Healthcare in Phnom Penh: Health Tips & Costs

Healthcare in Phnom Penh

Foreign embassies are unusually blunt about Cambodia. The United States embassy says local facilities do not meet international standards and describes the city’s international clinics as providing basic care and stabilisation. The Australian embassy states there is no free public healthcare for foreigners.

That shapes what a good plan looks like. Routine illness, dental work and laboratory testing are all handled well and cheaply here. Serious trauma or complex surgery is a case for evacuation to Bangkok or Singapore.

Private hospitals used by foreigners include Royal Phnom Penh Hospital, Sunrise Japan and Central Hospital. The Institut Pasteur du Cambodge runs the reference laboratory and the rabies centre. It publishes its prices in dollars.

Getting seen as a foreigner in Phnom Penh

Message the hospital rather than telephoning it. Embassy listings publish messaging numbers for the main international clinics. You get a written reply in English and, more usefully, a price before you attend.

The research institute takes walk-ins with no doctor involved. You fill in your own request form and choose your tests from a published dollar price list. It is the accredited reference laboratory in the country.

Treat the emergency number as unreliable and have a backup. Local reporting has documented calls going unanswered for years. Save the direct ambulance number of a hospital near you before you need it.

What healthcare costs in Phnom Penh

Cambodia prices healthcare in US dollars, which removes the usual conversion guesswork. Laboratory and dental work are cheap and published. Hospitals bill per item, so no single figure covers an emergency visit.

Rabies vaccine course	$12 At the research institute
Rabies immunoglobulin	$37 Stocked at the institute
Blood count	$8.55 Walk in, no referral
Lipid profile	$10.05 Walk in, no referral
Dengue rapid test	$15.15 Published institute list
Health screening package	$75 Published institute list
GP consult (private clinic)	$45 Insurer claims data
Specialist consult (private)	$90 Insurer claims data
X-ray	$45 Insurer claims data
Emergency observation	$80 Observation, not attendance
Dental consultation	$25 Published clinic list
Dental scale and clean	$35 Published clinic list
Dental crown	$550–$600 Bonded metal or ceramic

Cambodia prices care in US dollars. No hospital here publishes an MRI price, so ask before agreeing to one.

Pharmacies

Cambodian pharmacies sell almost everything without a prescription, including antibiotics. That is a documented driver of resistance rather than a convenience worth using. Buy from the larger established pharmacies rather than roadside sellers. Medicine quality is the real concern, and the evidence points to substandard rather than fake products. One study of private drug outlets found roughly a quarter of sampled medicines for long-term conditions failed a quality test. Bring your own supply of anything you depend on.

Health tips

Common visitor health risks in Phnom Penh

Dengue, a record year

Cambodia passed 85,000 cases by September 2026, more than double the previous year.

Rabies, a real risk here

Cambodia has one of the world’s highest burdens. A full vaccine course costs about $12.

Road traffic injury

Around 3,100 people die on Cambodian roads each year. Avoid riding at night.

Food and water safety

Market meat sampling found high salmonella rates. Stick to bottled water and hot food.

Emergency

Emergency number: 119

119 reaches a hospital ambulance service, but calls going unanswered are widely documented. Keep a direct number.

Khmer first, English at private clinics

Private international clinics work in English. Separate English-language emergency numbers have been published alongside the main lines.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need medical evacuation cover for Cambodia?

Yes, treat it as essential rather than optional. The United States embassy says local facilities do not meet international standards and maintains a standing page on evacuation flights. Serious cases are moved to Bangkok or Singapore.

What should I do if a dog bites me in Phnom Penh?

Go straight to the rabies prevention centre at the research institute. Cambodia has one of the highest rabies burdens in the world, and treatment is time-critical. A full vaccine course costs about twelve dollars.

Can I get blood tests in Phnom Penh without seeing a doctor?

Yes. The research institute laboratory takes walk-in patients, lets you complete your own request form and publishes a dollar price list. It is the first accredited laboratory of its kind in the country.

Sources

Country guide

CountryHealthcare in Cambodia