Penang vs Phnom Penh for Digital Nomads
🇲🇾 Penang vs 🇰🇭 Phnom Penh · updated 2026-07
Verdict
Cheaper: Phnom Penh · Faster internet: Penang · Higher Nomad Score: Penang.
Head-to-head
| 🇲🇾 Penang | 🇰🇭 Phnom Penh | |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable / month | $1,050 | $990 ★ |
| 1-bed rent | $480 | $450 ★ |
| Food | $270 | $250 ★ |
| Coworking | $95 | $90 ★ |
| Internet (Mbps) | 110 ★ | 70 |
| Affordability | 91 | 93 ★ |
| Weather | 80 ★ | 74 |
| Community | 78 ★ | 72 |
| Nomad Score | 84 ★ | 79 |
| Climate | Tropical, warm & humid | Tropical, hot |
★ = better on that row. Figures are aggregated estimates.
FAQ
Is Penang or Phnom Penh cheaper for digital nomads?
Phnom Penh is cheaper — about $990/month vs $1,050/month for a comfortable solo setup.
Which has faster internet, Penang or Phnom Penh?
Penang has faster average broadband (110 Mbps vs 70 Mbps).
Which has the higher Nomad Score?
Penang scores 84 vs 79 on our composite of affordability, connectivity, weather and community.