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    Lima vs Phnom Penh: A Complete Data-Driven Comparison

    ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ช

    Lima

    Peru ยท $900/mo

    0.00
    Total
    0.00
    Nomad
    ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ญ

    Phnom Penh

    Cambodia ยท $700/mo

    0.00
    Total
    0.00
    Nomad

    Choosing between Lima, Peru 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 Lima 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.

    Lima earns an overall score of 67.30/100, while Phnom Penh scores 63.01/100. A 4.29-point modest gap that Lima leads. But headline scores never tell the full story. Let's break down exactly where each city excels and where it falls short.

    Lima is described as: "South America's culinary capital. World-class food at rock-bottom prices." 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

    Lima

    67
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    69

    In economic factors, Phnom Penh takes the lead with a score of 69/100 compared to 67/100. This category covers employment & income, cost factors, economic environment.

    Phnom Penh stands out for daily living costs, housing costs, currency stability, though salary levels and education costs could be improved. Lima performs well in daily living costs and entertainment costs despite the overall gap.

    Employment & Income

    Lima

    51
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    53

    Job Market Strength

    48/ 10048

    Salary Levels

    45/ 10037

    Freelance/Remote Work Market

    55/ 10072

    Entrepreneurship Environment

    54/ 10056

    Cost Factors

    Lima

    80
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    78

    Housing Costs

    84/ 10088

    Daily Living Costs

    89/ 10091

    Transportation Costs

    81/ 10087

    Entertainment Costs

    86/ 10082

    Healthcare Costs

    84/ 10076

    Education Costs

    53/ 10042

    Economic Environment

    Lima

    65
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    73

    Tax Rates

    64/ 10079

    Business Regulations

    51/ 10058

    Economic Stability

    71/ 10074

    Currency Stability

    66/ 10088

    Banking System

    74/ 10064

    Quality of Life

    Lima

    58
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    54

    In quality of life, Lima takes the lead with a score of 58/100 compared to 54/100. This category covers healthcare, education, safety & environment, climate & nature.

    Phnom Penh has a solid advantage in safety & environment (49 vs 35). Lima has a commanding lead in climate & nature (73 vs 45).

    Lima stands out for climate suitability, healthcare affordability, rainfall patterns, though water quality and crime rates could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in english-speaking medical staff and healthcare affordability despite the overall gap.

    Healthcare

    Lima

    60
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    66

    Healthcare Quality

    59/ 10064

    Healthcare Accessibility

    64/ 10068

    Healthcare Affordability

    86/ 10077

    English-Speaking Medical Staff

    41/ 10079

    Mental Health Services

    44/ 10046

    Dental Care

    64/ 10061

    Education

    Lima

    67
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    60

    School Quality

    49/ 10067

    International Schools

    71/ 10074

    Universities

    76/ 10051

    Language Schools

    79/ 10063

    Vocational Training

    61/ 10043

    Safety & Environment

    Lima

    35
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    49

    Crime Rates

    26/ 10053

    Personal Safety

    31/ 10063

    Political Stability

    56/ 10072

    Natural Disaster Risk

    41/ 10047

    Air Quality

    29/ 10038

    Water Quality

    24/ 10032

    Noise Pollution

    39/ 10041

    Climate & Nature

    Lima

    73
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    45

    Climate Suitability

    91/ 10059

    Sunshine Hours

    37/ 10068

    Rainfall Patterns

    84/ 10049

    Natural Beauty

    82/ 10054

    Green Spaces

    64/ 10044

    Beach/Water Access

    73/ 10022

    Mountains/Hiking

    79/ 10018

    Infrastructure & Connectivity

    Lima

    64
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    61

    In infrastructure & connectivity, Lima takes the lead with a score of 64/100 compared to 61/100. This category covers transportation, connectivity, digital infrastructure.

    Lima stands out for internet cost, public transport affordability, airport distance, though ferry connections and train connections could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in public transport affordability and internet cost despite the overall gap.

