Real Estate Investment in Cambodia: Opportunities, Risks, and Returns

If you’re exploring real estate investment options in Southeast Asia, Cambodia deserves a closer look. With affordable entry prices, decent yields, and a growing expat community, the country has plenty to offer to investors seeking rental income, capital growth, or a foothold in one of the region’s fastest-growing economies.

In this guide to real estate investment in Cambodia, we’ll provide you with all the relevant information you need before entering the market. You’ll learn: 

• Why Cambodia is an interesting opportunity for real estate investment 
• The best places in Cambodia for strategic investments
• What kinds of costs and returns you can expect from a Cambodia property investment
• The rules and regulations governing the investment process

Why Invest in Real Estate in Cambodia?

Cambodia has positioned itself as one of the most interesting Southeast Asian real estate markets with a low price of entry and steady growth drivers. 

Investments start in the USD 80,000–200,000 range, with residential demand driven by expats seeking high-quality developments, and young professionals and families looking for a balance between affordability and access to urban amenities. 

Tourism is another driver of the country’s property market. Cambodia has been steadily recovering from the COVID-19 drop, surpassing pre-COVID numbers with 6.7 million tourists in 2024.

The country experienced a decline in tourist numbers in 2025. However, it managed to increase tourism revenue by 6.6% compared to the previous year. Cambodia’s many large infrastructural investments, including the new Techo International Airport and the upcoming Funan Techo Canal, are also projected to contribute to the development of the country’s tourism sector. 

Additional reasons why Cambodia is an attractive market for real estate investors include:

• Growing economy: The country’s GDP grew 5.3% in 2025, with manufacturing, tourism, and agriculture as the main sectors 
• Young population: The median age of Cambodian citizens is 26.4 years, making it one of the youngest countries in the region, and significantly younger than Thailand 
• Highly dollarized economy: The U.S. dollar is widely used in the country and maintains a stable course against the local riel
• Flexible payment options: It’s possible to purchase real estate in Cambodia with crypto
• Good return on investment: Real estate can generate up to 8% return on average, higher than most other types of investment in the country
• Possible residency and citizenship options: Real estate is an eligible investment under the country’s Golden Visa program, Cambodia My 2nd Home

Bonus read: To learn about other opportunities to leverage real estate investment for an immigration status, read our guides on Greece, the UAE, and Cyprus.

Where To Look for Investment Property in Cambodia

When choosing where to make a property investment in Cambodia, you will come down to two major choices: 

1. Phnom Penh, the main Cambodian real estate market
2. Select strategic property markets in the country

Phnom Penh, The Main Cambodian Real Estate Market

Phnom Penh is the country’s capital and the major population and economic center. It offers a mix of commercial and residential properties, with serviced apartments, condominiums, and office spaces exhibiting steady growth.

The prices for residential property, as well as the potential return on investment, show slight variance depending on the type of property: 

Type of Property	Costs per m2	Estimated Return on Investment
Condominium (strata title)	USD 1,000–USD 3,000	5%–8%
Landed property (hard/soft title)	USD 1,000–USD 4,000	4%–8%

The average rental price ranges in the city are: 

• Studio or a small one-bedroom apartment: USD 350–USD 500 per month
• Mid-tier one-bedroom apartment: USD 450–USD 600 per month
• Mid-tier two-bedroom apartment: USD 600–USD 750 per month
• Mid-tier three-bedroom apartment: USD 750–USD 1,000 per month 
• Luxury unit: USD 1,200–USD 2,500 per month and up

As with other major cities, there is some variance across districts in property types and the potential income they can generate. The Phnom Penh districts where you can expect to find the best properties and the most opportunities for growth are: 

• Boeung Keng Kang (BKK): The favorite district of expats living in Phnom Penh, BKK is walkable with a vibrant restaurant and nightlife scene. The central district is highly sought-after for rentals, with BKK 1 having the most high-end developments
• Chroy Changvar: While the district is currently a mix of high-end and low-end houses and multi-unit developments, ongoing infrastructure investments make Chroy Changvar a great opportunity to enter the market in a high-growth district relatively early

Select Strategic Property Markets in the Country

Outside of the capital, Cambodia offers smaller local property markets best suited for strategic investments in specific types of developments. Areas worth investigating for opportunities include: 

• Sihanoukville: A former small beach town popular with backpackers, Sihanoukville experienced significant change under the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative. Today, it’s an alternative to Phnom Penh for investors interested in coastal luxury property, but past overdevelopment, unfinished projects, and market volatility make due diligence especially important
• Siem Reap: The second largest city in the country, Siem Reap is the gateway to Cambodia’s most famous tourist attraction, Angkor Wat. The major investment draw is the high tourist demand for accommodation 
• Koh Rong: An island with unspoiled beaches and great potential for ecotourism, Koh Rong might be most appealing to investors who are interested in smaller developments and want to invest in landed property

Bonus read: For more global real estate investment opportunities, read our guides on Turkey, Panama, and Mauritius.

Buying Property in Cambodia as a Foreigner

Cambodia officially allowed foreign ownership of real estate by passing the 2010 Law on Providing Foreigners With Ownership Rights in Private Units of Co-Owned Buildings. 

