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Siem Reap, Cambodia·8 min read·

Renting in Siem Reap: Cost of Living & Complete Guide (2026)

Siem Reap is one of the cheapest comfortable places to live in Southeast Asia — best known as the gateway to Angkor Wat, but quietly a favourite long-stay base with a USD economy and a relaxed pace. Whether you're moving for a few months or settling in, this is the practical, all-in-one guide for 2026— written from time actually spent on the ground, not a rehash of someone else's. Here's what it costs to live here, where to base yourself, how to get set up, and how to land a good place before someone else does.

Currency
US dollar
Typical 1-bed
$350–$550/mo
Internet
Fast fibre, ~$15–25
Deposit
1 month + first month
Best for
Slow travel, budget, space
Getting around
Bicycle / motorbike / tuk-tuk

Who Siem Reap is for

Quiet & slow-living types

A small, walkable town with a genuinely relaxed pace — the easiest place on this list to slow right down.

Budget & space maximisers

A pool, a garden and real space for what a basic studio costs elsewhere — your money goes further here than almost anywhere.

Culture & history buffs

Living minutes from Angkor Wat, with temples, floating villages and the Cambodian Circus on your doorstep.

Not ideal if…

You want a big nightlife scene or career networking — beyond Pub Street it’s low-key, and the expat crowd is smaller than Phnom Penh’s.

Cost of living in Siem Reap

Typical monthly costs beyond rent, for one person living comfortably:

Local meal / market food
$1.50–$3
Western restaurant meal
$6–$12
Monthly groceries (1 person)
$120–$250
Coworking hot desk
$60–$100/mo
Gym membership
$25–$45/mo
Coffee at a café
$2–$3.50

Utilities are modest: budget $40–$100/month for electricity (aircon is the swing factor), with cheap water and fast fibre.

Build your own monthly budget for Siem Reap — pick a lifestyle and home size, and edit any line to match your plans (rent uses real current listings):

City
Who's going
Lifestyle
Housing
Getting around
Eating
Coworking
Rent (1-bed)typical asking price
$400
Food & eating out
$330
Transport
$60
Utilities & internet
$100
Phone / SIM
$10
Fun & misc
$200
Estimated monthly total
≈ $1,100/mo

Estimate for one person, in USD. Lifestyle sets your overall standard across every line; Eating and Getting around fine-tune the two most variable costs. Rent shows the live median of current listings where we have enough of them, otherwise a typical asking price; other lines are curated estimates. Tap ✎ to change any line to your own number (e.g. set a cost to $0 if it doesn't apply). Your spending will vary.

See live rentals in Siem Reap →

Rent prices in 2026

Typical monthly asking prices, furnished:

Studio / 1-bed, central
$200–$400
Modern 1-bed apartment
$350–$550
2-bed with pool
$500–$900
House with a garden (outer)
$400–$800
Your money stretches noticeably further here than in Phnom Penh or any Thai or Vietnamese city — it’s common to get a pool, a garden and space for what a basic studio costs elsewhere.

Where to live

Wat Bo / the river

Central but calmer than the nightlife strip — cafés, walkable, the most popular long-stay area.

Pub Street / Old Market

Walk everywhere, lively (and noisier); convenient for short stays.

Sala Kamreuk & Svay Dangkum

Residential, good value, a short ride to the centre.

Out toward the rice fields

Houses with gardens and real space if you have a bicycle or motorbike.

Getting set up

Internet, SIM & coworking

Fibre internet is fast and reaches most of town; Smart and Cellcard SIMs are a few dollars. A handful of coworking spaces and many laptop-friendly cafés cover remote work.

Getting around

Siem Reap is small and flat — a bicycle covers most days, tuk-tuks (via PassApp) are cheap, and a motorbike opens up the countryside.

Visas & staying long-term

Same as the rest of Cambodia — the E-class (ordinary) visa extends to 6 or 12 months through an agent, cheaply and without much paperwork.

Healthcare, shopping & essentials

Healthcare

Royal Angkor International Hospital and several clinics handle the everyday; Bangkok is a short flight for anything major.

Supermarkets

Lucky Mall and Angkor Market stock Western groceries; the Old Market (Psar Chaa) is cheapest for fresh produce.

Coworking & cafés

A surprisingly good café scene for the town’s size, plus dedicated coworking near Wat Bo and the river.

Fitness

A few well-equipped gyms and yoga studios; many villas and apartments come with a shared pool.

Things to do

  • Angkor Wat and the wider temple complex (a multi-day pass)
  • Sunrise at Angkor and sunset at Phnom Bakheng
  • Floating villages on the Tonlé Sap
  • Phare Cambodian Circus
  • Pub Street, night markets and the riverside
  • Cycling out through the rice fields and villages

See every Siem Reap rental on one live map

Browse current listings, filter by price and bedrooms, and get an email the moment a new match appears. Free to browse.

Open the Siem Reap map →

Deposits & renting safely

Expect one month’s deposit plus the first month up front. Leases run from month-to-month (easy to find, given the long-stay crowd) up to 12 months, where you can usually negotiate a lower monthly rate.

Before you hand over a deposit:

  • View in person and test the aircon and water pressure
  • Siem Reap is small — don’t overpay for the absolute centre
  • Confirm what’s included: water, internet, pool/garden upkeep
  • Get the deposit-return terms written into the lease
  • Pay the deposit only after seeing the actual unit
  • Ask about generator backup for power cuts

Finding a good place before it goes

The well-priced, well-located places don't sit empty for long — the renters who get them are the ones who see a listing the day it appears and message first. Rather than refresh scattered sources, Rental Alert puts every current Siem Reap listing on a single map and can email you the moment something inside your budget and area shows up, so you reach the landlord before it's taken.

Siem Reap rental FAQ

How much does it cost to rent in Siem Reap?

Typical furnished monthly asking prices in Siem Reap: Studio / 1-bed, central, $200–$400; Modern 1-bed apartment, $350–$550; 2-bed with pool, $500–$900; House with a garden (outer), $400–$800.

What is the cost of living in Siem Reap?

Beyond rent, typical monthly costs for one person are: Local meal / market food, $1.50–$3; Western restaurant meal, $6–$12; Monthly groceries (1 person), $120–$250; Coworking hot desk, $60–$100/mo; Gym membership, $25–$45/mo; Coffee at a café, $2–$3.50. Utilities are modest: budget $40–$100/month for electricity (aircon is the swing factor), with cheap water and fast fibre.

How much deposit do I need to rent in Siem Reap?

Expect one month’s deposit plus the first month up front. Leases run from month-to-month (easy to find, given the long-stay crowd) up to 12 months, where you can usually negotiate a lower monthly rate.

What are the best areas to live in Siem Reap?

Wat Bo / the river — Central but calmer than the nightlife strip — cafés, walkable, the most popular long-stay area. Pub Street / Old Market — Walk everywhere, lively (and noisier); convenient for short stays. Sala Kamreuk & Svay Dangkum — Residential, good value, a short ride to the centre. Out toward the rice fields — Houses with gardens and real space if you have a bicycle or motorbike.

Is Siem Reap good for expats and digital nomads?

Siem Reap is one of the cheapest comfortable places to live in Southeast Asia — best known as the gateway to Angkor Wat, but quietly a favourite long-stay base with a USD economy and a relaxed pace. Fibre internet is fast and reaches most of town; Smart and Cellcard SIMs are a few dollars. A handful of coworking spaces and many laptop-friendly cafés cover remote work.

Find your next place in Siem Reap first

Every current Siem Reap listing on one live map, with email alerts the moment a match inside your budget appears. Free to browse.

Open the Siem Reap map →

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