Buying a condo in Cambodia comes with several potential costs other than the purchase price itself. Beyond the booking fee and SPA deposit, buyers should also prepare for title transfer costs, legal and document-related costs, furniture and handover expenses, and the ongoing costs of owning, renting out, or eventually reselling the unit.
This guide brings those costs together in one place so buyers can budget more accurately from the start. While every project is different, the breakdown below reflects the fee structure and market practices we most commonly see in Cambodia’s condominium market.
We’ve broken the guide up into 3 phases to help you better understand and contextualize the costs. Click any of the links to jump down directly to that section:
- Section 1: Upfront Costs of Buying a Condo in Cambodia
- Section 2: Condo Closing Costs and Handover Costs in Cambodia
- Section 3: Ongoing Costs of Owning, Renting Out, and Reselling a Condo in Cambodia
Section 1: Upfront Costs of Buying a Condo in Cambodia
This section covers the costs directly related to securing and paying for the condo itself. It includes the booking fee, SPA deposit, off-plan installment payments, the final handover balance, and the transaction costs involved in sending money into Cambodia.
Click on any of the links to jump down to the detailed explanation for each cost.
| Cost | Typical amount / structure | When it is usually due |
|---|---|---|
| Condo Booking and Reservation Fee | Usually $500 to $3,000 | Right after choosing the unit |
| SPA Deposit / Contract-Signing Deposit | Usually 10% to 30% | When signing the SPA |
| Off-Plan Condo Installment Payments | Typically around 1% per month over 30 to 40 months | During construction |
| Final Balance Payment at Handover | Varies by project, typically 30% to 50%. | At handover / building completion |
| Developer Financing Options at Handover | Often 8% to 12% interest over up to 10 years | At handover, if offered |
| Bank Transfer Fees for Condo Payments | Varies by bank and country | Each time funds are sent |
| Currency Exchange Fees | Varies by provider, but typically 1% to 3% | Whenever funds are converted |
| Crypto / USDT Payment Facilitation Fee | Typically 1.5%, but can be higher. | When using crypto as the funding route |
Condo Booking and Reservation Fee
This is the first payment buyers make once they have chosen their unit. In our experience, condo booking fees in Phnom Penh range from around $500 to $3,000. The purpose of the booking fee is to take the unit off the public price list and places it under negotiation so that another buyer cannot secure it while you are preparing your documents, reviewing the terms, or arranging payment.
In Cambodia, buyers should always confirm two things in writing at this stage:
- How long the unit will be held for?
- Is the booking fee fully refundable?
This can vary from one project to another. We will always make sure you understand the refund policy of the booking fee and clarify the payment structure from the start.
SPA Deposit / Contract-Signing Deposit
After the booking stage, the next major step is signing the Sales and Purchase Agreement (SPA) and paying the main deposit. For new developer sales, this is commonly around 10% to 20%, with 20% being a very common benchmark in the condo market here, although some projects may go higher or lower depending on the launch strategy and the developer’s financing model.
The SPA signing is the point where the transaction becomes much more committed, because the SPA sets out the unit details, payment schedule, completion terms, and the obligations of both parties.
For resale condos, the process can be less standardized: in some cases the buyer takes over an existing payment plan, but in many others the seller expects the unit to be fully paid before strata title can ultimately be transferred.
Off-Plan Condo Installment Payments
This part only applies to off-plan condos. In practice, many condo projects in Cambodia use a staggered payment structure where the buyer pays the deposit first and then continues with regular construction-stage payments over the build period.
In our experience, a common model in Cambodia is around 1% of the purchase price per month, usually spread over roughly 30 to 40 months, though many buyers choose to send those payments quarterly or semi-annually instead of every single month to reduce bank-transfer costs.
The advantage of this structure is that it spreads out the buyer’s cash flow and reduces the amount of capital committed upfront. In Cambodia, payment plans for off-plan condos are commonly built around 10% to 30% down, followed by around 1% monthly installments (interest-free) for several years, and the outstanding amount cleared or financed at handover / building completion.
Final Balance Payment at Handover
Once the project is nearing completion, the buyer is usually asked to prepare the remaining balance needed for handover. This is often the largest single payment left in the process for off-plan buyers who have been paying gradually during construction. In most cases, the outstanding handover amount is between 30% to 50% of the purchase price, depending on your final payment plan included in the SPA.
