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Not Luxe ☼ Travel
  • ABOUT NICK & RAYCHEL
  • WHY “NOT LUXE”
  • Cambodia
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  • Teaching ESL
  • Move Abroad
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Cambodia

    the independence monument in phnom penh cambodia

    Cost of Living in Cambodia [2022]

    by Nick & Raychel January 4, 2021

    How much does it cost to live in Cambodia? Well, the simple answer is anywhere from $300-$2000 depending on how you expect to live while you’re there. We’ll give you the quick n’ dirty breakdown that covers everything you need to know about what the cost of living in Cambodia is from a couple of expat experts. We lived in Phnom Penh, which is the capital of the Cambodia, so naturally, one of the more expensive places. These costs can easily be compared to living and teaching English in Siem Reap, as well. 

    If videos are more your thing you can check out our YouTube channel here. We’ve made tons of Cambodia content to help you along your journey.

    All costs will be in USD. Cambodia’s currency is Riel. Find our article on Cambodia’s currency here.

    Touching down in the Kingdom

    Once you’ve arrived in Cambodia, you may already have a job and potentially even a place lined up. Regardless, the first thing you want to do is make sure you have enough money saved to keep you afloat once you arrive. 

    We recommend having at least $3000 USD in your bank account, as that should be enough to cover the cost of your entry visa ($30 USD), your Tuk Tuk to your hostel/hotel ($6-$12 USD depending on where you’re going and how well you can barter) and to keep you secure for at least a couple of weeks while you’re looking for a job.  Finding a job in Cambodia is typically easy for most expats, but it’s always in your best interest to have a solid safety net before flying anywhere over seas.

    You can find more tips about how to prepare for your move here.

    We use Bookaway to compare and easily book bus, ferry, train or private transfer rides all over the world. Click here to try it!

    Securing an apartment in the city

    This was an absolute trip for us. We posted in a realty group on Facebook from our hostel around 7pm, went out for a few beers and by 8am the next morning Raychel was squished between our real estate agent and I on a motorbike trying to keep the beers down from the night before while our agent sped through the morning rush hour traffic.

    Like every country around the world, the rent prices in each city are going to fluctuate. Even within the city of Phnom Penh, certain areas and hotspots are going to cost you a prettier penny than others.

    For example, we lived in BKK1 (a popular tourist district) in a small-mid sized one bedroom apartment and we paid $350 a month plus utilities. For the area, this was a bit of a bargain.

    A standard price for most apartments in Phnom Penh is anywhere between $200-$600 USD. On the lower end, you may be a little ways out of town or not have too many western amenities. On the higher end, you can have multiple A/C/ unites, a place to park your moto, and it’s common for apartments to have indoor gyms and pools! It all depends on your preference, money situation and living standards. 

    The cost of food and eating out in Cambodia

    Some people may argue that it’s cheaper to eat out at restaurants in Cambodia than it is to cook at home. Do we agree with this sentiment? We actually never really figured that out – but it is, without a doubt, inexpensive to eat in Cambodia.

    Most meals that you get in restaurants and bars cost between $2.50-$5.00 USD which is a great price for a tasty meal. Drinks aren’t too bad either, a bottle of water is about $1.50, and a cold beer should cost you no more than $1 USD. 

    We found the best way to keep our cost of living in Cambodia down was to try to shop at the local markets where we could find a weeks worth of groceries for no more than $10! Plus, it’s a wonderful experience to be able to go to the markets and immerse yourself in the culture.

    If your arrival date in Phnom Penh is coming up, don’t miss out on our Guide to Local Markets here. 

    All other costs of living in Cambodia

    We’ve covered where most of your money will end up while enjoying your time in the city but there are a few other miscellaneous things that we should mention.

    Markets

    Markets have no set prices as they work on the barter system so something like a t shirt can be purchased for about $2-$5 USD if you’re good at negotiating. That said, the vendor can start upwards of $20, this is really a game of patience and a practice you will master in South East Asia.

    Tuk Tuks, taxis and GRAB app

    We mentioned transportation in our article 8 things we wish we knew before moving to Cambodia and we would highly recommend reading it before your big move.