    Transportation

    Lima

    60
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    52

    Public Transport Quality

    69/ 10049

    Public Transport Coverage

    74/ 10046

    Public Transport Affordability

    87/ 10089

    Bike Infrastructure

    39/ 10024

    Walkability

    66/ 10039

    Traffic Congestion

    34/ 10031

    Driving Conditions

    39/ 10036

    Taxi/Rideshare

    79/ 10084

    Car Ownership Necessity

    53/ 10071

    Connectivity

    Lima

    57
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    55

    Airport Connectivity

    84/ 10071

    Airport Distance

    86/ 10078

    Train Connections

    32/ 10019

    Bus Connections

    81/ 10069

    Ferry Connections

    0/ 10037

    Digital Infrastructure

    Lima

    76
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    78

    Internet Speed

    86/ 10086

    Internet Reliability

    79/ 10079

    Internet Cost

    91/ 10088

    Mobile Network Quality

    69/ 10087

    Coworking Spaces

    71/ 10071

    Public WiFi

    59/ 10058

    Housing & Living Spaces

    Lima

    70
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    70

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

    Lima stands out for rental costs, expat/international areas, proximity to amenities, though purchase prices and gentrification trends could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in rental costs and purchase prices despite the overall gap.

    Housing Market

    Lima

    67
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    70

    Rental Availability

    76/ 10076

    Rental Costs

    86/ 10089

    Purchase Prices

    44/ 10084

    Housing Quality

    66/ 10054

    Housing Variety

    71/ 10066

    Landlord Regulations

    59/ 10052

    Neighborhoods

    Lima

    74
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    70

    Neighborhood Diversity

    76/ 10069

    Expat/International Areas

    84/ 10078

    Gentrification Trends

    57/ 10057

    Proximity to Amenities

    79/ 10074

    Daily Life & Services

    Lima

    80
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    71

    In daily life & services, Lima takes the lead with a score of 80/100 compared to 71/100. This category covers shopping & retail, food & dining, essential services, utilities & connectivity.

    Lima has a solid advantage in utilities & connectivity (77 vs 65).

    Lima stands out for restaurant variety, street food, local markets, though postal services and waste management could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in street food and restaurant affordability despite the overall gap.

    Shopping & Retail

    Lima

    79
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    70

    Supermarket Availability

    86/ 10071

    Shopping Mall Quantity

    79/ 10064

    Shopping Mall Quality

    74/ 10062

    International Brands

    79/ 10066

    Local Markets

    91/ 10087

    Opening Hours

    71/ 10076

    E-commerce

    74/ 10061

    Food & Dining

    Lima

    87
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    83

    Restaurant Variety

    94/ 10083

    Restaurant Quality

    91/ 10076

    Restaurant Affordability

    89/ 10091

    Cafรฉ Culture

    79/ 10079

    Street Food

    93/ 10094

    Alcohol Availability

    79/ 10078

    Food Delivery

    86/ 10078

    Essential Services

    Lima

    76
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    67

    Pharmacy Density

    89/ 10079

    24-Hour Pharmacies

    86/ 10059

    Medicine Availability

    79/ 10071

    Postal Services

    54/ 10054

    Banking Services

    81/ 10073

    Laundry Services

    74/ 10069

    Repair Services

    69/ 10064

    Hair Salons/Barbers

    84/ 10081

    Pet Services

    69/ 10052

    Utilities & Connectivity

    Lima

    77
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    65

    Electricity Reliability

    86/ 10069

    Water Reliability

    69/ 10064

    Utility Costs

    84/ 10083

    Heating/Cooling

    84/ 10057

    Waste Management

    64/ 10051

    Cultural & Social Life

    Lima

    70
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    60

    In cultural & social life, Lima takes the lead with a score of 70/100 compared to 60/100. This category covers culture & entertainment, social life, community.

    Lima has a solid advantage in culture & entertainment (77 vs 58). Lima has a solid advantage in social life (67 vs 57).

