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    Lisbon vs Phnom Penh: A Complete Data-Driven Comparison

    ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น

    Lisbon

    Portugal ยท $1,800/mo

    0.00
    Total
    0.00
    Nomad
    ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ญ

    Phnom Penh

    Cambodia ยท $700/mo

    0.00
    Total
    0.00
    Nomad

    Choosing between Lisbon, Portugal 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 Lisbon 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.

    Lisbon earns an overall score of 79.06/100, while Phnom Penh scores 63.01/100. A 16.05-point significant gap that Lisbon leads. But headline scores never tell the full story. Let's break down exactly where each city excels and where it falls short.

    Lisbon is described as: "Europe's sunniest capital with a booming tech scene. Affordable, vibrant, and welcoming to nomads." 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

    Lisbon

    74
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    69

    In economic factors, Lisbon takes the lead with a score of 74/100 compared to 69/100. This category covers employment & income, cost factors, economic environment.

    Lisbon has a solid advantage in employment & income (71 vs 53).

    Lisbon stands out for currency stability, freelance/remote work market, economic stability, though housing costs and salary levels could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in daily living costs and housing costs despite the overall gap.

    Employment & Income

    Lisbon

    71
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    53

    Job Market Strength

    68/ 10048

    Salary Levels

    48/ 10037

    Freelance/Remote Work Market

    87/ 10072

    Entrepreneurship Environment

    82/ 10056

    Cost Factors

    Lisbon

    71
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    78

    Housing Costs

    38/ 10088

    Daily Living Costs

    78/ 10091

    Transportation Costs

    85/ 10087

    Entertainment Costs

    80/ 10082

    Healthcare Costs

    82/ 10076

    Education Costs

    62/ 10042

    Economic Environment

    Lisbon

    79
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    73

    Tax Rates

    62/ 10079

    Business Regulations

    72/ 10058

    Economic Stability

    86/ 10074

    Currency Stability

    94/ 10088

    Banking System

    82/ 10064

    Quality of Life

    Lisbon

    81
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    54

    In quality of life, Lisbon takes the lead with a score of 81/100 compared to 54/100. This category covers healthcare, education, safety & environment, climate & nature.

    Lisbon has a solid advantage in healthcare (76 vs 66). Lisbon has a solid advantage in education (76 vs 60). Lisbon has a commanding lead in safety & environment (79 vs 49).

    Lisbon stands out for climate suitability, sunshine hours, natural beauty, though mental health services and noise pollution could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in english-speaking medical staff and healthcare affordability despite the overall gap.

    Healthcare

    Lisbon

    76
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    66

    Healthcare Quality

    78/ 10064

    Healthcare Accessibility

    76/ 10068

    Healthcare Affordability

    84/ 10077

    English-Speaking Medical Staff

    79/ 10079

    Mental Health Services

    67/ 10046

    Dental Care

    74/ 10061

    Education

    Lisbon

    76
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    60

    School Quality

    71/ 10067

    International Schools

    86/ 10074

    Universities

    74/ 10051

    Language Schools

    82/ 10063

    Vocational Training

    69/ 10043

    Safety & Environment

    Lisbon

    79
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    49

    Crime Rates

    79/ 10053

    Personal Safety

    81/ 10063

    Political Stability

    89/ 10072

    Natural Disaster Risk

    71/ 10047

    Air Quality

    79/ 10038

    Water Quality

    89/ 10032

    Noise Pollution

    68/ 10041

    Climate & Nature

    Lisbon

    89
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    45

    Climate Suitability

    94/ 10059

    Sunshine Hours

    93/ 10068

    Rainfall Patterns

    84/ 10049

    Natural Beauty

    93/ 10054

    Green Spaces

    84/ 10044

    Beach/Water Access

    92/ 10022

    Mountains/Hiking

    83/ 10018

    Infrastructure & Connectivity

    Lisbon

    83
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    61

    In infrastructure & connectivity, Lisbon takes the lead with a score of 83/100 compared to 61/100. This category covers transportation, connectivity, digital infrastructure.

    Lisbon has a commanding lead in transportation (79 vs 52). Lisbon has a commanding lead in connectivity (85 vs 55). Lisbon has a solid advantage in digital infrastructure (89 vs 78).