In many Cambodia condo payment structures, a meaningful balance is held back until handover, which is why buyers need to plan well in advance for this stage. This is also the point where ownership documentation starts moving toward completion, because developers won’t release the full ownership paperwork for transfer until the purchase price has been fully settled.
Developer Financing Options at Handover
Some developers in Cambodia offer post-handover financing, which can be useful for buyers who do not want to pay the full remaining balance in one lump sum at completion. Some developers provide in-house financing, while local bank loans can also be available (though they come with heavy requirements), and terms vary widely depending on the project and the developer.
In our experience, developer financing often sits roughly in the 8% to 12% range and can run for up to around 10 years, although every project is different and buyers should review the repayment schedule, default clauses, and early-settlement terms carefully before relying on it.
The important point for the buyer is that this is an optional funding tool, and isn’t automatically provided. To give you a concrete example, Time Square projects offer financing for buyers at 10% interest for up to 15 years. There are no requirements to qualify for developer-provided loans.
Bank Transfer Fees for Condo Payments
There are often bank charges on the sending side, possible intermediary or correspondent bank charges in the middle, and sometimes a receiving-side fee in Cambodia as well. These costs vary by bank and by payment route, so the exact number depends on where the money is coming from. Buyers should factor these costs into their budget.
For example, ABA’s (a leading bank in Cambodia) published SWIFT schedule shows 0.15% commission with a minimum of USD 15, plus a USD 15 cable fee for outward transfers, and for incoming USD transfers above USD 10 it shows 0.10% or a minimum of USD 10, whichever is higher.
Currency Exchange Fees
Most condo transactions in Cambodia are quoted and settled in USD, even though Cambodia is a dual-currency economy where KHR and USD are both widely used. For buyers funding the purchase from a non-USD account, the extra cost is not only the visible bank fee but also the exchange-rate spread applied by the bank or payment provider.
ABA’s own terms note that it applies its internal exchange rate when processing transfers, which is why two buyers sending the same amount from different banks or currencies can end up with different effective costs.
If your money starts in AUD, EUR, GBP, or another currency, you should budget for a conversion loss on top of the transfer charge itself, or look into crypto payment option, explained just below.
Crypto / USDT Payment Facilitation Fee
Some of our buyers choose to fund their purchase using crypto, most commonly via USDT. It’s important for buyers to understand that the developer doesn’t directly accept crypto as payment. In most cases, the crypto is first converted through a P2P merchant, withdrawn to a local bank account, and the developer is then paid from that local bank account in the normal way.
Some developers in Cambodia do accept cryptocurrency-linked payment arrangements, but most real estate transactions are still conducted in USD. Our facilitation fee for this crypto payment service is 1.5%, but depending on who you deal with, this fee can go up to 3%.
Section 2: Condo Closing Costs and Handover Costs in Cambodia
Once the condo itself has been paid for, buyers should still prepare for the costs of completing the purchase and getting the unit ready. This section covers title transfer, legal and document-related costs, furniture and setup costs, and any sinking fund contribution due at handover.
Click on any of the links to jump down to the detailed explanation for each cost.
| Cost | Typical amount / structure | When it is usually due |
|---|---|---|
| Title Transfer Tax / Stamp Duty in Cambodia | 4% of the SPA price | At title transfer stage |
| Strata Title Processing and Land Office Fees | Usually around $1,500 through our partner. | During title transfer processing |
| Legal Fees and Due Diligence Costs | Varies, but typically $800 to $1,500 | Before or during contract review and transfer |
| Courier Costs for Original Documents | Less than $100 in total | Whenever original documents need to be sent |
| Furniture, Appliances, and Move-In Setup Costs | Packages starting from around $3,500 | At handover / setup stage |
| Sinking Fund Contribution at Handover | Varies by project but usually charged per sqm (one-time fee) | Usually at handover if charged separately |
Title Transfer Tax / Stamp Duty in Cambodia
This is the main government tax charged when the condo is being transferred into the buyer’s ownership. In Cambodia, the standard rate is 4%, and it is usually treated as a buyer-side cost unless the parties negotiate something different. In practice, this cost often appears later than the booking and SPA stage, because it is tied to the formal strata title transfer process.
