How to move to Cambodia and work from there: personal experience

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Everything you need to know to move to Cambodia for a few months or years and fall in love with the country.

Anya introduced me virtually to Zhanna, who recently shared her experience of life and work in Vietnam. Jeanne told us about another Asian country that is worth moving to for a long time - Cambodia.

We with a guy and our dog lived in Cambodia for exactly one year. What are we doing? You know, usually, when answering this question, people talk about their work, but when you are in Southeast Asia, the first thing you want to answer is that I live. And believe me, this is not a pretentious statement. It's just that in some amazing way in Southeast Asia everything happens and feels differently. There is no fuss and a sea of small problems, no stress and no desire to drink in a bar with friends after a hard day's work. Well, since you are in a foreign country, every day you discover something new for yourself and constantly expand your horizons.

And if you are still asking about work, then Denis is a web designer, and I am a journalist. We work freelance, so we only need laptops and constant access to the Internet.

Why Cambodia

Before Cambodia, we lived in Thailand for over a year, then six months in the Philippines and six months in India. When choosing a new country, we rely on three factors: the desire to live here, for how long tourist visas are issued and whether it is possible to enter this country with a dog.

So far, it turns out that Cambodia has the most loyal visa policy. A visa can be obtained for a month upon arrival at the airport. And after graduation, make yourself a one-year business visa. It allows you to legally work in the country, as well as leave and enter Cambodia an unlimited number of times. It costs $ 260-280, I don't remember exactly. This is done either in person or with the help of local “assistants”. Well, if there are a lot of years, you can get a business visa for three or six months. The cost, of course, will be cheaper. As far as I know, the number of business visa extensions is not limited yet.

We first came to Cambodia when we lived in Thailand, we needed to extend the Thai visa. We liked it here, because everything was very reminiscent of Thailand: kind, smiling people, Buddhist temples, all life is focused on the street, the population moves on mopeds and bicycles, there is a huge number of cafes everywhere - from the simplest and cheapest to the expensive European level, prices are low and year-round summer. So after India, in which we are very tired of the shameless population, dirt, constant power outages, bad Internet, lack of normal shops and services, we decided to go to treat wounded souls and frayed nerves to kind, calm Cambodia.

The language barrier

Naturally, people in Cambodia speak their native language, Khmer. But, despite the fact that Cambodia is still less developed in general (compared to Thailand), there are still many more people here who speak English. And this was a pleasant surprise. So basic English should be enough. In addition, here you can meet Khmers who speak Russian, since in the old days they studied at the universities of the Soviet Union.

However, if you are going to live in Cambodia for a long time, it is better to learn Khmer. Then the locals will treat you completely differently. However, this advice applies to any country.

the cost of living

Oh, this is a difficult question. It all depends on your desires and needs. Here you can live both on a budget and on a grand scale. There are places for spending money in Cambodia.

Let's talk about our experience. At first, we spent a lot here, so we decided to limit ourselves to $ 150 per week. This amount includes groceries, a full tank of gasoline for a moped (about three liters), going to a restaurant once or twice a week (from $ 3 per dish) or some other entertainment such as massage (from $ 4 per hour), cinema (from $ 3 per ticket). Thus, it turns out $ 600 per month for two. Things, equipment and other joys are not included in this amount. We ride a Honda moped, which we bought for $ 1,300. Renting a bike starts at $ 80 per month.

Rental of property

We are renting a two-story house with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a washing machine (which is a rarity in Southeast Asia) and a small garden in which longan, jackfruit and mango grow. Costs $ 550 per month. We also pay about $ 10 for water, $ 30 for electricity, $ 12 for wired unlimited Internet 3 Mbit / s.

Housing can be rented even cheaper. For example, an apartment with two bedrooms - from $ 300 per month. But we needed a house with its own territory, so that Spike could walk there, since the local dogs nowhere allow him to walk quietly.

If desired, housing in Cambodia can be bought. For example, if you look at the websites, a two-room apartment in Phnom Penh will cost from $ 50 thousand. But the owner of our house calls prices from $ 80 thousand, while adding: “If you have about $ 100 thousand, why would you buy a house? It is better to buy a small guesthouse or cafe for this money."

Nutrition

In supermarkets, everything is significantly more expensive, so we prefer to buy food in the markets.

Prices for vegetables and fruits vary depending on the season.

• Rice - from $ 0, 5 per 1 kg.
• Chicken, pork - $ 5 per 1 kg.
• Beef - $ 8 per kg.
• Fish - from $ 4 per 1 kg.
• Large shrimps - $ 10 per kg.
• Squids - $ 6 per 1 kg.
• Avocado - $ 2 per 1 kg.
• Whole watermelon (about 2 kg) - $ 1.25.
• Mango - $ 1–2 per 1 kg.
• Milk - $ 3, 80–5 per 2 liters.
• Cheese (mozzarella, cheddar) is the cheapest - $ 2, 6 for 200 g.
• Bread - from $ 1.
• Eggs - from $ 1, 20 for 10 pcs.
• Bananas - $ 1 per branch.
• Oranges, apples - from ¢ 50 per 1 pc.
• Cucumbers - $ 0, 5 per 1 kg.
• Cherry tomatoes - $ 1, 5–2 per 1 kg.
• Cabbage - $ 0.75 per 1 kg.
• Beer - from $ 1 per bottle.
• Gasoline - from $ 1.25 per liter.
• Knock knock in Phnom Penh - $ 3–6. Knock knock in Siemriap - $ 1, 5–3.
• A dish in a supermarket food court - from $ 2.
• A dish in a more or less decent cafe - from $ 3.
• A dish in a European restaurant - from $ 5.
• Coffee in coffee shops - from $ 2 for a cappuccino.
• Cake at a coffee shop - from $ 1.

