 90% of the time and the very few competent hospitals (with a better than 50/50 chance of getting a real doctor) will costs you a fortune. Unless you have insurance or a fortune at hand, they WILL NOT TREAT YOU. You will end up in some backward clinic or at the Pagoda.

If that picture in your avatar is you, then you are young enough for insurance to be comfortably affordable, so no excuses.

Your monthly budget should read like this:

Health Insurance
Rent
Food
etc
etc.

All the fun stuff like apartment hunting and social life will work itself out, and you have received a good chunk of sensible and useful advice. I'll be boring and paternalistic and just say, get your health insurance sorted out.
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truffledog
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Re: How liveable is Cambodia?

Post by truffledog »

Doc67 wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 4:46 pm Two Words...

HEALTH INSURANCE.
[/i]
Thats the most important advice you got so far. Cant emphasize enough. THE NUMBER 1 risk in Cambodia.
work is for people who cant find truffles
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Re: How liveable is Cambodia?

Post by Bluenose »

truffledog wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 4:54 pm
Doc67 wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 4:46 pm Two Words...

HEALTH INSURANCE.
[/i]
Thats the most important advice you got so far. Cant emphasize enough. THE NUMBER 1 risk in Cambodia.
Agreed.
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Re: How liveable is Cambodia?

Post by hdgh29 »

Kenr wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 3:51 pm
violet wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 3:20 pm
Kenr wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 2:22 pm I’m staying at Season Residence on ST 144 in Phnom Penh. Paying $600 a month for a 48 square meter 1-bedroom apartment with a balcony overlooking the Main Street. Have a TV in the living room and one in the bedroom. Fully furnished with 2 AC units, cookware, and a washing machine with hot and cold water. Perfect size, not too big, hopefully keep electricity cost down running the AC.

I have noticed that eating out so far has been more expensive than I thought it would be, but only being here for four (4) days now I really haven’t gotten the lay of the land yet to find other dining options, but I’m sure I will.

So far everything seems very livable and comfortable.
What type of price are you paying for eating out?
How basic are you comfortable with? Kandal market has hot food for sale at particular times each day
I’ve had Lok lak a few times. I think the cheapest I paid was $7.50, most expensive was $16.00, yes $16.00, that was stupid on my part. I like basic foods, rice with pork, chicken, beef. I know there are cheaper options out there, just have to find the best hole in the wall joint, so far I’ve been eating at indoor restaurants, but that will change.

Right now I just have to get my body adjusted to the different food here, so can’t get too carried away trying to be adventurous with the local food. What’s going in right now is coming out, fast, lol.
Wow, Michelin star level prices ! A favourite expat eatery in Siem Reap is Khmer Taste. First 10 pages of the menu, nothing over $2.50, including great amok, chicken curry, and pineapple fried rice.
"I tried being reasonable. Didn't like it" (Clint Eastwood)
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cautious colin
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Re: How liveable is Cambodia?

Post by cautious colin »

hdgh29 wrote: Fri Nov 18, 2022 1:06 pm
Kenr wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 3:51 pm
violet wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 3:20 pm
Kenr wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 2:22 pm I’m staying at Season Residence on ST 144 in Phnom Penh. Paying $600 a month for a 48 square meter 1-bedroom apartment with a balcony overlooking the Main Street. Have a TV in the living room and one in the bedroom. Fully furnished with 2 AC units, cookware, and a washing machine with hot and cold water. Perfect size, not too big, hopefully keep electricity cost down running the AC.

I have noticed that eating out so far has been more expensive than I thought it would be, but only being here for four (4) days now I really haven’t gotten the lay of the land yet to find other dining options, but I’m sure I will.

So far everything seems very livable and comfortable.
What type of price are you paying for eating out?
How basic are you comfortable with? Kandal market has hot food for sale at particular times each day
I’ve had Lok lak a few times. I think the cheapest I paid was $7.50, most expensive was $16.00, yes $16.00, that was stupid on my part. I like basic foods, rice with pork, chicken, beef. I know there are cheaper options out there, just have to find the best hole in the wall joint, so far I’ve been eating at indoor restaurants, but that will change.

Right now I just have to get my body adjusted to the different food here, so can’t get too carried away trying to be adventurous with the local food. What’s going in right now is coming out, fast, lol.
Wow, Michelin star level prices ! A favourite expat eatery in Siem Reap is Khmer Taste. First 10 pages of the menu, nothing over $2.50, including great amok, chicken curry, and pineapple fried rice.
Hmm, I think great is a stretch there. Not bad, even good. But great?
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