A Comfortable Retirement in Phnom Penh? In brief, one man’s comfort may be another man’s discomfort. Living abroad comfortably always depends on one’s tolerance levels. How well does one tolerate the climate, the overcrowding, air and noise pollution, the aesthetic shortcomings, and in Phnom Penh, the attitudes of the 1% whose very large SUV’s demand the respect and subservience of the inhabitants?

I made a dozen trips to Phnom Penh over a recent five year period. Forty-five minutes flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh. At least an hour in the taxi from the airport to the Rambutan Hotel. That discomfort was immediately offset by the warm welcome of the hotel staff. Lovely people in PP and from the gay point of view a compelling reason to live there.

Going out means hiring a tuk tuk, safer than the Bangkok tuk tuks because they are forced to drive slowly on roads that are in such poor repair. In the evenings they are a convenient means of travel. Daytime travel is a challenge especially when traffic is heavy and your tuk tuk remains immobile in the 90+ degree heat. Air conditioned taxis are rarely seen.

The Japanese-built Aeon mall is impressive, though I found it incongruous that in addition to the shops, restaurants and cinemas, they have, in SE Asia’s poorest country, an ice skating rink.

Undoubtedly, Cambodia is cheaper than Thailand, cheaper than Vietnam. “Good” jobs pay the ordinary Cambodian $100 USD or less per month. A decent apartment for a foreigner could be had for under $1,000 per month. Air conditioning is essential but electricity can be expensive because some of it is supplied by Vietnam.

After reading the article, I can only conclude that my tolerance levels are not nearly as high as the writer’s. I couldn’t bring myself to living in Bangkok again, but Pattaya is certainly more appealing to me than Phnom Penh.