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    Los Angeles vs Phnom Penh: A Complete Data-Driven Comparison

    ๐ŸŽฌ

    Los Angeles

    United States ยท $3,800/mo

    0.00
    Total
    0.00
    Nomad
    ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ญ

    Phnom Penh

    Cambodia ยท $700/mo

    0.00
    Total
    0.00
    Nomad

    Choosing between Los Angeles, United States 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 Los Angeles 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.

    Los Angeles earns an overall score of 75.75/100, while Phnom Penh scores 63.01/100. A 12.74-point significant gap that Los Angeles leads. But headline scores never tell the full story. Let's break down exactly where each city excels and where it falls short.

    Los Angeles is described as: "Entertainment capital with year-round sunshine. High costs but unmatched lifestyle appeal." 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

    Los Angeles

    64
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    69

    In economic factors, Phnom Penh takes the lead with a score of 69/100 compared to 64/100. This category covers employment & income, cost factors, economic environment.

    Los Angeles has a commanding lead in employment & income (83 vs 53). Phnom Penh has a commanding lead in cost factors (78 vs 39).

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

    Employment & Income

    Los Angeles

    83
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    53

    Job Market Strength

    78/ 10048

    Salary Levels

    82/ 10037

    Freelance/Remote Work Market

    85/ 10072

    Entrepreneurship Environment

    88/ 10056

    Cost Factors

    Los Angeles

    39
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    78

    Housing Costs

    25/ 10088

    Daily Living Costs

    35/ 10091

    Transportation Costs

    60/ 10087

    Entertainment Costs

    45/ 10082

    Healthcare Costs

    30/ 10076

    Education Costs

    40/ 10042

    Economic Environment

    Los Angeles

    77
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    73

    Tax Rates

    40/ 10079

    Business Regulations

    65/ 10058

    Economic Stability

    85/ 10074

    Currency Stability

    100/ 10088

    Banking System

    95/ 10064

    Quality of Life

    Los Angeles

    73
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    54

    In quality of life, Los Angeles takes the lead with a score of 73/100 compared to 54/100. This category covers healthcare, education, safety & environment, climate & nature.

    Los Angeles has a commanding lead in education (81 vs 60). Los Angeles has a commanding lead in climate & nature (91 vs 45).

    Los Angeles stands out for english-speaking medical staff, universities, climate suitability, though healthcare affordability and natural disaster risk could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in english-speaking medical staff and healthcare affordability despite the overall gap.

    Healthcare

    Los Angeles

    73
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    66

    Healthcare Quality

    85/ 10064

    Healthcare Accessibility

    70/ 10068

    Healthcare Affordability

    35/ 10077

    English-Speaking Medical Staff

    100/ 10079

    Mental Health Services

    70/ 10046

    Dental Care

    75/ 10061

    Education

    Los Angeles

    81
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    60

    School Quality

    65/ 10067

    International Schools

    80/ 10074

    Universities

    95/ 10051

    Language Schools

    85/ 10063

    Vocational Training

    80/ 10043

    Safety & Environment

    Los Angeles

    49
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    49

    Crime Rates

    45/ 10053

    Personal Safety

    45/ 10063

    Political Stability

    90/ 10072

    Natural Disaster Risk

    35/ 10047

    Air Quality

    40/ 10038

    Water Quality

    45/ 10032

    Noise Pollution

    40/ 10041

    Climate & Nature

    Los Angeles

    91
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    45

    Climate Suitability

    95/ 10059

    Sunshine Hours

    95/ 10068

    Rainfall Patterns

    85/ 10049

    Natural Beauty

    95/ 10054

    Green Spaces

    80/ 10044

    Beach/Water Access

    95/ 10022

    Mountains/Hiking

    90/ 10018

    Infrastructure & Connectivity

    Los Angeles

    66
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    61

    In infrastructure & connectivity, Los Angeles takes the lead with a score of 66/100 compared to 61/100. This category covers transportation, connectivity, digital infrastructure.

    Los Angeles stands out for airport connectivity, internet speed, taxi/rideshare, though ferry connections and traffic congestion could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in public transport affordability and internet cost despite the overall gap.

