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    Milan vs Phnom Penh: A Complete Data-Driven Comparison

    ๐Ÿ‘—

    Milan

    Italy ยท $2,600/mo

    0.00
    Total
    0.00
    Nomad
    ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ญ

    Phnom Penh

    Cambodia ยท $700/mo

    0.00
    Total
    0.00
    Nomad

    Choosing between Milan, Italy 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 Milan 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.

    Milan earns an overall score of 73.14/100, while Phnom Penh scores 63.01/100. A 10.13-point significant gap that Milan leads. But headline scores never tell the full story. Let's break down exactly where each city excels and where it falls short.

    Milan is described as: "Italy's business capital. Fashion, design, and finance converge in this dynamic city." 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

    Milan

    61
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    69

    In economic factors, Phnom Penh takes the lead with a score of 69/100 compared to 61/100. This category covers employment & income, cost factors, economic environment.

    Milan has a solid advantage in employment & income (67 vs 53). Phnom Penh has a commanding lead in cost factors (78 vs 53).

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

    Employment & Income

    Milan

    67
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    53

    Job Market Strength

    78/ 10048

    Salary Levels

    62/ 10037

    Freelance/Remote Work Market

    58/ 10072

    Entrepreneurship Environment

    68/ 10056

    Cost Factors

    Milan

    53
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    78

    Housing Costs

    32/ 10088

    Daily Living Costs

    38/ 10091

    Transportation Costs

    88/ 10087

    Entertainment Costs

    45/ 10082

    Healthcare Costs

    72/ 10076

    Education Costs

    42/ 10042

    Economic Environment

    Milan

    68
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    73

    Tax Rates

    38/ 10079

    Business Regulations

    42/ 10058

    Economic Stability

    82/ 10074

    Currency Stability

    92/ 10088

    Banking System

    85/ 10064

    Quality of Life

    Milan

    70
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    54

    In quality of life, Milan takes the lead with a score of 70/100 compared to 54/100. This category covers healthcare, education, safety & environment, climate & nature.

    Milan has a commanding lead in education (83 vs 60). Milan has a solid advantage in safety & environment (62 vs 49). Milan has a commanding lead in climate & nature (70 vs 45).

    Milan stands out for universities, mountains/hiking, political stability, though beach/water access and air quality could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in english-speaking medical staff and healthcare affordability despite the overall gap.

    Healthcare

    Milan

    67
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    66

    Healthcare Quality

    71/ 10064

    Healthcare Accessibility

    78/ 10068

    Healthcare Affordability

    70/ 10077

    English-Speaking Medical Staff

    62/ 10079

    Mental Health Services

    52/ 10046

    Dental Care

    68/ 10061

    Education

    Milan

    83
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    60

    School Quality

    78/ 10067

    International Schools

    82/ 10074

    Universities

    93/ 10051

    Language Schools

    88/ 10063

    Vocational Training

    72/ 10043

    Safety & Environment

    Milan

    62
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    49

    Crime Rates

    46/ 10053

    Personal Safety

    47/ 10063

    Political Stability

    90/ 10072

    Natural Disaster Risk

    88/ 10047

    Air Quality

    32/ 10038

    Water Quality

    85/ 10032

    Noise Pollution

    45/ 10041

    Climate & Nature

    Milan

    70
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    45

    Climate Suitability

    85/ 10059

    Sunshine Hours

    65/ 10068

    Rainfall Patterns

    70/ 10049

    Natural Beauty

    88/ 10054

    Green Spaces

    78/ 10044

    Beach/Water Access

    15/ 10022

    Mountains/Hiking

    92/ 10018

    Infrastructure & Connectivity

    Milan

    79
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    61

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

    Milan has a commanding lead in transportation (80 vs 52). Milan has a solid advantage in connectivity (70 vs 55).

