Cambodia · កម្ពុជា
25 provinces · 6 space categories · Free listings forever for individuals.
Browse by province
P0 provinces are the Phase-1 launch quartet (Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Battambang, Preah Sihanouk). P1–P3 roll out through M12.
6 space categories
How Cambodia is organised
Cambodia uses a five-level hierarchy. Addresses on MSL listings use all five.
| Level | Khmer | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| L1 | ខេត្ត (khaet) | Province | 25 provinces + Phnom Penh autonomous municipality |
| L2 | ស្រុក (srok) / ខណ្ឌ (khan) | District / Khan (PP) | Khan used inside Phnom Penh only |
| L3 | ឃុំ (khum) / សង្កាត់ (sangkat) | Commune / Sangkat (PP) | Elected council at this level |
| L4 | ភូមិ (phum) | Village | Smallest social unit |
| L5 | — | Block / Krom | Below-village clustering for civil records |
Regional context
Cambodia groups naturally into 6 regions. Each has a distinct property-market profile — price, supply density, and category demand follow these patterns.
Tonle Sap Plain (Central)
Seasonal flooding, rice cultivation, high rural density
Provinces: Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Thom, Pursat, Siem Reap
Mekong Lowlands (Eastern)
River commerce corridors, densest rural population
Provinces: Kampong Cham, Tboung Khmum, Kratié, Stung Treng, Prey Veng, Svay Rieng
Cardamom & Elephant Mountains
Forested, lower population density, eco-tourism
Provinces: Koh Kong, Kampot, Pursat, Kampong Speu
Coastal
Maritime trade + tourism; highest land prices coastal-adjacent
Provinces: Preah Sihanouk, Kampot, Kep, Koh Kong
Northern Plateau (Upland)
Sparse settlement, indigenous peoples, lowest density
Provinces: Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri, Oddar Meanchey, Preah Vihear
Border Periphery
Strategic crossings to Thailand, Laos, Vietnam
Provinces: Banteay Meanchey, Preah Vihear, Stung Treng, Oddar Meanchey, Pailin
Full provincial dataset
All 25 provinces + Phnom Penh autonomous municipality. Area + population from the Cambodia Inter-censal Population Survey 2024 (NIS, March 2025).
| ISO | Province | Capital | Area km² | Pop 2024 | Density | Region | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KH-1 | Banteay Meanchey បន្ទាយមានជ័យ | Serei Saophoan | 6,679 | 898,484 | 134 | Western | Thai border crossing at Poipet |
| KH-2 | Battambang បាត់ដំបង | Battambang | 11,702 | 1,132,017 | 97 | Western | Cambodia's rice bowl; 14 districts (max) |
| KH-3 | Kampong Cham កំពង់ចាម | Kampong Cham | 4,549 | 1,062,914 | 234 | Eastern | Split from Tboung Khmum in 2013 |
| KH-4 | Kampong Chhnang កំពង់ឆ្នាំង | Kampong Chhnang | 5,521 | 527,000 | 95 | Central | Tonle Sap fishing hub |
| KH-5 | Kampong Speu កំពង់ស្ពឺ | Chbar Mon | 7,017 | 924,175 | 132 | Southern | Aural Mountain — Cambodia's tallest (1,813 m) |
| KH-6 | Kampong Thom កំពង់ធំ | Stueng Saen | 13,814 | 680,804 | 49 | Central | 2nd largest province by area |
| KH-7 | Kampot កំពត | Kampot | 4,873 | 593,000 | 122 | Coastal | Kampot pepper (GI protected) |
| KH-8 | Kandal កណ្ដាល | Ta Khmau | 3,568 | 1,352,198 | 379 | Central | Surrounds Phnom Penh; 2nd most populous |
| KH-9 | Koh Kong កោះកុង | Khemarak Phoumin | 10,090 | 119,000 | 12 | Coastal | Cardamom Mountains + southern coast |
| KH-10 | Kratié ក្រចេះ | Kratié | 11,094 | 374,000 | 34 | Eastern | Irrawaddy dolphin habitat |
| KH-11 | Mondulkiri មណ្ឌលគិរី | Sen Monorom | 14,288 | 93,657 | 7 | Northeastern | Largest by area, least populous, lowest density |
| KH-12 | Phnom Penh ភ្នំពេញ | Phnom Penh (capital) | 679 | 2,352,851 | 3465 | Central | Autonomous municipality, national capital |
| KH-13 | Preah Vihear ព្រះវិហារ | Tbeng Meanchey | 13,788 | 253,000 | 18 | Northern | Preah Vihear temple UNESCO site |
