Back to Resources

    Dublin vs Phnom Penh: A Complete Data-Driven Comparison

    ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ช

    Dublin

    Ireland ยท $2,800/mo

    0.00
    Total
    0.00
    Nomad
    ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ญ

    Phnom Penh

    Cambodia ยท $700/mo

    0.00
    Total
    0.00
    Nomad

    Choosing between Dublin, Ireland and Phnom Penh, Cambodia is one of the most common dilemmas facing digital nomads, expats, and remote workers in 2026. Both cities offer unique advantages. But the right choice depends entirely on your priorities, budget, and lifestyle preferences.

    In this comprehensive comparison, we analyze Dublin and Phnom Penh across 12 critical categories: Economic Factors, Quality of Life, Infrastructure & Connectivity, Housing & Living Spaces, and 8 more categories. Each category is scored on a 0-100 scale using data from over 20 verified sources, including Numbeo, WHO, Speedtest, and local government statistics.

    Dublin earns an overall score of 79.32/100, while Phnom Penh scores 63.01/100. A 16.31-point significant gap that Dublin leads. But headline scores never tell the full story. Let's break down exactly where each city excels and where it falls short.

    Dublin is described as: "Europe's tech hub with a friendly pub culture. High salaries offset by high rents." Meanwhile, Phnom Penh is known as: "Cambodia's rapidly developing capital. Ultra-cheap with a growing expat scene." These reputations are earned. But how do they hold up under rigorous data analysis? Read on.

    Economic Factors

    Dublin

    72
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    69

    In economic factors, Dublin takes the lead with a score of 72/100 compared to 69/100. This category covers employment & income, cost factors, economic environment.

    Dublin has a commanding lead in employment & income (80 vs 53). Phnom Penh has a commanding lead in cost factors (78 vs 58). Dublin has a solid advantage in economic environment (83 vs 73).

    Dublin stands out for currency stability, economic stability, banking system, though housing costs and tax rates could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in daily living costs and housing costs despite the overall gap.

    Employment & Income

    Dublin

    80
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    53

    Job Market Strength

    78/ 10048

    Salary Levels

    82/ 10037

    Freelance/Remote Work Market

    72/ 10072

    Entrepreneurship Environment

    88/ 10056

    Cost Factors

    Dublin

    58
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    78

    Housing Costs

    23/ 10088

    Daily Living Costs

    58/ 10091

    Transportation Costs

    82/ 10087

    Entertainment Costs

    55/ 10082

    Healthcare Costs

    68/ 10076

    Education Costs

    62/ 10042

    Economic Environment

    Dublin

    83
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    73

    Tax Rates

    52/ 10079

    Business Regulations

    85/ 10058

    Economic Stability

    92/ 10074

    Currency Stability

    95/ 10088

    Banking System

    90/ 10064

    Quality of Life

    Dublin

    78
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    54

    In quality of life, Dublin takes the lead with a score of 78/100 compared to 54/100. This category covers healthcare, education, safety & environment, climate & nature.

    Dublin has a commanding lead in education (80 vs 60). Dublin has a commanding lead in safety & environment (82 vs 49). Dublin has a commanding lead in climate & nature (77 vs 45).

    Dublin stands out for english-speaking medical staff, political stability, natural disaster risk, though sunshine hours and rainfall patterns could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in english-speaking medical staff and healthcare affordability despite the overall gap.

    Healthcare

    Dublin

    74
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    66

    Healthcare Quality

    74/ 10064

    Healthcare Accessibility

    62/ 10068

    Healthcare Affordability

    70/ 10077

    English-Speaking Medical Staff

    100/ 10079

    Mental Health Services

    65/ 10046

    Dental Care

    72/ 10061

    Education

    Dublin

    80
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    60

    School Quality

    78/ 10067

    International Schools

    82/ 10074

    Universities

    88/ 10051

    Language Schools

    78/ 10063

    Vocational Training

    72/ 10043

    Safety & Environment

    Dublin

    82
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    49

    Crime Rates

    68/ 10053

    Personal Safety

    82/ 10063

    Political Stability

    96/ 10072

    Natural Disaster Risk

    96/ 10047

    Air Quality

    72/ 10038

    Water Quality

    92/ 10032

    Noise Pollution

    68/ 10041

    Climate & Nature

    Dublin

    77
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    45

    Climate Suitability

    84/ 10059

    Sunshine Hours

    52/ 10068

    Rainfall Patterns

    58/ 10049

    Natural Beauty

    90/ 10054

    Green Spaces

    94/ 10044

    Beach/Water Access

    78/ 10022

    Mountains/Hiking

    82/ 10018

    Infrastructure & Connectivity

    Dublin

    79
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    61

    In infrastructure & connectivity, Dublin takes the lead with a score of 79/100 compared to 61/100. This category covers transportation, connectivity, digital infrastructure.