I can't say anything sensible about mobile communication. We communicate very little, so $ 3 is enough for one or two months.

Transport

There is no urban public transport in Cambodia. The local population travels by bicycles, mopeds or cars. You can also use the services of a tuk-tuk or taxi.

Only a couple of months ago, bus stops and buses that run around the city center finally appeared in the capital. I don’t know how much the fare is, I have never used them.

Which region to go to

Basically, there are only three options for living in Cambodia: Phnom Penh is the capital; Siem Reap city - where the Angkor temple complex is located; the city of Sihanoukville is so far the only seaside resort in the country. We settled in Phnom Penh, because in almost any country the capital is the most developed city. This means that there should be no problems with the Internet, and there will be more entertainment. I must say we were not mistaken, and that is how it happened.

Where to look for housing

It is very easy to rent a house in Phnom Penh. You find the websites of real estate companies on the Internet, write them letters indicating your wishes for the house and its value, and then they begin to call, write, offer options, take them for viewing. Realtors know English quite well, so there are no difficulties in communication. For us, the help of realtors is completely free, but the owner of our house said that he had to pay the agency the monthly cost of renting the house. In addition, he is obliged to certify the contract signed with us with a notary and pay the tax to the state.

The housing market in Phnom Penh is mainly represented by three- and four-storey houses, which are located either very close to each other, or generally merged, like townhouses. Such a house is usually owned by one family. They live on the ground floor, and all other floors are rented out. The entrance to the upper floors can be either from the inside of the house or from the outside. That is, it turns out that you will have an entire floor - an ordinary apartment with two bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, sometimes even a dining room, and you will only meet the owners at the entrance to the courtyard. The cost of renting such an apartment is from $ 300 per month. But we, firstly, wanted to live without owners, and secondly, the Cambodians had one or two dogs in their yards, and they would attack Spike one hundred percent.

But, for example, in Siem Reap, housing is cheaper. We've seen the finest homes in greenery for as little as $ 300-400 a month.

When viewing, pay attention to the state of plumbing, electrics, the presence of gas, bars on the windows, and of everything that you need. There are no special features here, everything is standard.

What time of year to go

Basically, Cambodia has 30 ° C temperatures all year round. The temperature drops to 18–20 ° C only two to three weeks before the New Year, and this temperature lasts for about a month. Then you have to get jeans, sneakers and sweaters, and cover yourself with blankets at night. Well, if you don't want rain to ruin your holiday, come to Cambodia from about mid-November to July. The dry season lasts here during these months.

Driver's license

In Cambodia, international law is in force. Denis has such. And I have no rights at all. Nevertheless, I rode a bike and was never stopped by the police. In general, judging by how stupidly bikers ride in Phnom Penh, there is no need for a license at all. Although the police are standing on the roads and intersections, they turn a blind eye to it. It is much more profitable for them to stop foreigners or motorists who broke the rules. The fines here are small, and you can even bargain. For the fact that Denis drove to the zebra, they took less than a dollar from him. And once we were stopped and told to pay $ 5. But we were sure that we were innocent, so we said that we would only pay $ 3. And the policeman was not taken aback and said: "Give us $ 4, so that my partner and I have $ 2 each." Naturally, no one gave us receipts.

Circle of friends

Considering that in each country we stay for a short time, somehow I don't want to make new acquaintances. You just don't see the point. To communicate with old friends and relatives, there is always Skype, mail, social networks. And you can talk and share information in LiveJournal. I have been reading blogs of other travelers for over three years. Therefore, it seems that I have known them for a hundred years. By the way, it was in LJ that I met a girl from Kazakhstan. We were friends with her. And with others - only virtually. Our compatriots prefer to settle closer to the sea. So if you need a company of Russian speakers, go to Sihanoukville.

Advantages and disadvantages

I really love Cambodia, so it's hard for me to talk about its cons. Probably, the only thing I do not like here is the state of the roads and the poverty of the population. I want the government to care more about its citizens. Khmers are very nice and deserve it.

Well, from the pros … yes, everything! It is calm and relaxed here. People are smiling and ready to help. The shops and cafes have good service. Repeatedly saw how the personnel were drilled. There are good hospitals, sports clubs, spa salons and hairdressing salons. And finally - it is always warm here, you can buy fresh vegetables, fruits and seafood all year round. And the prices do not bite at all.