| KH-14 | Prey Veng ព្រៃវែង | Prey Veng | 4,883 | 1,277,867 | 262 | Eastern | 3rd most populous |
| KH-15 | Pursat ពោធិ៍សាត់ | Pursat | 12,692 | 420,000 | 33 | Western | Marble quarries |
| KH-16 | Ratanakiri រតនគិរី | Banlung | 10,782 | 216,000 | 20 | Northeastern | Gem mining (sapphires, zircons) |
| KH-17 | Siem Reap សៀមរាប | Siem Reap | 10,299 | 1,099,825 | 107 | Central | Angkor Archaeological Park |
| KH-18 | Preah Sihanouk ព្រះសីហនុ | Sihanoukville | 1,938 | 310,200 | 160 | Coastal | Deep-water port + beach resorts |
| KH-19 | Stung Treng ស្ទឹងត្រែង | Stung Treng | 11,092 | 156,000 | 14 | Northeastern | Mekong + 3S rivers confluence |
| KH-20 | Svay Rieng ស្វាយរៀង | Svay Rieng | 2,966 | 523,967 | 177 | Eastern | Bavet border + SEZ |
| KH-21 | Takéo តាកែវ | Doun Kaev | 3,563 | 1,097,243 | 308 | Southern | Ancient Funan kingdom ruins |
| KH-22 | Oddar Meanchey ឧត្ដរមានជ័យ | Samraong | 6,158 | 276,000 | 45 | Northern | Thai border |
| KH-23 | Kep កែប | Kep | 336 | 41,798 | 124 | Coastal | Smallest province by area |
| KH-24 | Pailin ប៉ៃលិន | Pailin | 803 | 82,000 | 102 | Western | Former Khmer Rouge stronghold |
| KH-25 | Tboung Khmum ត្បូងឃ្មុំ | Suong | 5,249 | 889,970 | 170 | Eastern | Newest province (split from K. Cham 2013) |
Timeline — how we got 25 provinces
- 1974Khmer Rouge dissolves provinces into 7 "geographic zones" (Northwest, North, Northeast, East, Southwest, West, Centre).
- 1979People's Republic of Kampuchea restores 23-province system after Vietnamese liberation.
- 2008King Norodom Sihamoni signs royal decree upgrading Kep, Pailin, and Sihanoukville from municipalities to provinces → 24 provinces.
- 2013Kampong Cham split at the Mekong River: Kampong Cham (west) remains, Tboung Khmum (east) becomes 25th province → current structure.
- 2018Interior Minister Sar Kheng proposes carving 2 new provinces from Kandal, Mondulkiri, Ratanakiri. Rejected by PM Hun Sen; 25-province count holds.
- 2025National Institute of Statistics publishes Cambodia Inter-censal Population Survey 2024 — all figures on MSL sourced from this report.
What each province does well
Economic specialization shapes property demand. Tourism-led provinces (Siem Reap, Preah Sihanouk) push short-term-rental supply. Manufacturing belts (Kandal, Svay Rieng) drive warehouse + worker-housing demand.
Cambodia at a glance
Quick national vitals that shape every property listing on MSL — currency, legal name, language mix, time zone, dialing code.
- Official name
- Kingdom of Cambodia · ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា
- Capital
- Phnom Penh (autonomous municipality, KH-12)
- Total land area
- 181,035 km² (approx)
- Total population
- ~17.2 M (2024 inter-censal survey)
- Official language
- Khmer (ភាសាខ្មែរ)
- Widely used
- English (business, tourism), Chinese, French (elder gen)
- Official currency
- Cambodian Riel ៛ (KHR) — 4,000 KHR = 1 USD (pegged)
- Parallel currency
- US Dollar — used in ~70% of retail + real estate transactions
- Government
- Constitutional monarchy, parliamentary democracy
- King
- Norodom Sihamoni (since 2004)
- Religion
- Theravada Buddhism (~97%), Islam, Christianity, animism
- Independence
- 9 November 1953 (from France)
- Time zone
- ICT · UTC+7 (no DST)
- Calling code
- +855
- Domain
- .kh (.com.kh, .gov.kh, .edu.kh…)
Foreigner property rules
Cambodia has specific legal constraints for non-citizens. Knowing these before you browse saves weeks. Consult a licensed lawyer before any purchase — MSL is not a legal advisor.
Land ownership
Foreigners CANNOT own land outright
Constitution of Cambodia (1993) Article 44. Workarounds: long-term lease, nominee structure, LLC with 51% Cambodian shareholder.