    Hailing a Tuk Tuk is relatively easy and price will depend on where you are going. Approximately $5 is enough to get you just about anywhere within the heart of the city and by far one of the coolest and most fun ways to travel!

    You can even hail a tuk tuk in the city to take longer day trips to places like The Killing Fields or Phnom Chisor. 


    All in all, moving to Cambodia to teach English was one of the best things we’ve ever done. We have tons of articles and videos about our experience, both here on our blog & over on our YouTube channel.

    Below is our five-part series, Move to Cambodia Bootcamp that you can find on YouTube at any time. 

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  • Rainy Season in Cambodia: How Bad Is It?

    by Nick & Raychel April 4, 2020

    Can you still visit Cambodia during the rainy season? You sure can! In fact, we recommend it. Here, we’re going to talk about what it’s really like.

  • Working Abroad | 7 Reasons Why It’s The Best Way To Travel

    by Nick & Raychel March 30, 2020

    Living & working abroad changed our lives. Here, we outline the reasons why you should work overseas to inspire you to change yours too.

  • Move to Cambodia Without a Job | The Survival Guide

    by Nick & Raychel March 24, 2020

    Moving to Cambodia without a job? Yeah, we were in the same boat too. Here’s how we found the courage to do it.

  • How to Pass Your Teaching Demo in Cambodia

    by Nick & Raychel March 4, 2020

    If you’ve done your research on moving to Cambodia & teaching English, you would know that you will likely need to do a teaching demo as a part of your interview process. Hopefully your TEFL course has already set you up for this – but what if it didn’t? What if it did but you’re a bit rusty? Not to worry – keep calm and read our four major tips for passing your teaching demo in Cambodia.

  • Renting an Apartment in Phnom Penh | What You Need to Know

    by Nick & Raychel February 27, 2020

    All of our best tips & tricks for renting an apartment in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. If you’re looking for a place to live in Cambodia, make sure you check out these tips on how to find your perfect home away from home.

  • How To Get a Paid Teaching Job in Cambodia

    by Nick & Raychel February 20, 2020

    Ready to start looking for a teaching job in Cambodia? Here is our step-by-step guide.

  • Teaching English Online vs. Teaching Abroad

    by Nick & Raychel August 30, 2019

    Are you thinking about teaching English online or teaching English abroad? We weigh the pros and cons of both: including income, job security, personal connection and preference.

  • What To Pack For Cambodia

    by Nick & Raychel July 22, 2019

    What to pack for Cambodia? We go over the basics and the nitty gritty stuff to prepare you for your trip or move to Cambodia.

  • 7 Tips On Choosing The Right TEFL Course

    by Nick & Raychel June 29, 2019

    Our tips on choosing the right TEFL course & how to not get scammed in the process.

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Nick & Raychel
Nick & Raychel

In 2018, we sold everything we owned and moved to Cambodia to teach English.

Let’s make this clear: this journey didn’t start with money. This journey started with a desire to see the world and to do something different for a change.

We’re not going to fool you with photos of floating breakfasts and private jets. We know what it’s like to be on a budget. Although we like to take pretty pictures, we aren’t going to wake up at an ungodly hour to give you unachievable travel jealousy. We aren’t going to censor ourselves or lie to you.

What we are going to do is stay in cheap hostels, find ways to make money, give the advice that we would want to hear, and share our experiences with you honestly.

Are you in?

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GUIDE TO MARKETS | PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA (2018)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8v49HKtlIk

IS CAMBODIA SAFE? LIVING IN PHNOM PENH

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NShIg00dj8Q

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ABOUT NICK & RAYCHEL

About Us Hi! We’re Nick & Raychel, the Canadian travel couple behind the brand ‘Not Luxe’. Far before we were married (and on a mission to see the world), we were working…

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  • Every choice comes with sacrifice. We chose to use our money that we work for to travel, and we continue to make that choice every day.

But making that choice means we haven’t been able to do other things that another 30 year old couple would maybe do. We sold our car, all of our things, we don’t have a stable place to live, we haven’t started a family, we don’t own a home.

We work overtime to afford our travels, and we have very little money for anything else. 

