As you would expect renting in Cambodia is quite cheap. A small apartment,  can be had for around $100 a month. Most foreigners living in Phnom Penh tend to look for something around the $200 – $350 a month mark, and are satisfied with what you get for your money in this range. In the $400+ range we are talking about access to swimming pools and other luxuries like this, so it’s true, you can have a higher standard of living in South East Asia for equal or less than you would spend for the same standard in the west.

Apartments often come furnished and include things like cable TV, internet, air con and utilities. Electricity is not usually included though and foreigners are charged a higher rate than Khmers which is just another reason to take note of the following information.

If your potential landlord doesn’t speak English and your Khmer isn’t up to scratch it’s a good idea to call on a Khmer friend. If you have a Khmer partner let them do the negotiating, they may be able to help you avoid or minimize the foreigner tax. Even if you use an agent having a Khmer speaker you know help you will make sure you are getting a fair
deal.

While landlords will try to get a little more out of foreigners they will also often prefer a foreign tenant.

Bonna Realty has the largest online listing of Real Estate and Rentals in Phnom Penh, it is a good idea to have a look through the listing to see what you can get for your money. Also do a little research on the areas apartments are available in.