Buyers should also know that the government has extended temporary stamp-duty relief through 31 December 2026 for qualifying residential borey and condominium purchases:
- For first-time condo buyers: properties up to US$210,000 may qualify for full exemption, while properties above that threshold may receive a US$210,000 deduction from the stamp-duty base
- Second or subsequent qualifying condo purchases: may receive a US$70,000 deduction from the tax base.
This exemption has been in place since the start of 2025, and has been extended until the end of 2026. Because these incentives are temporary and documentation-driven, the safest way to budget is still to assume the tax is payable unless your transaction has clearly confirmed eligibility.
Important Note: We are currently applying for this exemption for our existing buyers, and will update this section when we get the first confirmed case study. This exemption is not guaranteed by default, so please check with us before assuming it won’t be applied.
Strata Title Processing and Land Office Fees
These are separate from the 4% transfer tax itself. They cover the administrative side of registering the unit, processing the paperwork, and issuing the ownership documents through the land and cadastral system.
Cambodia’s Sub-Decree No. 126 confirms that cadastral service fees and transfer tax apply to transactions involving private units in co-owned buildings, with the total fees for the title transfer ranging between US$1,200 to US$1,800, depending on the property and the parties involved.
Timing can vary, but typical standard strata-title processing periods take 3 months, with faster handling sometimes available at extra cost. At the time of transfer, we will advise you on the expected processing times and the different processing packages available.
Important Note: These processing fees need to be paid regardless of whether or not the title transfer qualifies for the current tax exemption.
Legal Fees and Due Diligence Costs
Hiring your own private legal support isn’t compulsory, but many buyers choose to budget for it because it adds an extra layer of protection. We do provide legal support & assistance free-of-charge to all of our clients, as part of our standard support.
A good Cambodia-based property lawyer will help check the title position, the developer or seller’s authority to sell, the history of the unit, any encumbrances or risks, and the wording of the SPA before you commit.
Legal fees for buying property are typically around 0.5% to 1% of the property value, or typically between the US$800 to US$1,500 range. This of course depends on the law firm you choose to work with, and the complexity of the purchase.
Courier Costs for Original Documents
It’s entirely possible to buy a condo in Cambodia full remotely. Over half of our clients buy from outside of Cambodia. Some buyers will sign digitally where possible, but original paperwork is still needed at different stages, especially when sending signed SPAs, certified ID copies, or Power of Attorney documents for handover procedures, title transfers, etc.
DHL or other major courier fees will depend on where the documents needs to be shipped to / from, but it’s worth factoring these costs into the closing costs stage of your purchase.
Furniture, Appliances, and Move-In Setup Costs
This is one of the biggest costs buyers underestimate at handover. Even when a condo is advertised as “fully furnished,” there are often still gaps such as curtains, mattresses, kitchenware, small appliances, soft furnishings, or styling items that are needed before the unit is truly ready to live in or rent out.
We usually suggests setting aside around US$2,500 to US$5,000 as a move-in budget for a standard one-bedroom unit, depending on what is already included and what level of finish you want. This cost varies widely depending on whether the buyer wants a simple owner-occupier setup, a budget rental-ready setup, or a more polished expat-tenant presentation.
Our company offers mid-range investment-oriented furniture packages start from around US$3,500 and include core items such as air conditioning, fridge, washing machine, bed, curtains, sofa, coffee table, TV, TV stand, plus delivery and installation, with upgrades and décor available as add-ons. They’re designed to maximize ROI, so it’s nothing high-end, but rather a practical and market adjusted package for our investors.
Sinking Fund Contribution at Handover
Under Cambodian law, owners in condo buildings must share the cost of maintaining and repairing common areas, and that the building’s internal regulations should address expense-sharing and common services.
In practice, different projects implement that in different ways: some fold long-term reserve money into the ongoing management fee, while others charge a separate sinking fund near handover, often as a one-time amount calculated per square meter.
There aren’t many projects in Cambodia that charge a separate sinking fund. When they do, it’s almost always a one-time payment made at completion, around US$15 – $20 per sqm based on the gross size of your unit. This structure isn’t universal across all condo projects.
Important note: Always ask whether the sinking fund is already included in the management fee or whether it is charged separately at handover.