    Dublin has a solid advantage in transportation (71 vs 52). Dublin has a commanding lead in connectivity (83 vs 55).

    Dublin stands out for airport connectivity, mobile network quality, airport distance, though traffic congestion and driving conditions could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in public transport affordability and internet cost despite the overall gap.

    Transportation

    Dublin

    71
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    52

    Public Transport Quality

    78/ 10049

    Public Transport Coverage

    82/ 10046

    Public Transport Affordability

    86/ 10089

    Bike Infrastructure

    74/ 10024

    Walkability

    82/ 10039

    Traffic Congestion

    32/ 10031

    Driving Conditions

    48/ 10036

    Taxi/Rideshare

    82/ 10084

    Car Ownership Necessity

    78/ 10071

    Connectivity

    Dublin

    83
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    55

    Airport Connectivity

    94/ 10071

    Airport Distance

    90/ 10078

    Train Connections

    78/ 10019

    Bus Connections

    85/ 10069

    Ferry Connections

    68/ 10037

    Digital Infrastructure

    Dublin

    86
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    78

    Internet Speed

    88/ 10086

    Internet Reliability

    90/ 10079

    Internet Cost

    82/ 10088

    Mobile Network Quality

    92/ 10087

    Coworking Spaces

    86/ 10071

    Public WiFi

    80/ 10058

    Housing & Living Spaces

    Dublin

    60
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    70

    In housing & living spaces, Phnom Penh takes the lead with a score of 70/100 compared to 60/100. This category covers housing market, neighborhoods.

    Phnom Penh has a commanding lead in housing market (70 vs 47).

    Phnom Penh stands out for rental costs, purchase prices, expat/international areas, though landlord regulations and housing quality could be improved. Dublin performs well in proximity to amenities and expat/international areas despite the overall gap.

    Housing Market

    Dublin

    47
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    70

    Rental Availability

    18/ 10076

    Rental Costs

    20/ 10089

    Purchase Prices

    25/ 10084

    Housing Quality

    78/ 10054

    Housing Variety

    75/ 10066

    Landlord Regulations

    65/ 10052

    Neighborhoods

    Dublin

    79
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    70

    Neighborhood Diversity

    82/ 10069

    Expat/International Areas

    88/ 10078

    Gentrification Trends

    55/ 10057

    Proximity to Amenities

    92/ 10074

    Daily Life & Services

    Dublin

    82
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    71

    In daily life & services, Dublin takes the lead with a score of 82/100 compared to 71/100. This category covers shopping & retail, food & dining, essential services, utilities & connectivity.

    Dublin has a solid advantage in essential services (83 vs 67). Dublin has a solid advantage in utilities & connectivity (82 vs 65).

    Dublin stands out for alcohol availability, cafรฉ culture, electricity reliability, though utility costs and restaurant affordability could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in street food and restaurant affordability despite the overall gap.

    Shopping & Retail

    Dublin

    79
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    70

    Supermarket Availability

    90/ 10071

    Shopping Mall Quantity

    65/ 10064

    Shopping Mall Quality

    75/ 10062

    International Brands

    85/ 10066

    Local Markets

    80/ 10087

    Opening Hours

    68/ 10076

    E-commerce

    90/ 10061

    Food & Dining

    Dublin

    85
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    83

    Restaurant Variety

    94/ 10083

    Restaurant Quality

    90/ 10076

    Restaurant Affordability

    58/ 10091

    Cafรฉ Culture

    96/ 10079

    Street Food

    72/ 10094

    Alcohol Availability

    98/ 10078

    Food Delivery

    85/ 10078

    Essential Services

    Dublin

    83
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    67

    Pharmacy Density

    90/ 10079

    24-Hour Pharmacies

    65/ 10059

    Medicine Availability

    92/ 10071

    Postal Services

    78/ 10054

    Banking Services

    92/ 10073

    Laundry Services

    80/ 10069

    Repair Services

    78/ 10064

    Hair Salons/Barbers

    88/ 10081

    Pet Services

    80/ 10052

    Utilities & Connectivity

    Dublin

    82
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    65

    Electricity Reliability

    96/ 10069

    Water Reliability

    95/ 10064

    Utility Costs

    52/ 10083

    Heating/Cooling

    82/ 10057

    Waste Management

    85/ 10051

    Cultural & Social Life

    Dublin

    88
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    60

    In cultural & social life, Dublin takes the lead with a score of 88/100 compared to 60/100. This category covers culture & entertainment, social life, community.