    Lisbon stands out for internet speed, airport distance, mobile network quality, though driving conditions and bike infrastructure could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in public transport affordability and internet cost despite the overall gap.

    Transportation

    Lisbon

    79
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    52

    Public Transport Quality

    84/ 10049

    Public Transport Coverage

    81/ 10046

    Public Transport Affordability

    89/ 10089

    Bike Infrastructure

    71/ 10024

    Walkability

    76/ 10039

    Traffic Congestion

    79/ 10031

    Driving Conditions

    69/ 10036

    Taxi/Rideshare

    81/ 10084

    Car Ownership Necessity

    79/ 10071

    Connectivity

    Lisbon

    85
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    55

    Airport Connectivity

    89/ 10071

    Airport Distance

    93/ 10078

    Train Connections

    79/ 10019

    Bus Connections

    80/ 10069

    Ferry Connections

    84/ 10037

    Digital Infrastructure

    Lisbon

    89
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    78

    Internet Speed

    94/ 10086

    Internet Reliability

    91/ 10079

    Internet Cost

    89/ 10088

    Mobile Network Quality

    93/ 10087

    Coworking Spaces

    89/ 10071

    Public WiFi

    79/ 10058

    Housing & Living Spaces

    Lisbon

    65
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    70

    In housing & living spaces, Phnom Penh takes the lead with a score of 70/100 compared to 65/100. This category covers housing market, neighborhoods.

    Phnom Penh has a solid advantage in housing market (70 vs 57).

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

    Housing Market

    Lisbon

    57
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    70

    Rental Availability

    53/ 10076

    Rental Costs

    39/ 10089

    Purchase Prices

    41/ 10084

    Housing Quality

    71/ 10054

    Housing Variety

    76/ 10066

    Landlord Regulations

    64/ 10052

    Neighborhoods

    Lisbon

    77
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    70

    Neighborhood Diversity

    81/ 10069

    Expat/International Areas

    87/ 10078

    Gentrification Trends

    52/ 10057

    Proximity to Amenities

    90/ 10074

    Daily Life & Services

    Lisbon

    82
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    71

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

    Lisbon has a solid advantage in essential services (80 vs 67). Lisbon has a solid advantage in utilities & connectivity (83 vs 65).

    Lisbon stands out for restaurant variety, cafรฉ culture, restaurant quality, though shopping mall quantity and opening hours could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in street food and restaurant affordability despite the overall gap.

    Shopping & Retail

    Lisbon

    78
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    70

    Supermarket Availability

    86/ 10071

    Shopping Mall Quantity

    71/ 10064

    Shopping Mall Quality

    72/ 10062

    International Brands

    79/ 10066

    Local Markets

    89/ 10087

    Opening Hours

    71/ 10076

    E-commerce

    81/ 10061

    Food & Dining

    Lisbon

    87
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    83

    Restaurant Variety

    94/ 10083

    Restaurant Quality

    90/ 10076

    Restaurant Affordability

    79/ 10091

    Cafรฉ Culture

    91/ 10079

    Street Food

    86/ 10094

    Alcohol Availability

    88/ 10078

    Food Delivery

    84/ 10078

    Essential Services

    Lisbon

    80
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    67

    Pharmacy Density

    88/ 10079

    24-Hour Pharmacies

    79/ 10059

    Medicine Availability

    85/ 10071

    Postal Services

    71/ 10054

    Banking Services

    84/ 10073

    Laundry Services

    79/ 10069

    Repair Services

    74/ 10064

    Hair Salons/Barbers

    84/ 10081

    Pet Services

    79/ 10052

    Utilities & Connectivity

    Lisbon

    83
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    65

    Electricity Reliability

    86/ 10069

    Water Reliability

    89/ 10064

    Utility Costs

    74/ 10083

    Heating/Cooling

    86/ 10057

    Waste Management

    79/ 10051

    Cultural & Social Life

    Lisbon

    82
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    60

    In cultural & social life, Lisbon takes the lead with a score of 82/100 compared to 60/100. This category covers culture & entertainment, social life, community.

    Lisbon has a commanding lead in culture & entertainment (84 vs 58). Lisbon has a commanding lead in social life (84 vs 57). Lisbon has a solid advantage in community (78 vs 67).

