Healthcare in Cambodia for retirees
Healthcare in Cambodia for retirees means private hospitals such as JCI-accredited Royal Phnom Penh Hospital, at $115 a person a year, against $13,473 in the US.
The hospitals retirees use, what insurance does and does not cover. Checked against official and hospital sources on Oct 8, 2026.
- Life expectancy
- 70.8 years US 78.9. World Bank, 2024
- Doctors
- 0.2 per 1,000 US 3.7. World Bank, 2019
- Health spending
- $115/person Per year; US $13,473. World Bank, 2023
- Paid out of pocket
- 60.6% Of all health spending; US 10.9%. World Bank, 2023
Hospitals retirees use in Cambodia
Phnom Penh
Royal Phnom Penh Hospital
- JCI accredited since 2017
- Heart, neurological and trauma centres, plus intensive care
- 24-hour emergency line
Royal Phnom Penh Hospital. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
Phnom Penh
Sunrise Japan Hospital
- Founded in 2016, with resident Japanese doctors and Khmer staff
- Emergency medical centre with neurosurgery
- About 30 minutes by car from Phnom Penh airport
Sunrise Japan Hospital. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
Siem Reap
Royal Angkor International Hospital
- Part of the Royal Bangkok Hospital Group, under Thailand's BDMS group
- Emergency and trauma, intensive care, orthopaedic surgery, urology and women's and children's health
- 24-hour emergency line
Royal Angkor Hospital. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
Cambodia's National Social Security Fund covers health care for employees, paid for by a monthly contribution from the employer. The sources set no public scheme for foreign retirees, so retirees pay private hospitals themselves or through private insurance.
Paying for care in Cambodia
60.6% of health spending in Cambodia is paid directly by patients, about 5.5 times the US share, so plan how you will pay before you move.
Retirees use either an international health plan, which can also cover care at home and in other countries, or a local plan from an insurer in Cambodia, which costs less but covers care there only. Prices depend on age and on the insurer's terms for existing conditions; compare written quotes.
If you are on Medicare
Medicare usually does not pay for care outside the United States; the exceptions are narrow, such as a foreign hospital closer to your US home than the nearest US hospital.
Medicare.gov. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
Healthcare questions
Does Medicare cover me in Cambodia?
Medicare usually does not pay for care outside the United States; the exceptions are narrow, such as a foreign hospital closer to your US home than the nearest US hospital. Plan on private insurance or paying directly for care in Cambodia.
Do I need health insurance for the Retirement (ER) visa?
The embassy lists proof of retirement and of funds for the retirement (ER) extension and names no health insurance requirement. Retirees are outside the employee social security scheme, so private international cover is the usual way to pay for hospital care.
How much of the bill do people pay themselves?
In Cambodia, 60.6% of all health spending is paid out of pocket, against 10.9% in the US (World Bank, 2023).
What health insurance options are there for expats living in Cambodia?
The embassy names no health insurance requirement for the retirement extension, and the National Social Security Fund covers employees, not retirees. Retirees use private international insurance; check that a policy accepts your age and covers care in Cambodia.
Which hospitals do expat retirees use in Cambodia?
In Phnom Penh, Royal Phnom Penh Hospital, JCI accredited since 2017, and Sunrise Japan Hospital; in Siem Reap, Royal Angkor International Hospital, part of the Royal Bangkok Hospital Group.
How much does health care cost in Cambodia?
Cambodia spends about $115 a person a year on health, against $13,473 in the US, and out-of-pocket payments are about 61% of health spending.
