In order to help answering this accurately, we have to look into the areas that we want to discuss which could involve many factors. It is wise to know whether you are local Cambodian (aka Khmer) or foreigners who live and work in Cambodia. On the other hand, we also want to look at the tourist point of views.
Then, the next discussion points should be the categories of the major expenses that people must or willing to spend their hard earning cashes. Let’s dive deep into the the following starting with the basic needs as the priority.
- Food – this is a must portion of money which everyone need to set aside to purchase kitchen items, supplies, rice for cooking, frying oil and other ingredients. These are inevitable for everyone as we all need food to survive.
The next question here in this category is that whether you are an indoor person who like to cook food at home or an outdoor personality who like to hang out eating food at the restaurant?
Well, you can describe you own preference and mark yourself in the following if needed. But this is just my point of view only. Please help me to provide comment below if you can add into it. I know I cannot cover all the detail in this article alone. I believe, I have to do the follow up writing if there are more people interested in this discussion.
Breakfast – if you make breakfast at home, you will have to use the reserve stock of rice and other ingredients including fresh food that you got from the local wet market where you can find all the fresh meats, vegetable and more.
Spending your morning to make breakfast is great! I am doing it from time to time by myself until these day. It could cost anywhere from $1 to $2 dollars; it really depend on what kind of food will you cook.
During my childhood, I ate leftover rice from the last evening with salty fish-source or boiling duck egg or chicken egg. Life was a blessing!
Another type of people where I am also included in some occasion when I rushed to work or didn’t have enough time to cook by my own. I would go to one of the street food store to purchase the Cambodian noodle or one of these popular breakfast such as rice with grilled pork, rice with chicken, Chinese noodle (aka Kui Tieo), fried noodle, Cambodian noodle or some types of local made cakes.
These kind of food cost you anywhere from 3000 Riels which is about $0.75 to $3 excluding drink. For those of you who wish to order a drink, please just spare $1 more. Then the total expenses for breakfast would be in between $2 to $4 vary depend.
Lunch – This is very important meal for Cambodian. We do not skip lunch because we are working so hard on the farm or at the field from early morning to late morning and then take some rest for meal time before continuing the work in the afternoon.
Can you get any food with just $1 for lunch? Of course can, but it is hard even to cook it by your own at home. However, many Cambodian families prefer to cook at home for their family members due to the less expenses.
Dinner – is also a must go to meal. No one skip it. After exhausting day jobs, coming back home to enjoy the food with family before going to bed and gain more strength for the next day.
Please feel free to share your experience for an average budget for daily food with 3 meals per day. I would say $5 is an average per person. So in 30 days, it could cost about $150.
- Housing – It is considered to be very gracious if you own a house whether it is just a small house, medium one or a bigger one; so you don’t have to spend on monthly renting cost. In the city, it could cost anywhere from $30, $50 or $150 or more depend on the location and type of building you choose to go with. A flat, villa or condominium would cost even more. Maybe starting from $250 to $400. I’m not quite sure if you can rent a villa under $500; you may share your personal experiences. But I do not have any experiences in this area.
- Bills – these include the major expenses such as electricity, water, internet bills etc. Can you do $30 for electricity, $2.50 for water, and $5 for internet on a monthly basis?
- Vehicle/Transportation – How often do you need to travel? Everyday going to work or just few time per month only? I guess, most of us would have to travel everyday using our own motorbike to commute to work where it could take about 20 minutes to 1 hour or 2 hours per day for 2 ways traveling. Roughly, it would cost you around $20 to $30 per month as the gasoline price is about $0.75 to $1 per litter. You can keep track on the daily rate where you can find it on the billboard of the gasoline station.
You can expect to pay more if you are using your own car or taking a taxi to work where depending on your own preferences.
- Entertainment – Are you subscribing to cable TV, internet service, Netflix or any services where required you to spend on it on a monthly basis. Check on that and turn it into number just so you know it. For cable television service subscribing cost about $10 per month.
On the other hand, cost related to hanging out with family like going to a gym, visit the mall would also involve potential costs.
- Travel – How often do you travel? Are you traveling alone or with family members? It could be very minimum expenses to go on a trip by your bike and staying at a comfortable guesthouse. Probably a gasoline cost of $10 with 1 night stay of $15 at one of the guesthouse plus extra amounts for food. Let’s say $20; I don’t know. Maybe you can better describe it.
Conclusion – According to the above points as discussed what do you think? I hope to hear good feedback from you my friends.
By the way, you can check out my English Khmer Translation services to help me working on the job for you, so I can earn a living by working from Phnom Penh, Cambodia.