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

    Transportation

    Milan

    80
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    52

    Public Transport Quality

    92/ 10049

    Public Transport Coverage

    90/ 10046

    Public Transport Affordability

    95/ 10089

    Bike Infrastructure

    68/ 10024

    Walkability

    82/ 10039

    Traffic Congestion

    72/ 10031

    Driving Conditions

    65/ 10036

    Taxi/Rideshare

    78/ 10084

    Car Ownership Necessity

    82/ 10071

    Connectivity

    Milan

    70
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    55

    Airport Connectivity

    95/ 10071

    Airport Distance

    82/ 10078

    Train Connections

    95/ 10019

    Bus Connections

    80/ 10069

    Ferry Connections

    0/ 10037

    Digital Infrastructure

    Milan

    85
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    78

    Internet Speed

    85/ 10086

    Internet Reliability

    88/ 10079

    Internet Cost

    82/ 10088

    Mobile Network Quality

    88/ 10087

    Coworking Spaces

    90/ 10071

    Public WiFi

    75/ 10058

    Housing & Living Spaces

    Milan

    63
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    70

    In housing & living spaces, Phnom Penh takes the lead with a score of 70/100 compared to 63/100. This category covers housing market, neighborhoods.

    Phnom Penh has a solid advantage in housing market (70 vs 53).

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

    Housing Market

    Milan

    53
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    70

    Rental Availability

    38/ 10076

    Rental Costs

    30/ 10089

    Purchase Prices

    35/ 10084

    Housing Quality

    80/ 10054

    Housing Variety

    82/ 10066

    Landlord Regulations

    55/ 10052

    Neighborhoods

    Milan

    78
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    70

    Neighborhood Diversity

    78/ 10069

    Expat/International Areas

    85/ 10078

    Gentrification Trends

    55/ 10057

    Proximity to Amenities

    92/ 10074

    Daily Life & Services

    Milan

    81
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    71

    In daily life & services, Milan takes the lead with a score of 81/100 compared to 71/100. This category covers shopping & retail, food & dining, essential services, utilities & connectivity.

    Milan has a solid advantage in shopping & retail (81 vs 70). Milan has a solid advantage in essential services (82 vs 67). Milan has a solid advantage in utilities & connectivity (80 vs 65).

    Milan stands out for international brands, restaurant variety, restaurant quality, though restaurant affordability and opening hours could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in street food and restaurant affordability despite the overall gap.

    Shopping & Retail

    Milan

    81
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    70

    Supermarket Availability

    90/ 10071

    Shopping Mall Quantity

    75/ 10064

    Shopping Mall Quality

    80/ 10062

    International Brands

    95/ 10066

    Local Markets

    90/ 10087

    Opening Hours

    55/ 10076

    E-commerce

    85/ 10061

    Food & Dining

    Milan

    82
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    83

    Restaurant Variety

    95/ 10083

    Restaurant Quality

    95/ 10076

    Restaurant Affordability

    42/ 10091

    Cafรฉ Culture

    95/ 10079

    Street Food

    65/ 10094

    Alcohol Availability

    90/ 10078

    Food Delivery

    90/ 10078

    Essential Services

    Milan

    82
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    67

    Pharmacy Density

    92/ 10079

    24-Hour Pharmacies

    80/ 10059

    Medicine Availability

    90/ 10071

    Postal Services

    72/ 10054

    Banking Services

    85/ 10073

    Laundry Services

    80/ 10069

    Repair Services

    75/ 10064

    Hair Salons/Barbers

    85/ 10081

    Pet Services

    78/ 10052

    Utilities & Connectivity

    Milan

    80
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    65

    Electricity Reliability

    95/ 10069

    Water Reliability

    90/ 10064

    Utility Costs

    65/ 10083

    Heating/Cooling

    70/ 10057

    Waste Management

    80/ 10051

    Cultural & Social Life

    Milan

    78
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    60

    In cultural & social life, Milan takes the lead with a score of 78/100 compared to 60/100. This category covers culture & entertainment, social life, community.