    Transportation

    Los Angeles

    57
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    52

    Public Transport Quality

    60/ 10049

    Public Transport Coverage

    55/ 10046

    Public Transport Affordability

    75/ 10089

    Bike Infrastructure

    65/ 10024

    Walkability

    60/ 10039

    Traffic Congestion

    25/ 10031

    Driving Conditions

    50/ 10036

    Taxi/Rideshare

    90/ 10084

    Car Ownership Necessity

    35/ 10071

    Connectivity

    Los Angeles

    59
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    55

    Airport Connectivity

    95/ 10071

    Airport Distance

    70/ 10078

    Train Connections

    40/ 10019

    Bus Connections

    70/ 10069

    Ferry Connections

    20/ 10037

    Digital Infrastructure

    Los Angeles

    83
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    78

    Internet Speed

    95/ 10086

    Internet Reliability

    90/ 10079

    Internet Cost

    70/ 10088

    Mobile Network Quality

    85/ 10087

    Coworking Spaces

    85/ 10071

    Public WiFi

    75/ 10058

    Housing & Living Spaces

    Los Angeles

    61
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    70

    In housing & living spaces, Phnom Penh takes the lead with a score of 70/100 compared to 61/100. This category covers housing market, neighborhoods.

    Phnom Penh has a commanding lead in housing market (70 vs 50).

    Phnom Penh stands out for rental costs, purchase prices, expat/international areas, though landlord regulations and housing quality could be improved. Los Angeles performs well in neighborhood diversity and expat/international areas despite the overall gap.

    Housing Market

    Los Angeles

    50
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    70

    Rental Availability

    40/ 10076

    Rental Costs

    25/ 10089

    Purchase Prices

    25/ 10084

    Housing Quality

    75/ 10054

    Housing Variety

    80/ 10066

    Landlord Regulations

    55/ 10052

    Neighborhoods

    Los Angeles

    78
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    70

    Neighborhood Diversity

    95/ 10069

    Expat/International Areas

    85/ 10078

    Gentrification Trends

    50/ 10057

    Proximity to Amenities

    80/ 10074

    Daily Life & Services

    Los Angeles

    85
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    71

    In daily life & services, Los Angeles takes the lead with a score of 85/100 compared to 71/100. This category covers shopping & retail, food & dining, essential services, utilities & connectivity.

    Los Angeles has a solid advantage in shopping & retail (87 vs 70). Los Angeles has a solid advantage in essential services (85 vs 67). Los Angeles has a solid advantage in utilities & connectivity (83 vs 65).

    Los Angeles stands out for e-commerce, restaurant variety, restaurant quality, though restaurant affordability and utility costs could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in street food and restaurant affordability despite the overall gap.

    Shopping & Retail

    Los Angeles

    87
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    70

    Supermarket Availability

    90/ 10071

    Shopping Mall Quantity

    85/ 10064

    Shopping Mall Quality

    80/ 10062

    International Brands

    90/ 10066

    Local Markets

    90/ 10087

    Opening Hours

    80/ 10076

    E-commerce

    95/ 10061

    Food & Dining

    Los Angeles

    83
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    83

    Restaurant Variety

    95/ 10083

    Restaurant Quality

    95/ 10076

    Restaurant Affordability

    40/ 10091

    Cafรฉ Culture

    85/ 10079

    Street Food

    80/ 10094

    Alcohol Availability

    90/ 10078

    Food Delivery

    95/ 10078

    Essential Services

    Los Angeles

    85
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    67

    Pharmacy Density

    90/ 10079

    24-Hour Pharmacies

    70/ 10059

    Medicine Availability

    90/ 10071

    Postal Services

    85/ 10054

    Banking Services

    95/ 10073

    Laundry Services

    80/ 10069

    Repair Services

    80/ 10064

    Hair Salons/Barbers

    90/ 10081

    Pet Services

    85/ 10052

    Utilities & Connectivity

    Los Angeles

    83
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    65

    Electricity Reliability

    95/ 10069

    Water Reliability

    85/ 10064

    Utility Costs

    60/ 10083

    Heating/Cooling

    90/ 10057

    Waste Management

    85/ 10051

    Cultural & Social Life

    Los Angeles

    84
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    60

    In cultural & social life, Los Angeles takes the lead with a score of 84/100 compared to 60/100. This category covers culture & entertainment, social life, community.

    Los Angeles has a commanding lead in culture & entertainment (85 vs 58). Los Angeles has a commanding lead in social life (82 vs 57). Los Angeles has a solid advantage in community (85 vs 67).