    Dublin has a commanding lead in culture & entertainment (87 vs 58). Dublin has a commanding lead in social life (86 vs 57). Dublin has a commanding lead in community (92 vs 67).

    Dublin stands out for language barriers, music scene, local friendliness, though dating scene and cinema options could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in local friendliness and historical sites despite the overall gap.

    Culture & Entertainment

    Dublin

    87
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    58

    Museums & Galleries

    90/ 10061

    Historical Sites

    95/ 10084

    Theaters & Performing Arts

    85/ 10041

    Music Scene

    96/ 10059

    Cinema Options

    80/ 10064

    Libraries

    82/ 10042

    Art Scene

    80/ 10052

    Social Life

    Dublin

    86
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    57

    Nightlife Quality

    95/ 10068

    Nightlife Safety

    82/ 10054

    Festival Calendar

    90/ 10071

    Sports Culture

    85/ 10049

    Social Clubs

    80/ 10061

    Dating Scene

    78/ 10056

    LGBTQ+ Scene

    94/ 10041

    Community

    Dublin

    92
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    67

    Local Friendliness

    96/ 10089

    Expat Community Size

    90/ 10064

    Expat Integration

    85/ 10069

    Language Barriers

    100/ 10049

    Cultural Events

    90/ 10066

    Professional & Career

    Dublin

    81
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    65

    In professional & career, Dublin takes the lead with a score of 81/100 compared to 65/100. This category covers business environment, work environment, market opportunities.

    Dublin has a commanding lead in business environment (85 vs 53).

    Dublin stands out for internet for work, industry clusters, major companies, though competition level and freelance market could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in business visa options and internet for work despite the overall gap.

    Business Environment

    Dublin

    85
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    53

    Industry Clusters

    90/ 10046

    Major Companies

    88/ 10041

    Startup Ecosystem

    86/ 10055

    Coworking Culture

    85/ 10070

    Professional Networking

    80/ 10054

    Business Associations

    78/ 10051

    Work Environment

    Dublin

    84
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    81

    Work-Life Balance

    76/ 10078

    Remote Work Acceptance

    85/ 10074

    Internet for Work

    95/ 10089

    Time Zone

    82/ 10071

    Business Visa Options

    80/ 10091

    Market Opportunities

    Dublin

    70
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    65

    Client Base

    85/ 10052

    Freelance Market

    74/ 10071

    Competition Level

    50/ 10073

    Lifestyle & Pace

    Dublin

    77
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    64

    In lifestyle & pace, Dublin takes the lead with a score of 77/100 compared to 64/100. This category covers daily rhythm, lifestyle options, tourism impact.

    Dublin has a commanding lead in lifestyle options (79 vs 56). Dublin has a solid advantage in tourism impact (75 vs 64).

    Dublin stands out for authenticity, weekend culture, pet friendliness, though crowding and tourist volume could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in pace of life and authenticity despite the overall gap.

    Daily Rhythm

    Dublin

    78
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    73

    Pace of Life

    78/ 10081

    Working Hours Culture

    75/ 10069

    Dining Hours

    80/ 10072

    Shop Opening Hours

    70/ 10075

    Weekend Culture

    85/ 10068

    Lifestyle Options

    Dublin

    79
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    56

    Outdoor Lifestyle

    84/ 10051

    Fitness Culture

    78/ 10054

    Health Consciousness

    70/ 10049

    Pet Friendliness

    85/ 10058

    Family Orientation

    80/ 10069

    Tourism Impact

    Dublin

    75
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    64

    Tourist Volume

    65/ 10062

    Tourism Seasonality

    75/ 10053

    Tourist Infrastructure

    85/ 10068

    Authenticity

    88/ 10079

    Crowding

    62/ 10057

    Legal & Administrative

    Dublin

    84
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    57

    In legal & administrative, Dublin takes the lead with a score of 84/100 compared to 57/100. This category covers visa & residency, administration, rights & freedoms.

    Dublin has a commanding lead in administration (80 vs 51). Dublin has a commanding lead in rights & freedoms (92 vs 51).

    Dublin stands out for language requirements, lgbtq+ rights, deportation risk, though residency process and bureaucracy level could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in visa requirements and residency options despite the overall gap.