Strata-title condos
Foreigners CAN own condominium units on Floor 2+
Law on Foreign Ownership of Co-owned Buildings (2010). Max 70% of any condo building can be foreign-owned; ground floor reserved for Khmer ownership.
Long-term leases
Up to 50 years + 50-year renewal
Civil Code Article 239. Common structure for foreigners wanting de-facto land control.
LLC land-holding structure
LLC with 51% Khmer shareholder can own land
Popular structure. Foreign partner holds beneficial control via board + shareholder agreements.
Investment visas
Property purchase ≥ USD 100k qualifies for EB visa renewal facilitation
Not a residence-by-investment program; just smooths visa paperwork.
Taxes on sale
4% stamp duty + seller capital gains
Stamp duty paid by buyer at registration. Capital gains tax regime was delayed — currently 20% of gain but enforcement is light.
Seasons & property timing
Cambodia has two real seasons (dry + wet) split into four micro-seasons. Listing activity swings meaningfully — agents who time launches around these windows consistently outperform.
Cool-Dry (Nov-Feb)
November → February · 20-28°C · Minimal
Peak buying + viewing season. Tourists + expat returnees push short-term rental demand. Highest photo-shoot + open-house traffic on MSL.
Hot-Dry (Mar-May)
March → May · 28-38°C · Low, some pre-monsoon storms
Khmer New Year (mid-April) — market pauses 1-2 weeks. Agents recommend NOT launching new listings the week of New Year.
Rainy-Hot (Jun-Aug)
June → August · 25-32°C · Heavy — monsoon
Lowest physical viewings (mud, flooding risk in rural). Urban condo listings still active. Flood-zone disclosure in listings matters most this season.
Rainy-Cool (Sep-Oct)
September → October · 24-30°C · Heavy through early Oct, tapering
Market ramps up in late October — agents prep listings for Nov-Feb buying rush. Pchum Ben (end Sep / early Oct) pauses 3-7 days.
Top 10 cities by population
Most urban property demand concentrates in 10 cities. Provinces are administrative; cities are where people and listings actually live.
| # | City | Province | Population | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phnom Penh | Phnom Penh (capital) | 2,352,851 | National capital, commerce + government |
| 2 | Battambang | Battambang | 180,000 | NW commercial hub, rice + colonial quarter |
| 3 | Siem Reap | Siem Reap | 173,000 | Tourism capital (Angkor), hospitality |
| 4 | Sihanoukville | Preah Sihanouk | 156,000 | Deep-water port + coastal SEZ |
| 5 | Poipet | Banteay Meanchey | 99,000 | Thai border crossing + casinos |
| 6 | Ta Khmau | Kandal | 90,000 | PP suburb, manufacturing |
| 7 | Kampong Cham | Kampong Cham | 78,000 | Mekong commerce + rubber |
| 8 | Serei Saophoan | Banteay Meanchey | 66,000 | NW provincial capital |
| 9 | Kampot | Kampot | 45,000 | Pepper + river town + retirees |
| 10 | Bavet | Svay Rieng | 40,000 | Vietnam border + SEZ |
Special Economic Zones (SEZs)
SEZs drive warehouse + factory + worker-housing demand. If your listing is within 20km of one, tag it — MSL will surface you on the SEZ search filter (Wave 2).
Phnom Penh SEZ
Kandal (PP outskirts) · est 2006
Garments, electronics, light manufacturing
Manhattan (Svay Rieng)
Bavet, Svay Rieng · est 2006
Garments, auto-parts (Vietnam supply chain)
Tai Seng Bavet
Bavet, Svay Rieng · est 2006
Footwear, leather
Sihanoukville SEZ (SSEZ)
Preah Sihanouk · est 2008
China-backed mega-zone, diversified manuf.
Neang Kok Koh Kong
Koh Kong · est 2008
Thai supply chain, ecotourism
Poipet PPSEZ
Banteay Meanchey · est 2014
Thai cross-border assembly
Transport infrastructure
Access = property value. The 2022 Phnom Penh ↔ Sihanoukville Expressway flipped coastal-property economics. The 2023 Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport opened the door to a new wave of tourism-asset listings.