    Los Angeles stands out for language barriers, museums & galleries, theaters & performing arts, though nightlife safety and historical sites could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in local friendliness and historical sites despite the overall gap.

    Culture & Entertainment

    Los Angeles

    85
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    58

    Museums & Galleries

    90/ 10061

    Historical Sites

    70/ 10084

    Theaters & Performing Arts

    90/ 10041

    Music Scene

    90/ 10059

    Cinema Options

    85/ 10064

    Libraries

    80/ 10042

    Art Scene

    90/ 10052

    Social Life

    Los Angeles

    82
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    57

    Nightlife Quality

    85/ 10068

    Nightlife Safety

    60/ 10054

    Festival Calendar

    85/ 10071

    Sports Culture

    90/ 10049

    Social Clubs

    80/ 10061

    Dating Scene

    85/ 10056

    LGBTQ+ Scene

    90/ 10041

    Community

    Los Angeles

    85
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    67

    Local Friendliness

    70/ 10089

    Expat Community Size

    85/ 10064

    Expat Integration

    80/ 10069

    Language Barriers

    100/ 10049

    Cultural Events

    90/ 10066

    Professional & Career

    Los Angeles

    81
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    65

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

    Los Angeles has a commanding lead in business environment (85 vs 53). Los Angeles has a solid advantage in market opportunities (77 vs 65).

    Los Angeles stands out for internet for work, industry clusters, client base, though competition level and work-life balance could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in business visa options and internet for work despite the overall gap.

    Business Environment

    Los Angeles

    85
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    53

    Industry Clusters

    90/ 10046

    Major Companies

    85/ 10041

    Startup Ecosystem

    88/ 10055

    Coworking Culture

    85/ 10070

    Professional Networking

    85/ 10054

    Business Associations

    80/ 10051

    Work Environment

    Los Angeles

    79
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    81

    Work-Life Balance

    65/ 10078

    Remote Work Acceptance

    85/ 10074

    Internet for Work

    95/ 10089

    Time Zone

    80/ 10071

    Business Visa Options

    70/ 10091

    Market Opportunities

    Los Angeles

    77
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    65

    Client Base

    90/ 10052

    Freelance Market

    85/ 10071

    Competition Level

    55/ 10073

    Lifestyle & Pace

    Los Angeles

    75
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    64

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

    Los Angeles has a commanding lead in lifestyle options (84 vs 56).

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

    Daily Rhythm

    Los Angeles

    73
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    73

    Pace of Life

    55/ 10081

    Working Hours Culture

    70/ 10069

    Dining Hours

    80/ 10072

    Shop Opening Hours

    80/ 10075

    Weekend Culture

    80/ 10068

    Lifestyle Options

    Los Angeles

    84
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    56

    Outdoor Lifestyle

    95/ 10051

    Fitness Culture

    90/ 10054

    Health Consciousness

    85/ 10049

    Pet Friendliness

    80/ 10058

    Family Orientation

    70/ 10069

    Tourism Impact

    Los Angeles

    67
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    64

    Tourist Volume

    60/ 10062

    Tourism Seasonality

    70/ 10053

    Tourist Infrastructure

    85/ 10068

    Authenticity

    70/ 10079

    Crowding

    50/ 10057

    Legal & Administrative

    Los Angeles

    75
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    57

    In legal & administrative, Los Angeles takes the lead with a score of 75/100 compared to 57/100. This category covers visa & residency, administration, rights & freedoms.

    Phnom Penh has a solid advantage in visa & residency (70 vs 57). Los Angeles has a commanding lead in administration (79 vs 51). Los Angeles has a commanding lead in rights & freedoms (90 vs 51).

    Los Angeles stands out for freedom of speech, religious freedom, language requirements, though visa requirements and residency process could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in visa requirements and residency options despite the overall gap.