    Milan has a commanding lead in culture & entertainment (87 vs 58). Milan has a commanding lead in social life (78 vs 57).

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

    Culture & Entertainment

    Milan

    87
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    58

    Museums & Galleries

    95/ 10061

    Historical Sites

    95/ 10084

    Theaters & Performing Arts

    92/ 10041

    Music Scene

    85/ 10059

    Cinema Options

    78/ 10064

    Libraries

    75/ 10042

    Art Scene

    90/ 10052

    Social Life

    Milan

    78
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    57

    Nightlife Quality

    85/ 10068

    Nightlife Safety

    55/ 10054

    Festival Calendar

    85/ 10071

    Sports Culture

    90/ 10049

    Social Clubs

    75/ 10061

    Dating Scene

    75/ 10056

    LGBTQ+ Scene

    78/ 10041

    Community

    Milan

    66
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    67

    Local Friendliness

    62/ 10089

    Expat Community Size

    85/ 10064

    Expat Integration

    60/ 10069

    Language Barriers

    32/ 10049

    Cultural Events

    90/ 10066

    Professional & Career

    Milan

    75
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    65

    In professional & career, Milan takes the lead with a score of 75/100 compared to 65/100. This category covers business environment, work environment, market opportunities.

    Milan has a commanding lead in business environment (81 vs 53).

    Milan stands out for industry clusters, internet for work, major companies, 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

    Milan

    81
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    53

    Industry Clusters

    90/ 10046

    Major Companies

    85/ 10041

    Startup Ecosystem

    72/ 10055

    Coworking Culture

    85/ 10070

    Professional Networking

    80/ 10054

    Business Associations

    75/ 10051

    Work Environment

    Milan

    75
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    81

    Work-Life Balance

    55/ 10078

    Remote Work Acceptance

    75/ 10074

    Internet for Work

    90/ 10089

    Time Zone

    85/ 10071

    Business Visa Options

    70/ 10091

    Market Opportunities

    Milan

    64
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    65

    Client Base

    85/ 10052

    Freelance Market

    60/ 10071

    Competition Level

    48/ 10073

    Lifestyle & Pace

    Milan

    68
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    64

    In lifestyle & pace, Milan takes the lead with a score of 68/100 compared to 64/100. This category covers daily rhythm, lifestyle options, tourism impact.

    Milan has a commanding lead in lifestyle options (76 vs 56).

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

    Daily Rhythm

    Milan

    66
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    73

    Pace of Life

    60/ 10081

    Working Hours Culture

    50/ 10069

    Dining Hours

    85/ 10072

    Shop Opening Hours

    60/ 10075

    Weekend Culture

    75/ 10068

    Lifestyle Options

    Milan

    76
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    56

    Outdoor Lifestyle

    80/ 10051

    Fitness Culture

    75/ 10054

    Health Consciousness

    65/ 10049

    Pet Friendliness

    80/ 10058

    Family Orientation

    78/ 10069

    Tourism Impact

    Milan

    61
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    64

    Tourist Volume

    45/ 10062

    Tourism Seasonality

    55/ 10053

    Tourist Infrastructure

    85/ 10068

    Authenticity

    80/ 10079

    Crowding

    40/ 10057

    Legal & Administrative

    Milan

    68
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    57

    In legal & administrative, Milan takes the lead with a score of 68/100 compared to 57/100. This category covers visa & residency, administration, rights & freedoms.

    Milan has a commanding lead in rights & freedoms (82 vs 51).

    Milan stands out for deportation risk, religious freedom, freedom of speech, though bureaucracy level and residency process could be improved. Phnom Penh performs well in visa requirements and residency options despite the overall gap.