    Lima stands out for historical sites, museums & galleries, sports culture, though nightlife safety and language barriers could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in local friendliness and historical sites despite the overall gap.

    Culture & Entertainment

    Lima

    77
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    58

    Museums & Galleries

    86/ 10061

    Historical Sites

    89/ 10084

    Theaters & Performing Arts

    71/ 10041

    Music Scene

    76/ 10059

    Cinema Options

    74/ 10064

    Libraries

    69/ 10042

    Art Scene

    74/ 10052

    Social Life

    Lima

    67
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    57

    Nightlife Quality

    79/ 10068

    Nightlife Safety

    36/ 10054

    Festival Calendar

    81/ 10071

    Sports Culture

    84/ 10049

    Social Clubs

    66/ 10061

    Dating Scene

    71/ 10056

    LGBTQ+ Scene

    49/ 10041

    Community

    Lima

    64
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    67

    Local Friendliness

    81/ 10089

    Expat Community Size

    64/ 10064

    Expat Integration

    59/ 10069

    Language Barriers

    36/ 10049

    Cultural Events

    81/ 10066

    Professional & Career

    Lima

    66
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    65

    In professional & career, Lima takes the lead with a score of 66/100 compared to 65/100. This category covers business environment, work environment, market opportunities.

    Lima has a solid advantage in business environment (64 vs 53).

    Lima stands out for internet for work, time zone, major companies, though startup ecosystem and freelance market could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in business visa options and internet for work despite the overall gap.

    Business Environment

    Lima

    64
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    53

    Industry Clusters

    64/ 10046

    Major Companies

    69/ 10041

    Startup Ecosystem

    54/ 10055

    Coworking Culture

    69/ 10070

    Professional Networking

    66/ 10054

    Business Associations

    64/ 10051

    Work Environment

    Lima

    72
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    81

    Work-Life Balance

    61/ 10078

    Remote Work Acceptance

    69/ 10074

    Internet for Work

    86/ 10089

    Time Zone

    76/ 10071

    Business Visa Options

    69/ 10091

    Market Opportunities

    Lima

    58
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    65

    Client Base

    59/ 10052

    Freelance Market

    56/ 10071

    Competition Level

    59/ 10073

    Lifestyle & Pace

    Lima

    72
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    64

    In lifestyle & pace, Lima takes the lead with a score of 72/100 compared to 64/100. This category covers daily rhythm, lifestyle options, tourism impact.

    Lima has a solid advantage in lifestyle options (72 vs 56).

    Lima stands out for authenticity, outdoor lifestyle, tourism seasonality, though crowding and health consciousness could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in pace of life and authenticity despite the overall gap.

    Daily Rhythm

    Lima

    71
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    73

    Pace of Life

    66/ 10081

    Working Hours Culture

    64/ 10069

    Dining Hours

    79/ 10072

    Shop Opening Hours

    71/ 10075

    Weekend Culture

    76/ 10068

    Lifestyle Options

    Lima

    72
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    56

    Outdoor Lifestyle

    81/ 10051

    Fitness Culture

    69/ 10054

    Health Consciousness

    59/ 10049

    Pet Friendliness

    74/ 10058

    Family Orientation

    79/ 10069

    Tourism Impact

    Lima

    72
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    64

    Tourist Volume

    61/ 10062

    Tourism Seasonality

    81/ 10053

    Tourist Infrastructure

    76/ 10068

    Authenticity

    86/ 10079

    Crowding

    56/ 10057

    Legal & Administrative

    Lima

    63
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    57

    In legal & administrative, Lima takes the lead with a score of 63/100 compared to 57/100. This category covers visa & residency, administration, rights & freedoms.

    Lima has a solid advantage in rights & freedoms (67 vs 51).

    Lima stands out for visa requirements, religious freedom, residency options, though bureaucracy level and language requirements could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in visa requirements and residency options despite the overall gap.

