$150K in St. Paul = $46,392 in Phnom Penh

Your $150K salary in St. Paul (COL 97) has the same purchasing power as $46,392 in Phnom Penh (COL 30). Phnom Penh is cheaper โ€” your money goes 69% further there.

$150K in St. Paul, MN
$7,706/mo take-home
Rent: $1,500/mo (19% of take-home)
Very comfortable
$46,392/yr in Phnom Penh, KH
$3,164/mo take-home
Rent: $350/mo (11% of take-home)
Very comfortable

Budget breakdown โ€” $150K in both cities

What $150K actually buys you in each city after taxes and core expenses.

Expense
St. Paul
$150K
Phnom Penh
$150K (same salary)
Monthly take-home$7,706$8,944
1BR rent$1,500$350
Groceries$384$380
Transport$95$150
Utilities$195$60
Internet$63$40
Left after essentials$5,469/month$7,964/month
To match your St. Paul purchasing power in Phnom Penh, you'd need to earn $46,392/year (69% less than $150K). At that salary, you'd have $2,184/mo left after essentials โ€” vs $5,469/mo in St. Paul.

Frequently asked questions

What is $150K in St. Paul equivalent to in Phnom Penh?

$150K in St. Paul (COL index 97) has the same purchasing power as $46,392 in Phnom Penh (COL index 30). That's 69% less than your current salary.

If I move from St. Paul to Phnom Penh keeping my $150K salary, will I be better off?

Yes. If you keep earning $150K after moving to Phnom Penh, you'd have $2,495 more per month after core expenses โ€” because Phnom Penh is cheaper than St. Paul.

How is the salary equivalent calculated?

The equivalent salary is calculated by multiplying your current salary by the ratio of the two cities' overall cost of living indices: $150K ร— (30 รท 97) = $46,392. This adjusts for differences in housing, food, transport, and general cost of living.

Equivalency uses overall COL index ratio. Take-home uses simplified federal/state brackets. Zillow ยท BLS ยท Numbeo ยท Q1 2026 ยท For general guidance only