Section 3: Ongoing Costs of Owning, Renting Out, and Reselling a Condo in Cambodia
Buying the condo is only one part of the financial picture. This final section covers the ongoing costs of ownership, the costs of renting the unit out, and the costs buyers should be aware of if they later decide to resell.
Click on any of the links to jump down to the detailed explanation for each cost.
| Cost | Typical amount / structure | When it is usually due |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Condo Management Fees | Usually $1 to $1.50 per sqm per month | Ongoing after handover |
| Parking Fees | Car: $40 to $60; motorbike: $5 to $15 per month | Ongoing if parking is used |
| Annual Property Tax in Cambodia | 0.1% of purchase price | Yearly |
| Annual Condo Fire Insurance Cost | (Unit cost + furniture cost) x 0.072% | Yearly |
| Tenant-Finding and Leasing Commission | Half a month’s rent for 6 months; one month’s rent for 1 year+ | Each time a new tenant is placed |
| Ongoing Property Management Fee | Typically 10% of collected rent | Ongoing while rented |
| Cleaning and Turnover Costs Between Tenants | Usually around $15 to $20 | Between tenants |
| Rental Income Tax in Cambodia | Typically only enforced for GRR programs | During rental operation |
| Developer Admin Fee for Off-Plan Resale Before Title Issuance | Between $300 to $500 | When reselling before first-time title issuance |
| Resale Agent Commission / Brokerage Fee | Usually 3% standard or 5% for urgent resale | When the unit is sold |
| Capital Gains Tax on Condo Resale in Cambodia | Not implemented yet. No fixed amount set. | At resale, if active at that time |
Monthly Condo Management Fees
This is one of the main ongoing ownership costs for any condo in Cambodia. Every owner in a co-owned building is responsible for contributing toward the upkeep of the common areas, and Cambodia’s co-ownership law makes clear that common areas are jointly owned and that co-owners share responsibility for their maintenance.
In practice, most Phnom Penh condo projects charge this fee per square meter per month and almost all buildings calculate it using the gross area of the unit rather than just the internal living area.
A common market range is roughly US$1.00 to US$1.50 per sqm, although older or simpler buildings can be lower and more premium projects can be higher. Buyers should also prepare for the fact that most projects ask for the first 12 months of management fees upfront at the initial handover, after which billing often shifts to quarterly or monthly cycles depending on the building.
Parking Fees
Parking is treated as a separate monthly cost. In many Phnom Penh condo projects, car parking sits somewhere around US$40 to US$70 per month, while motorbike parking costs between $5 to $10 depending on the building.
Buyers should not assume parking is automatically bundled into the management fee, and they should also ask whether spaces are allocated, first-come-first-served, or subject to separate registration.
This is a lifestyle cost more than an investment cost for many city-center condo owners, especially if they do not keep a car in Phnom Penh.
Annual Property Tax in Cambodia
Cambodia’s annual property tax is low by regional and international standards, but it should still be part of every owner’s budget. The legal rate is 0.1% of the tax base, and the General Department of Taxation states that the tax base is 80% of the total property value, with payment due by September 30 each year.
That means the formal calculation is not simply 0.1% of the purchase price, even though buyers often use a simplified estimate when budgeting. The GDT also states that buildings under construction that are below 80% completion and not yet used are exempt from this tax, except for the land element, which is why off-plan buyers think about this more seriously after completion and transfer.
Annual Condo Fire Insurance Cost
Fire insurance is quite low cost, but it is still a sensible one, especially for buyers who are renting the unit out or holding it remotely. We work with a partner insurance company here for this, and the cost is calculated as follows:
(Total cost of the unit + total cost of the furniture) x 0.072% = Annual fire insurance cost
For example, a $70,000 unit with a total furniture cost of $6,000 would pay a fire insurance premium of $55 per year. This is a company-specific example and not an industry-wide example. We recommend buyers to prepare for fire insurance costs of up to $100 per year.
Please note that all modern condo buildings in Cambodia are equipped with building-wide fire alarm and fire sprinkler systems. Fire safety in much older buildings (pre-2010 buildings) need to be scrutinized more carefully.