    Lisbon stands out for historical sites, lgbtq+ scene, museums & galleries, though language barriers and expat integration could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in local friendliness and historical sites despite the overall gap.

    Culture & Entertainment

    Lisbon

    84
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    58

    Museums & Galleries

    91/ 10061

    Historical Sites

    94/ 10084

    Theaters & Performing Arts

    81/ 10041

    Music Scene

    86/ 10059

    Cinema Options

    79/ 10064

    Libraries

    74/ 10042

    Art Scene

    85/ 10052

    Social Life

    Lisbon

    84
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    57

    Nightlife Quality

    90/ 10068

    Nightlife Safety

    81/ 10054

    Festival Calendar

    85/ 10071

    Sports Culture

    76/ 10049

    Social Clubs

    80/ 10061

    Dating Scene

    81/ 10056

    LGBTQ+ Scene

    92/ 10041

    Community

    Lisbon

    78
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    67

    Local Friendliness

    81/ 10089

    Expat Community Size

    89/ 10064

    Expat Integration

    71/ 10069

    Language Barriers

    64/ 10049

    Cultural Events

    86/ 10066

    Professional & Career

    Lisbon

    81
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    65

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

    Lisbon has a commanding lead in business environment (80 vs 53).

    Lisbon stands out for internet for work, coworking culture, remote work acceptance, though competition level and major companies could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in business visa options and internet for work despite the overall gap.

    Business Environment

    Lisbon

    80
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    53

    Industry Clusters

    76/ 10046

    Major Companies

    71/ 10041

    Startup Ecosystem

    85/ 10055

    Coworking Culture

    90/ 10070

    Professional Networking

    81/ 10054

    Business Associations

    75/ 10051

    Work Environment

    Lisbon

    86
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    81

    Work-Life Balance

    81/ 10078

    Remote Work Acceptance

    89/ 10074

    Internet for Work

    94/ 10089

    Time Zone

    84/ 10071

    Business Visa Options

    81/ 10091

    Market Opportunities

    Lisbon

    74
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    65

    Client Base

    72/ 10052

    Freelance Market

    86/ 10071

    Competition Level

    63/ 10073

    Lifestyle & Pace

    Lisbon

    75
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    64

    In lifestyle & pace, Lisbon takes the lead with a score of 75/100 compared to 64/100. This category covers daily rhythm, lifestyle options, tourism impact.

    Lisbon has a commanding lead in lifestyle options (79 vs 56).

    Lisbon stands out for outdoor lifestyle, pace of life, tourist infrastructure, though crowding and tourist volume could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in pace of life and authenticity despite the overall gap.

    Daily Rhythm

    Lisbon

    80
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    73

    Pace of Life

    86/ 10081

    Working Hours Culture

    76/ 10069

    Dining Hours

    85/ 10072

    Shop Opening Hours

    71/ 10075

    Weekend Culture

    81/ 10068

    Lifestyle Options

    Lisbon

    79
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    56

    Outdoor Lifestyle

    91/ 10051

    Fitness Culture

    79/ 10054

    Health Consciousness

    71/ 10049

    Pet Friendliness

    80/ 10058

    Family Orientation

    76/ 10069

    Tourism Impact

    Lisbon

    66
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    64

    Tourist Volume

    58/ 10062

    Tourism Seasonality

    69/ 10053

    Tourist Infrastructure

    86/ 10068

    Authenticity

    67/ 10079

    Crowding

    51/ 10057

    Legal & Administrative

    Lisbon

    78
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    57

    In legal & administrative, Lisbon takes the lead with a score of 78/100 compared to 57/100. This category covers visa & residency, administration, rights & freedoms.

    Lisbon has a solid advantage in visa & residency (82 vs 70). Lisbon has a solid advantage in administration (69 vs 51). Lisbon has a commanding lead in rights & freedoms (84 vs 51).