    Visa & Residency

    Milan

    64
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    70

    Visa Requirements

    68/ 10090

    Residency Options

    78/ 10084

    Residency Process

    38/ 10076

    Citizenship Pathway

    45/ 10021

    Deportation Risk

    92/ 10081

    Administration

    Milan

    57
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    51

    Bureaucracy Level

    35/ 10039

    Digital Government

    62/ 10053

    Document Requirements

    60/ 10059

    Language Requirements

    45/ 10054

    Legal System

    82/ 10049

    Rights & Freedoms

    Milan

    82
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    51

    Freedom of Speech

    85/ 10033

    Religious Freedom

    88/ 10071

    Women's Rights

    80/ 10062

    LGBTQ+ Rights

    75/ 10038

    Worker Rights

    80/ 10052

    Family & Children

    Milan

    72
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    63

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

    Milan has a solid advantage in child-friendly infrastructure (77 vs 59).

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

    Child-Friendly Infrastructure

    Milan

    77
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    59

    Playgrounds

    80/ 10051

    Kid Activities

    85/ 10062

    Child Safety

    65/ 10064

    Pediatric Care

    80/ 10066

    Baby/Toddler Facilities

    75/ 10053

    Family Services

    Milan

    67
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    66

    Childcare Availability

    70/ 10061

    Childcare Costs

    38/ 10071

    School Holidays

    70/ 10062

    Extracurricular Activities

    80/ 10065

    Family Housing

    75/ 10072

    Practical Considerations

    Milan

    75
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    62

    In practical considerations, Milan takes the lead with a score of 75/100 compared to 62/100. This category covers transportation costs, special services, communication, emergency services.

    Milan has a solid advantage in special services (79 vs 60). Milan has a solid advantage in communication (78 vs 61). Milan has a solid advantage in emergency services (84 vs 65).

    Milan stands out for emergency numbers, gas station density, language learning, 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

    Milan

    62
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    62

    Fuel Prices

    48/ 10076

    Gas Station Density

    85/ 10079

    EV Infrastructure

    62/ 10024

    Vehicle Costs

    50/ 10062

    Vehicle Maintenance

    65/ 10071

    Special Services

    Milan

    79
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    60

    Moving Services

    80/ 10059

    Storage Facilities

    75/ 10049

    Translation Services

    80/ 10068

    Legal Services

    80/ 10064

    Accounting Services

    78/ 10061

    Communication

    Milan

    78
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    61

    Postal Reliability

    72/ 10055

    Package Import

    68/ 10052

    Language Learning

    85/ 10059

    International Calling

    85/ 10079

    Emergency Services

    Milan

    84
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    65

    Emergency Response

    80/ 10061

    Emergency Healthcare

    82/ 10069

    Emergency Numbers

    95/ 10080

    Natural Disaster Preparedness

    78/ 10048

    Specific to Your Profile

    Milan

    76
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    62

    In specific to your profile, Milan takes the lead with a score of 76/100 compared to 62/100. This category covers remote work specific, personal circumstances.

    Milan has a solid advantage in remote work specific (84 vs 72). Milan has a solid advantage in personal circumstances (71 vs 56).

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

    Remote Work Specific

    Milan

    84
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    72

    Time Zone Alignment

    80/ 10070

    Coworking Day Passes

    85/ 10069

    Cafรฉ Laptop Culture

    90/ 10083

    Video Call Quality

    90/ 10084

    Tech Ecosystem

    75/ 10052

    Personal Circumstances

    Milan

    71
    / 100

    Phnom Penh

    56

    Citizenship Advantages

    55/ 10049

    Partner Citizenship Advantages

    60/ 10041

    Industry Presence

    80/ 10050

    Language Skills

    40/ 10047

    Religious/Cultural Fit

    80/ 10069

    Dietary Requirements

    85/ 10073

    Hobby Availability

    85/ 10064

    Pet Import Rules

    85/ 10053

    The Verdict: Milan or Phnom Penh?

    With an overall score of 73.14/100 versus 63.01/100, Milan leads on paper. But the "better" city ultimately depends on what matters most to you.

    Milan 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 Milan vs Phnom Penh Live