- Primary airports
- Phnom Penh International (PNH), Siem Reap-Angkor International (REP, opened 2023), Sihanoukville International (KOS)
- Deep-water port
- Sihanoukville Autonomous Port (PAS) — Cambodia's only deep-water port
- Mekong river ports
- Phnom Penh Autonomous Port (PPAP) — riverine cargo to Vietnam
- National highways
- NH1 (PP→Bavet→HCMC), NH2 (PP→Takeo→Phnom Den), NH3 (PP→Kampot→Kep), NH4 (PP→Sihanoukville Expy 2022), NH5 (PP→Battambang→Poipet), NH6 (PP→Siem Reap→Banteay Meanchey), NH7 (PP→Kampong Cham→Laos border)
- Expressway
- Phnom Penh ↔ Sihanoukville Expressway (PPSHV, opened Oct 2022) — Cambodia's first. Phnom Penh ↔ Bavet Expressway under construction.
- Railway
- Northern Line (PP↔Poipet, reopened 2018 freight-only), Southern Line (PP↔Sihanoukville, rehabilitated, freight + passenger)
Tourism — short-term rental drivers
Short-term-rental (STR) listings follow tourism corridors. Siem Reap, Sihanoukville, Kampot + Kep, and Phnom Penh cover >90% of STR demand.
- Visitor arrivals (2023)
- 5.45 M international
- Top source markets
- Thailand · Vietnam · China · Korea · Laos · USA · France
- Peak season
- November–March (cool-dry)
- Anchor destinations
- Angkor (Siem Reap) · Sihanoukville beaches · Kampot + Kep · Battambang · Phnom Penh
- Visa-on-arrival
- USD 30 (e-visa from most countries)
Agriculture — rural land demand
If you list farm or agricultural land, your market demand concentrates in the provinces below. Rice paddy vs rubber plantation vs coffee highlands have very different buyer profiles.
- Rice paddy area
- ~3.1 M hectares nationally
- Top rice provinces
- Battambang · Prey Veng · Takeo · Kampong Cham · Banteay Meanchey
- Rubber
- Kampong Cham · Tboung Khmum · Kratié (Eastern rubber belt)
- Cassava
- Battambang · Pailin · Oddar Meanchey
- Palm sugar / coconut
- Kampong Speu · Takeo
- Cashew
- Kampong Thom · Kampong Cham
- Pepper (GI protected)
- Kampot · Kep
- Coffee
- Mondulkiri · Ratanakiri (highlands)
When NOT to launch a listing
Cambodia has ~27 public holidays; only a handful actually pause the property market. Pay attention to Khmer New Year, Pchum Ben, and Water Festival — launching a new listing during these is wasted reach.
| Date | Holiday | Market impact |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | International New Year | Mild — 1 day off |
| Jan 7 | Victory over Genocide Day | Government offices closed; deeds/registration delayed |
| Mid-April | Khmer New Year (Chaul Chnam) | MAJOR — 3-7 days off, market pauses, listing launches should wait |
| May 1 | Labor Day | Mild |
| May 13-15 | King Sihamoni's Birthday | Government offices closed |
| May/Jun | Visak Bochea (Buddha Day) | Mild |
| May/Jun | Royal Ploughing Ceremony | 1 day — agriculture ceremonial |
| June 18 | Queen Mother's Birthday | Government offices closed |
| Sep/Oct | Pchum Ben (Ancestors Day) | MAJOR — 3 days off, families travel to provinces |
| Oct 15 | King Father Commemoration | Government offices closed |
| Oct 29 | King Sihamoni Coronation | Government offices closed |
| Nov 9 | Independence Day | Patriotic listings push; 1 day off |
| Nov (full moon) | Water Festival (Bon Om Touk) | 3 days — PP packed with provincial visitors, short-term rentals spike |
Border crossings
International traffic across these crossings drives border-province property demand — especially SEZs near Poipet (Thailand) and Bavet (Vietnam).
Thailand 🇹🇭
Poipet (NH5, main), O'Smach, Daun Lem, Cham Yeam (Koh Kong coastal)
Vietnam 🇻🇳
Bavet (NH1, main), Phnom Den (NH2), Trapeang Phlong (Tboung Khmum), Oyadav (Ratanakiri)
Laos 🇱🇦
Trapeang Kreal (NH7, only crossing)
Maritime
Sihanoukville Autonomous Port — cargo + cruise
Sources
- · Cambodia Inter-censal Population Survey 2024 — National Institute of Statistics (published 2025-03-18)
- · Wikipedia — Provinces of Cambodia
- · Cambodia Constitution (1993) Art. 44 + Law on Foreign Ownership of Co-owned Buildings (2010) + Civil Code Art. 239 — foreigner property rules
- · Ministry of Tourism arrivals statistics (2023 report)
- · Council for the Development of Cambodia — SEZ registry
- · Map derived from Wikipedia Commons provincial boundary SVG, watermarked.