    Visa & Residency

    Dublin

    79
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    70

    Visa Requirements

    75/ 10090

    Residency Options

    82/ 10084

    Residency Process

    62/ 10076

    Citizenship Pathway

    80/ 10021

    Deportation Risk

    95/ 10081

    Administration

    Dublin

    80
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    51

    Bureaucracy Level

    65/ 10039

    Digital Government

    78/ 10053

    Document Requirements

    70/ 10059

    Language Requirements

    98/ 10054

    Legal System

    90/ 10049

    Rights & Freedoms

    Dublin

    92
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    51

    Freedom of Speech

    95/ 10033

    Religious Freedom

    95/ 10071

    Women's Rights

    90/ 10062

    LGBTQ+ Rights

    96/ 10038

    Worker Rights

    85/ 10052

    Family & Children

    Dublin

    72
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    63

    In family & children, Dublin takes the lead with a score of 72/100 compared to 63/100. This category covers child-friendly infrastructure, family services.

    Dublin has a commanding lead in child-friendly infrastructure (82 vs 59).

    Dublin stands out for child safety, playgrounds, kid activities, though childcare costs and childcare availability could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in family housing and childcare costs despite the overall gap.

    Child-Friendly Infrastructure

    Dublin

    82
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    59

    Playgrounds

    85/ 10051

    Kid Activities

    82/ 10062

    Child Safety

    90/ 10064

    Pediatric Care

    75/ 10066

    Baby/Toddler Facilities

    78/ 10053

    Family Services

    Dublin

    61
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    66

    Childcare Availability

    55/ 10061

    Childcare Costs

    40/ 10071

    School Holidays

    70/ 10062

    Extracurricular Activities

    80/ 10065

    Family Housing

    60/ 10072

    Practical Considerations

    Dublin

    81
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    62

    In practical considerations, Dublin takes the lead with a score of 81/100 compared to 62/100. This category covers transportation costs, special services, communication, emergency services.

    Dublin has a commanding lead in special services (84 vs 60). Dublin has a commanding lead in communication (88 vs 61). Dublin has a commanding lead in emergency services (88 vs 65).

    Dublin stands out for translation services, language learning, emergency numbers, though fuel prices and vehicle costs could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in emergency numbers and gas station density despite the overall gap.

    Transportation Costs

    Dublin

    68
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    62

    Fuel Prices

    48/ 10076

    Gas Station Density

    90/ 10079

    EV Infrastructure

    75/ 10024

    Vehicle Costs

    55/ 10062

    Vehicle Maintenance

    70/ 10071

    Special Services

    Dublin

    84
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    60

    Moving Services

    80/ 10059

    Storage Facilities

    75/ 10049

    Translation Services

    95/ 10068

    Legal Services

    85/ 10064

    Accounting Services

    85/ 10061

    Communication

    Dublin

    88
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    61

    Postal Reliability

    80/ 10055

    Package Import

    88/ 10052

    Language Learning

    95/ 10059

    International Calling

    90/ 10079

    Emergency Services

    Dublin

    88
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    65

    Emergency Response

    88/ 10061

    Emergency Healthcare

    78/ 10069

    Emergency Numbers

    95/ 10080

    Natural Disaster Preparedness

    92/ 10048

    Specific to Your Profile

    Dublin

    86
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    62

    In specific to your profile, Dublin takes the lead with a score of 86/100 compared to 62/100. This category covers remote work specific, personal circumstances.

    Dublin has a solid advantage in remote work specific (88 vs 72). Dublin has a commanding lead in personal circumstances (84 vs 56).

    Dublin stands out for language skills, cafรฉ laptop culture, video call quality, though citizenship advantages and partner citizenship advantages could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in video call quality and cafรฉ laptop culture despite the overall gap.

    Remote Work Specific

    Dublin

    88
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    72

    Time Zone Alignment

    80/ 10070

    Coworking Day Passes

    85/ 10069

    Cafรฉ Laptop Culture

    92/ 10083

    Video Call Quality

    92/ 10084

    Tech Ecosystem

    90/ 10052

    Personal Circumstances

    Dublin

    84
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    56

    Citizenship Advantages

    65/ 10049

    Partner Citizenship Advantages

    70/ 10041

    Industry Presence

    85/ 10050

    Language Skills

    100/ 10047

    Religious/Cultural Fit

    90/ 10069

    Dietary Requirements

    88/ 10073

    Hobby Availability

    85/ 10064

    Pet Import Rules

    92/ 10053

    The Verdict: Dublin or Phnom Penh?

    With an overall score of 79.32/100 versus 63.01/100, Dublin leads on paper. But the "better" city ultimately depends on what matters most to you.

    Dublin excels in economic factors, quality of life, infrastructure & connectivity. Phnom Penh leads in housing & living spaces.

    Use our interactive comparison tool to drill deeper into specific metrics. No single ranking captures the complexity of choosing a new home. But data-driven analysis gives you the best starting point.

    Dive Deeper with Our Interactive Tool

    See the full data breakdown with live filtering and side-by-side analysis.

    Compare Dublin vs Phnom Penh Live