And of course, we must acknowledge that we have huge amounts of privilege to even be able to make that choice. Our strong passports allow us to see much of the world, we were born into a country where our currency is valued worldwide, and we always have a friend or family member’s couch to crash on if we need it.

So this post is not meant to complain, rather show: everything comes with a sacrifice - and if you’re considering giving up your stable life for full-time travel, there may be some things you have to leave behind.

➟ follow @nickandraychel // full-time van life & budget travel 

__

Tags: #notluxe #traveltips #budgettravel #cheaptravel #budgettraveltips  #girlslovetravel #travelgram #getoutstayout #livetoexplore #travelblogger #canadiancreator #vancouverblogger #vanlifesociety #vanlifediaries #traveldiaries
  • We’ve lived on 3 continents by travelling slow and working when we end up 🫶🏼

& somehow our travels brought us back to our home city for the summer this year for the first time in 6 YEARS! Damn.

But we’ve said it once and we’ll say it a trillion times, we will do almost a n y t h I n g in the name of travel.

Any questions?

➟ follow @nickandraychel // full-time van life & budget travel 

__

Tags: #notluxe #traveltips #budgettravel #cheaptravel #budgettraveltips #gapyear #travelgirls #travelgirlsgo #girlslovetravel #travelgram #granolagirl#getoutstayout #livetoexplore #travelblogger #vanlifeculture #vanlifediaries #vanlifeideas #liveoutdoors #vanlifeliving #vanlife #homeiswhereyouparkit #tinyhome #canadiantravel #ohcanada #canadiancreators
  • If you want to live in a van in 2023/2024, here is our roadmap for getting started with van life. 

⇾ Embrace minimalism and downsize your possessions

⇾ Research different van options that fit your lifestyle and budget

⇾ Set a realistic budget for your van purchase or build

⇾ Plan your layout and storage needs

⇾ Learn about solar power and sustainability

⇾ Source materials and supplies for your build - you can learn on YouTube

⇾ Talk to insurance companies and classify your van as a motorhome

⇾ Download iOverlander and create a budget for your travels

⇾ Connect with the van life community and attend meetups

⇾ Hit the road and embrace the freedom of van life 

➟ follow @nickandraychel // full-time van life & budget travel 

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  • How much I spend in a day living *basically* rent-free in Vancouver 

As many of you know, we live in a van, but we also do housesitting with @trustedhousesitters 

Transit with a compass card is $2.50 which I use frequently - especially to visit my parents who also live in Vancouver 

This day we checked out To Live For Bakery @tolivefor.bakery which I highly, highly recommend to anyone who is cruising through the city and ends up on Nanaimo 

Also popped by @welksonmain for some N/A drinks from  @sobercarpenter & @getgruvi 

And our Trusted Housesitters membership is $11/mo totalling $0.38 for rent per day

& the one day total was $18.23 

Any questions?

➟ follow @nickandraychel // full-time van life & budget travel 

Tags: #notluxe  #vanlifeculture  #traveldiaries #travelgram #livetoexplore #vanlifeculture #budgettravel #worktotravel #traveljobs #travelblogger #vandwelling #discovercanada #vancitylife #bcadventure #canadiancreator #vancouverfoodie #veganfoodie #outdoorsycreator #minimalism #housesitting
  • Things we would have never done if we had listened to ✨ fear ✨(and these are just a few)

• quit our jobs to teach English in Asia
• sold everything we owned (twice) 
• moved to a country we’d never been to before (twice)
• converted an old ambulance into a tiny home with no experience
• drove from Canada to Mexico in our van 
• met up with people from the internet and became best friends 

But mostly, taken a chance on ourselves.

We do our best to not let fear or the opinions of others lead the way. 

Do you have any to add?

➟ follow @nickandraychel // full-time van life & budget travel 

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  • Is van life really cheaper than renting? Van life costs vs. monthly expenses living in an apartment.

Not to mention the average price in Vancouver now is $2,700 - so not sure where we’d find that $1,300 rental anymore.

Any questions about van life?

➟ follow @nickandraychel // full-time van life & budget travel 

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