    Visa & Residency

    Los Angeles

    57
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    70

    Visa Requirements

    40/ 10090

    Residency Options

    60/ 10084

    Residency Process

    50/ 10076

    Citizenship Pathway

    55/ 10021

    Deportation Risk

    80/ 10081

    Administration

    Los Angeles

    79
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    51

    Bureaucracy Level

    65/ 10039

    Digital Government

    80/ 10053

    Document Requirements

    70/ 10059

    Language Requirements

    90/ 10054

    Legal System

    90/ 10049

    Rights & Freedoms

    Los Angeles

    90
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    51

    Freedom of Speech

    95/ 10033

    Religious Freedom

    95/ 10071

    Women's Rights

    90/ 10062

    LGBTQ+ Rights

    90/ 10038

    Worker Rights

    80/ 10052

    Family & Children

    Los Angeles

    70
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    63

    In family & children, Los Angeles takes the lead with a score of 70/100 compared to 63/100. This category covers child-friendly infrastructure, family services.

    Los Angeles has a solid advantage in child-friendly infrastructure (78 vs 59).

    Los Angeles stands out for kid activities, playgrounds, extracurricular activities, though childcare costs and family housing could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in family housing and childcare costs despite the overall gap.

    Child-Friendly Infrastructure

    Los Angeles

    78
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    59

    Playgrounds

    85/ 10051

    Kid Activities

    90/ 10062

    Child Safety

    60/ 10064

    Pediatric Care

    80/ 10066

    Baby/Toddler Facilities

    75/ 10053

    Family Services

    Los Angeles

    62
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    66

    Childcare Availability

    65/ 10061

    Childcare Costs

    30/ 10071

    School Holidays

    80/ 10062

    Extracurricular Activities

    85/ 10065

    Family Housing

    50/ 10072

    Practical Considerations

    Los Angeles

    80
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    62

    In practical considerations, Los Angeles takes the lead with a score of 80/100 compared to 62/100. This category covers transportation costs, special services, communication, emergency services.

    Los Angeles has a commanding lead in special services (84 vs 60). Los Angeles has a commanding lead in communication (86 vs 61). Los Angeles has a solid advantage in emergency services (83 vs 65).

    Los Angeles stands out for emergency numbers, gas station density, legal services, 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

    Los Angeles

    68
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    62

    Fuel Prices

    45/ 10076

    Gas Station Density

    90/ 10079

    EV Infrastructure

    85/ 10024

    Vehicle Costs

    50/ 10062

    Vehicle Maintenance

    70/ 10071

    Special Services

    Los Angeles

    84
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    60

    Moving Services

    80/ 10059

    Storage Facilities

    85/ 10049

    Translation Services

    80/ 10068

    Legal Services

    90/ 10064

    Accounting Services

    85/ 10061

    Communication

    Los Angeles

    86
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    61

    Postal Reliability

    85/ 10055

    Package Import

    80/ 10052

    Language Learning

    90/ 10059

    International Calling

    90/ 10079

    Emergency Services

    Los Angeles

    83
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    65

    Emergency Response

    75/ 10061

    Emergency Healthcare

    85/ 10069

    Emergency Numbers

    100/ 10080

    Natural Disaster Preparedness

    70/ 10048

    Specific to Your Profile

    Los Angeles

    87
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    62

    In specific to your profile, Los Angeles takes the lead with a score of 87/100 compared to 62/100. This category covers remote work specific, personal circumstances.

    Los Angeles has a solid advantage in remote work specific (86 vs 72). Los Angeles has a commanding lead in personal circumstances (87 vs 56).

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

    Remote Work Specific

    Los Angeles

    86
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    72

    Time Zone Alignment

    75/ 10070

    Coworking Day Passes

    85/ 10069

    Cafรฉ Laptop Culture

    90/ 10083

    Video Call Quality

    90/ 10084

    Tech Ecosystem

    90/ 10052

    Personal Circumstances

    Los Angeles

    87
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    56

    Citizenship Advantages

    85/ 10049

    Partner Citizenship Advantages

    70/ 10041

    Industry Presence

    85/ 10050

    Language Skills

    100/ 10047

    Religious/Cultural Fit

    90/ 10069

    Dietary Requirements

    95/ 10073

    Hobby Availability

    90/ 10064

    Pet Import Rules

    80/ 10053

    The Verdict: Los Angeles or Phnom Penh?

    With an overall score of 75.75/100 versus 63.01/100, Los Angeles leads on paper. But the "better" city ultimately depends on what matters most to you.

    Los Angeles excels in quality of life, infrastructure & connectivity, daily life & services. Phnom Penh leads in economic factors, 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 Los Angeles vs Phnom Penh Live