Siem Reap

Siem Reap is best known as the gateway to Angkor Wat, but beyond the tour groups it has become a gentle, affordable base for remote workers. It suits nomads on a budget, writers and creatives, and anyone who likes the idea of cycling to world-famous temples at dawn before a day of work. Life is slower and cheaper than in Thai cities, and the town is small enough to learn in a week.

Wat Bo, on the east bank of the river, is quiet, walkable and full of cafés, and many long-stayers live there. On the west side, Svay Dangkum and the area around Rose Apple Road are home to Siem Reap House, a purpose-built coworking building with a café downstairs, quiet floors above and day passes of about 5.50 dollars. Level Up Social Hub doubles as a board-game café with fast Wi-Fi and air conditioning, and Footprint Café near Wat Bo has a free upstairs working area. Wat Damnak is a calmer, more residential option.

Internet is reliable enough for calls in coworking spaces, though Cambodian speeds are well below Thailand's and heavy rain can cause outages, so keep spare mobile data. Studios and one-bedrooms run from about 300 to 500 US dollars a month, and a comfortable month overall is roughly 900 to 1,100 dollars. Tuk-tuks and PassApp rides cost a dollar or two, and a bicycle works for most trips. The new Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport is about an hour out of town. November to February is the most pleasant season; from May to October the rains arrive.

The community is small and transient, and evenings revolve around Pub Street unless you seek out quieter places. March to May is punishingly hot. Healthcare is limited, so serious cases go to Bangkok or Phnom Penh. Overland travel to Thailand has also been disrupted since the 2025 border dispute, so check crossings before planning a land route.