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

moving to 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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  • The VEGETARIAN Guide to Cambodia

    by Nick & Raychel March 15, 2019

    How vegetarian-friendly is Cambodia? As a (mostly) vegetarian couple living in Phnom Penh, this is a question we get all the time. Today, we are happy to come to you with the good news: yes, it is possible to be vegetarian or vegan in Cambodia. If you’re anything like us, you will be pleasantly surprised by how accessible and delicious vegetarian food is throughout the city and country as a whole.

  • 8 Things to Know Before MOVING to Cambodia

    by Nick & Raychel March 10, 2019

    Flights? Real estate? Jobs? Transport? Friends? Here’s our quick guide that will make your move to Cambodia a lot easier.

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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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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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  • Full-time travel: rapid-fire answering the most common questions about having no fixed address (PART 2) 

* Language Barriers: English is our first language, but we learn key phrases before visiting a new country, use language apps, and rely (pretty heavily lol) on Google Translate for help.

*Bank Accounts: Our primary bank account is in Canada, and we open accounts in other countries if we stay for more than 6 months. We use WISE for fund transfers.

*Safety Overseas: Yes, we feel safe by using common sense, learning local laws, and staying informed about local news.

*Budgeting and Saving: We work on the road, choose affordable accommodations, and keep travel costs low.

*Routine: We’re still figuring this out, ngl. 

*Belongings: Sold everything in 2017, traveled with just a backpack, upgraded to a van, downsized AGAINA and now have a $100/month storage locker (!!!) 

*Handling Change: Honestly? Online therapy and staying connected to friends help, but we’ve learned to embrace the constant change of our nomadic lifestyle.

Any questions about living on the road? 
Drop ‘em here.

➟ follow @nickandraychel // slow travel & alternative living

Tags: #travelcouple #travelinspo #vanlifecouple #travelcouple  #granolagirl #lifeontheroad #cheaptravel #vandwellers #travelinyour30s #lowcosttravel #explorecanada #yvrcreators #canadiantravelbloggers #traveltips  #outdoorscreator #girlslovetravel #travelforless #digitalnomad
  • It’s official – we’ve quit our jobs once more as our journey takes us abroad again. Over the past 5 years, we’ve been travelling & working temp gigs along the way. 

With just 5 weeks until we touch down in New Zealand, we’ve checked off step 2 on our to-do list. Selling our trusty van, quitting our jobs, securing visas, booking flights, snagging travel insurance, updating resumes, job hunting, finding accommodation, packing our bags, and saying our goodbyes.

This marks our third move to a foreign land without ever setting foot there before. There’s no turning back now, but we’re ready for the adventure. 

So here’s to another wild ride.

➟ follow @nickandraychel // slow travel & alternative living

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  • I think I’ve found my people on this side of the pond. 

➟ follow @nickandraychel // slow travel & alternative living

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Tags: #traveleurope #scandanavianstyle #travelcouple #travelinspo #travelinyour30s #yvrcreators #canadiantravelbloggers #eesti #travelgram #twoduvets #girlslovetravel
  • Suddenly you’re in a tiny floating cabin in Europe and everything makes sense? 

📍 @paekaldapuhkekeskus 

➟ follow @nickandraychel // alternative living & slow travel 

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  • One of the biggest misconceptions about affordable travel is that it has to be uncomfyBUT there are ways to *actually* enjoy economy - so let’s chat about it. 

Here are our main tips for enjoying saving money on travel:
Follow @porterairlines and sign up to their email list (link in bio) to get first access to their biggest sale of the year so far.
Off season travel. Trust us. It doesn’t hurt the bank account and guess what - travelling in the off-season means shorter lines, more affordable accommodation and less crowds.
Add some spontaneity into your life & be flexible (if possible). 
Porter Airlines has had our backs as savvy travellers for YEARS and we absolutely love them for elevating economy air travel. 

If you haven’t had the chance to experience Porter’s Actually Enjoy Economy experience - Now is your chance.
 Free, fast WiFi (included for all on the new Embraer E195-E2 aircraft)
 No middle seats
 Free beer, wine and cocktails served in glassware
 Free Premium snacks
+ more (!!)

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

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  • Travelling in comfortable silence >>>

On long travel days, we love being together but we definitely don’t want to talk lmao. There is something amazing about being *with* your person, but not needing to say anything at all.

Anyone else?

Tags: #notluxe #vanlifecouple #travelcouple #gapyear #travelgirls #travelgirlsgo #girlslovetravel #travelgram #getoutstayout #livetoexplore #travelblogger #traveleurope #lovelanguage
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