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I have posted a similar topic in a Facebook group before.

To the non-retirees/ living off pensions. I keep on hearing people making 20k plus a year, I assumed most have their own business; bars and restaurants, and hotels seem to be the most common, but I have seen more places gone bankrupted than succeeding over the years. I've been told agriculture and farmings are good potentials to make good bucks, but already saw a few closing doors and putting up for sale.

In term of being an employee, I think the average monthly salary for skilled foreign workers are probably around $1000USD per month, even that is hard find! To those who make over 20k annually, what's your secret? Help a brotha out! At the rate I am making now will probably take me over 4 years to have that amount and that if I dont spend a single cent.

Professions I know of where people are making good dosh (over $1000 a month) working for local companies:
Law
Accounting/Bookkeeping
Management/Management Advisory
Teaching at a higher level than just HS English, as in actual skills training. (Which is something you might actually be decently qualified for since you speak Khmer well, but were educated overseas. Though knowing a skill and being able to teach it are much different things.)

Tons of people make over 1000$/month. As in A LOT. However, I do think a lot of people have a "grass is greener" mentality when it comes to earnings here. People think NGO types make tons of money, but for the most part, that's not true. Embassy staff obviously make decent money. The average white expat probably makes way less than you'd think (mainly because there are a lot of poorly paid people vs those here as part of a contract or posting).

The expats I know that are making a good salary are skilled tradesmen. Builders, plumbers, architects, and the like are doing very well at the moment.

Highly skilled white collar professionals can also do quite well.

Generally, people are much better off going home and earning a good salary where they come from. Cambodia is an easy place to scrape by.............but it is hard to find a good wage here

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I prefer to make my money outside SE Asian, wherever I can get the best salary and a moderate cost of living. This allows me to save quite a bit, hopefully for an early retirement, when I can then live anywhere I want and do whatever I want.

I made 300 off editing a report for my cousin and birthday money. I think I need a real job soon

flying chicken wrote:I have posted a similar topic in a Facebook group before.



In term of being an employee, I think the average monthly salary for skilled foreign workers are probably around $1000USD per month, even that is hard find! To those who make over 20k annually, what's your secret? Help a brotha out! At the rate I am making now will probably take me over 4 years to have that amount and that if I dont spend a single cent.

You will never make decent money living in the provinces, quite simple.

If you want to get decent money you need to move to PP.

Believe it or not, you actually have skills that would be very marketable. I am sure you could earn around $1,000pm. I know khmers earning way more than that. A hell of a lot depends on how you present yourself (attire and especially manner) and the sort of jobs you are targeting.

I would even give you a job paying initially (probably later would increase) $300pm plus accommodation and food and cheap beer for you and the family but in SHV.

flying chicken wrote:
To those who make over 20k annually, what's your secret? :.

Basically they have qualifications, skills and usually considerable experience gained back in the west.

Without those you or anyone will struggle to make much more than $1k per month.


I could probably earn way more than that in Cambodia if I wanted. My absolute minimum I would accept is $4 to 5k per month. Otherwise I would choose to work back in Australia for a 3-4 months a year earning way more than that, live like a hermit and then spend 8-9 months living on $2k per month in Cambodia or SEA without the need to turn up for a job every day and stress free.

LaudJohn wrote:

flying chicken wrote:
To those who make over 20k annually, what's your secret? :.

Basically they have qualifications, skills and usually considerable experience gained back in the west.

Without those you or anyone will struggle to make much more than $1k per month.


I could probably earn way more than that in Cambodia if I wanted. My absolute minimum I would accept is $4 to 5k per month. Otherwise I would choose to work back in Australia for a 3-4 months a year earning way more than that, live like a hermit and then spend 8-9 months living on $2k per month in Cambodia or SEA without the need to turn up for a job every day and stress free.

Isn't that already what you do?