    Lisbon stands out for lgbtq+ rights, deportation risk, 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

    Lisbon

    82
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    70

    Visa Requirements

    86/ 10090

    Residency Options

    89/ 10084

    Residency Process

    66/ 10076

    Citizenship Pathway

    79/ 10021

    Deportation Risk

    90/ 10081

    Administration

    Lisbon

    69
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    51

    Bureaucracy Level

    61/ 10039

    Digital Government

    71/ 10053

    Document Requirements

    69/ 10059

    Language Requirements

    64/ 10054

    Legal System

    81/ 10049

    Rights & Freedoms

    Lisbon

    84
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    51

    Freedom of Speech

    86/ 10033

    Religious Freedom

    89/ 10071

    Women's Rights

    74/ 10062

    LGBTQ+ Rights

    93/ 10038

    Worker Rights

    79/ 10052

    Family & Children

    Lisbon

    76
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    63

    In family & children, Lisbon takes the lead with a score of 76/100 compared to 63/100. This category covers child-friendly infrastructure, family services.

    Lisbon has a commanding lead in child-friendly infrastructure (80 vs 59).

    Lisbon stands out for child safety, kid activities, playgrounds, 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

    Lisbon

    80
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    59

    Playgrounds

    80/ 10051

    Kid Activities

    81/ 10062

    Child Safety

    85/ 10064

    Pediatric Care

    79/ 10066

    Baby/Toddler Facilities

    74/ 10053

    Family Services

    Lisbon

    72
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    66

    Childcare Availability

    71/ 10061

    Childcare Costs

    61/ 10071

    School Holidays

    76/ 10062

    Extracurricular Activities

    79/ 10065

    Family Housing

    71/ 10072

    Practical Considerations

    Lisbon

    78
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    62

    In practical considerations, Lisbon takes the lead with a score of 78/100 compared to 62/100. This category covers transportation costs, special services, communication, emergency services.

    Lisbon has a solid advantage in transportation costs (72 vs 62). Lisbon has a solid advantage in special services (79 vs 60). Lisbon has a solid advantage in communication (80 vs 61).

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

    Transportation Costs

    Lisbon

    72
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    62

    Fuel Prices

    71/ 10076

    Gas Station Density

    85/ 10079

    EV Infrastructure

    69/ 10024

    Vehicle Costs

    64/ 10062

    Vehicle Maintenance

    71/ 10071

    Special Services

    Lisbon

    79
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    60

    Moving Services

    79/ 10059

    Storage Facilities

    74/ 10049

    Translation Services

    81/ 10068

    Legal Services

    80/ 10064

    Accounting Services

    79/ 10061

    Communication

    Lisbon

    80
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    61

    Postal Reliability

    71/ 10055

    Package Import

    81/ 10052

    Language Learning

    84/ 10059

    International Calling

    85/ 10079

    Emergency Services

    Lisbon

    82
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    65

    Emergency Response

    80/ 10061

    Emergency Healthcare

    84/ 10069

    Emergency Numbers

    90/ 10080

    Natural Disaster Preparedness

    74/ 10048

    Specific to Your Profile

    Lisbon

    82
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    62

    In specific to your profile, Lisbon takes the lead with a score of 82/100 compared to 62/100. This category covers remote work specific, personal circumstances.

    Lisbon has a solid advantage in remote work specific (87 vs 72). Lisbon has a commanding lead in personal circumstances (79 vs 56).

    Lisbon stands out for video call quality, cafรฉ laptop culture, hobby availability, though language skills 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

    Lisbon

    87
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    72

    Time Zone Alignment

    83/ 10070

    Coworking Day Passes

    86/ 10069

    Cafรฉ Laptop Culture

    91/ 10083

    Video Call Quality

    93/ 10084

    Tech Ecosystem

    81/ 10052

    Personal Circumstances

    Lisbon

    79
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    56

    Citizenship Advantages

    83/ 10049

    Partner Citizenship Advantages

    72/ 10041

    Industry Presence

    76/ 10050

    Language Skills

    63/ 10047

    Religious/Cultural Fit

    81/ 10069

    Dietary Requirements

    85/ 10073

    Hobby Availability

    87/ 10064

    Pet Import Rules

    86/ 10053

    The Verdict: Lisbon or Phnom Penh?

    With an overall score of 79.06/100 versus 63.01/100, Lisbon leads on paper. But the "better" city ultimately depends on what matters most to you.

    Lisbon 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 Lisbon vs Phnom Penh Live