    Visa & Residency

    Lima

    71
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    70

    Visa Requirements

    84/ 10090

    Residency Options

    79/ 10084

    Residency Process

    54/ 10076

    Citizenship Pathway

    59/ 10021

    Deportation Risk

    79/ 10081

    Administration

    Lima

    51
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    51

    Bureaucracy Level

    36/ 10039

    Digital Government

    54/ 10053

    Document Requirements

    61/ 10059

    Language Requirements

    39/ 10054

    Legal System

    64/ 10049

    Rights & Freedoms

    Lima

    67
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    51

    Freedom of Speech

    71/ 10033

    Religious Freedom

    84/ 10071

    Women's Rights

    69/ 10062

    LGBTQ+ Rights

    46/ 10038

    Worker Rights

    64/ 10052

    Family & Children

    Lima

    68
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    63

    In family & children, Lima takes the lead with a score of 68/100 compared to 63/100. This category covers child-friendly infrastructure, family services.

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

    Child-Friendly Infrastructure

    Lima

    66
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    59

    Playgrounds

    71/ 10051

    Kid Activities

    71/ 10062

    Child Safety

    51/ 10064

    Pediatric Care

    69/ 10066

    Baby/Toddler Facilities

    66/ 10053

    Family Services

    Lima

    70
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    66

    Childcare Availability

    66/ 10061

    Childcare Costs

    69/ 10071

    School Holidays

    71/ 10062

    Extracurricular Activities

    71/ 10065

    Family Housing

    74/ 10072

    Practical Considerations

    Lima

    65
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    62

    In practical considerations, Lima takes the lead with a score of 65/100 compared to 62/100. This category covers transportation costs, special services, communication, emergency services.

    Lima has a solid advantage in special services (70 vs 60).

    Lima stands out for gas station density, international calling, emergency numbers, though ev infrastructure and vehicle costs could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in emergency numbers and gas station density despite the overall gap.

    Transportation Costs

    Lima

    56
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    62

    Fuel Prices

    61/ 10076

    Gas Station Density

    84/ 10079

    EV Infrastructure

    26/ 10024

    Vehicle Costs

    44/ 10062

    Vehicle Maintenance

    64/ 10071

    Special Services

    Lima

    70
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    60

    Moving Services

    71/ 10059

    Storage Facilities

    64/ 10049

    Translation Services

    74/ 10068

    Legal Services

    71/ 10064

    Accounting Services

    71/ 10061

    Communication

    Lima

    66
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    61

    Postal Reliability

    51/ 10055

    Package Import

    54/ 10052

    Language Learning

    76/ 10059

    International Calling

    81/ 10079

    Emergency Services

    Lima

    68
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    65

    Emergency Response

    56/ 10061

    Emergency Healthcare

    71/ 10069

    Emergency Numbers

    81/ 10080

    Natural Disaster Preparedness

    64/ 10048

    Specific to Your Profile

    Lima

    63
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    62

    In specific to your profile, Lima takes the lead with a score of 63/100 compared to 62/100. This category covers remote work specific, personal circumstances.

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

    Remote Work Specific

    Lima

    71
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    72

    Time Zone Alignment

    74/ 10070

    Coworking Day Passes

    69/ 10069

    Cafรฉ Laptop Culture

    81/ 10083

    Video Call Quality

    81/ 10084

    Tech Ecosystem

    51/ 10052

    Personal Circumstances

    Lima

    57
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    56

    Citizenship Advantages

    39/ 10049

    Partner Citizenship Advantages

    50/ 10041

    Industry Presence

    54/ 10050

    Language Skills

    39/ 10047

    Religious/Cultural Fit

    66/ 10069

    Dietary Requirements

    76/ 10073

    Hobby Availability

    71/ 10064

    Pet Import Rules

    64/ 10053

    The Verdict: Lima or Phnom Penh?

    With an overall score of 67.30/100 versus 63.01/100, Lima leads on paper. But the "better" city ultimately depends on what matters most to you.

    Lima excels in quality of life, infrastructure & connectivity, daily life & services. Phnom Penh leads in economic factors.

    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 Lima vs Phnom Penh Live