Under the law, as a foreigner in Cambodia, you are allowed to purchase property that meets the following conditions: 

• It must be a unit in a co-owned building
• It cannot be on the ground floor or below the ground level
• It cannot be located within 30 kilometers of the country’s borders or within certain government-designated areas

Up to 70% of any building can be foreign-owned. 

The law typically doesn’t allow you to purchase land or landed property unless you become a citizen of the country. 

Alternative methods to own or use landed property as a foreigner in Cambodia include:

• Setting up a land holding company with a majority Cambodian ownership structure
• Nominating a Cambodian citizen to be the official owner of the property 
• Taking land under a long-term lease 

Cambodian Hard and Soft Titles Explained

If you decide to make a property investment in Cambodia, it’s important to understand the two types of property ownership that exist in the country: 

1. Hard title
2. Soft title 

Here are the differences between the two: 

Criteria	Hard Title	Soft Title
Registration authority	National Land Management and Planning Office	Local Commune or District
Risk profile	Highly secure with national recognition	Moderate secure, with possible disputes and overlapping claims
Transfer fees and taxes	Formal taxes and fees	No formal taxes and fees
Prevalence	Less common	More common

The Government of Cambodia is in the process of registering soft title properties in the national cadaster to convert them into hard title properties. 

If you decide to invest in a condominium, it will be a strata title property, which is a type of hard title. As a foreign investor, even if you become a citizen, you should be very careful when purchasing soft title properties. In both cases, it is advisable to seek assistance from experienced investment advisors. 

Cambodian Property Investment Costs

In addition to the property’s price, real estate investments in Cambodia entail additional costs you need to consider when planning the investment.

When purchasing the property, the expenses you can expect to encounter include: 

Expense	Value
Title transfer fees	4% of the property value
Cadastral transfer fee	USD 1,600 (USD 2,600 for express, 30-day service)
Legal fees	USD 1,000–USD 3,000

You can sometimes negotiate with the seller to have some of these fees covered. They will usually cover the title transfer fee for property that’s been purchased before, and sometimes the cadastral fee as well. 

Holding property in Cambodia will also create costs. If you’re renting it, you will be liable for a 10% tax on the rental income. If your property is valued over USD 25,000, it will also be subject to a 0.1% property tax.

If you want to sell the property, you will usually have to pay a 3% agency fee. You will also be liable for capital gains tax, which is 20% of the profit you made in the sale. The standard method of calculating it is to assume that the profits were 20% of the sale price, for an effective tax rate of 4%. 

Risks To Know Before Investing in Cambodian Real Estate

Like any emerging market, Cambodia comes with risks you should consider before committing to an investment. Some of the most notable ones include:

• Developer insolvency: If a developer finances the project through pre-sales, the project’s progress depends directly on sales momentum. If the sales slow down, construction can stall or stop completely, leaving you in a difficult position
• Geopolitical risk: While the recent conflict with Thailand hasn’t affected the real estate market, it has had an impact on the tourism numbers and could affect the return on investment on rental properties in certain regions
• Nominee structure risk: Putting land in a Cambodian citizen’s name opens you to potential loss of investment if the person dies, gets divorced, or is sued 
• Poorly drafted lease or trust agreements: If you’re using structures to purchase or gain usage rights of landed property, any weakness in legal documentation can result in legal disputes

Real Estate Investment as a Cambodian Residency and Citizenship Pathway

A convenient way for a foreigner to gain full access to the Cambodian property market is to leverage the Cambodia My 2nd Home (CM2H) as a citizenship pathway.

Under CM2H, you can become a resident of Cambodia by making an eligible real estate investment in the country of at least USD 100,000. The 10-year residency permit is renewable and allows you to apply for citizenship and a Cambodian passport after five years. 

Cambodia also offers a less official citizenship-by-investment option that doesn’t require a real estate investment. 

Whether you choose direct citizenship or the CM2H route, it’s important to seek guidance from professional consultants who are familiar with the local immigration regulations and practices, as well as real estate opportunities. For help with both, contact Nomad Capitalist.

Grow Your Portfolio Through Cambodian Real Estate With Nomad Capitalist

Nomad Capitalist is an advisory firm specializing in global mobility and wealth protection. We’ve helped over 1,500 clients achieve their financial and lifestyle goals through tax optimization, overseas residency, and strategic offshore investments. 

Nomad Capitalist is uniquely positioned to support your entry into the Cambodian real estate market. We can introduce you to: 

• Rare hard/soft units in Phnom Penh with prices at or below USD 1,000/m2
• Commercial units with a rental guarantee and buy-back program

We can also assist you with obtaining Cambodian residency and citizenship through the Cambodia My 2nd Home program. With our Action Plan service, you will have all the steps necessary for a Cambodian real estate investment and residency acquisition in one place, made to fit your specific circumstances and goals. 

Here’s what partnering with Nomad Capitalist looks like in practice: 

1. We ask you to fill out a form to help us determine whether we’re a good match
2. We schedule a 45-minute onboarding call to learn more about your situation and objectives
3. Our agents prepare the Action Plan and present it to you for approval
4. We implement the Plan over 12 months, managing the administrative parts
5. You continue receiving support from us even after the Plan was implemented

Nomad Capitalist will support your Cambodian real-estate investment project from planning to execution, leveraging our extensive network in the country to secure the most favorable deals.