Tenant-Finding and Leasing Commission
When a rental agent brings you a tenant, that agent is typically paid by the owner. In Cambodia, the market standard for rental agent commission are:
- Half a month’s rent as commission for a 6-month lease
- One full month’s rent as commission for a 1-year lease or longer.
This is almost always a one-off cost each time a new tenant is found, so it becomes part of the turnover cost rather than a monthly ownership expense. When a tenant renews their lease for your unit, you won’t have to re-pay a commission to the original leasing agent. So it pays to treat your tenants well.
For investors, it is important to remember that this directly affects net yield, especially if tenants stay only one year at a time. For many of our clients, their tenants start on a 6-month lease and then renew if they are happy. This way, our client gets to save some money on rental commissions.
At HomeAbroad Cambodia, we cooperate with a network of 100+ agents across Phnom Penh and Cambodia to make sure our clients’ units get rented out as quickly and consistently as possible. We are one of the only agencies in Cambodia to have successfully rented out all of our clients’ units at the recently handed over Time Square 306 (20+ units), and it’s very important for us to follow through on our commitments to our clients.
Ongoing Property Management Fee
This is different from the building’s management fee. The condo management fee is paid to the building for common areas and facilities, while the property management fee is paid to the company or agent managing your individual unit.
In Cambodia, a very common benchmark is around 10% of rent collected, and that fee is charged only while the unit is occupied and generating rent.
Some developers in Cambodia will offer property management services, ranging from 5% to 10% as the normal range, with 10% being the most common full-service figure for overseas owners who want help with tenant communication, inspections, repairs, bill handling, and day-to-day coordination.
Cleaning and Turnover Costs Between Tenants
This is a small cost compared with management fees or taxes, but it matters because it comes up almost every time one tenant leaves and another arrives. For long-term rentals, this is a one-time deep clean after move-out, while for short-term stays it becomes much more frequent and operational.
Since there is no standard national rate, the safest way to prepare for this service cost is to estimate it at around US$15 to US$25 for a deep clean between long-term tenants.
Rental Income Tax in Cambodia
Please read this whole section to get a full understanding of what we are saying. The official position is clear: Cambodia’s tax rules provide for property rental tax at 10% of rental income, and the GDT FAQ sets out registration, filing, and payment requirements for owners receiving rent.
At the same time, the way this is handled in practice varies depending on whether the property is held personally (typically not taxed), whether the tenant is a company, whether tax has already been withheld, and whether the unit is inside a more structured rental or guaranteed-return arrangement.
In our experience on-the-ground, for most investors, you won’t see this tax enforced. Only if you rent the unit out under a company name and handle those rental proceeds through company accounts, you may be taxed. This also applies to GRR programs that may charge a withholding tax before passing on the net return to you.
Developer Admin Fee for Off-Plan Resale Before Title Issuance
This is a very important cost in off-plan resales. If the original buyer wants to sell the unit before the title has been issued into their own name, the developer needs to amend the SPA and its internal records so the new buyer can step into the transaction properly.
This is not a government tax. It’s an internal developer-side administrative fee. In our experience, the typical cost to plan for here is ~US$500 and is only paid if you resell your unit. This isn’t a market-wide fee. All buyers should carefully read their SPA to see the exact cost as it varies between developers.
Important note: This is typically only charged for the very first resale of the unit. Subsequent resales simply require an Acknowledgement Letter with the developer’s stamp at no extra cost (again, not a market-wide rule).
Resale Agent Commission / Brokerage Fee
Commissions for condo resales in Cambodia are almost always paid for by the seller – unless otherwise agreed on in the SPA. For resale condos, the owner only pays the sales commission when the unit is sold. The standard market rates for resale commissions are as follows:
- 3% commission is the standard market-rate commission paid to the agent
- 5% commission is offered to make the unit more attractive to agents for more urgent sales
There can of course be other arrangements, but in our experience, buyers intending to resell their condo unit should prepare for the above costs.
Capital Gains Tax on Condo Resale in Cambodia
As of now, Cambodia has again deferred capital gains tax on immovable property until 1 January 2027, which means direct gains on land and buildings remain outside the active CGT regime for the moment. Since capital gains was introduced in 2020, the tax has yet to be implemented. This is the 6th year capital gains tax has been delayed, and will likely be delayed again.
That said, off-plan buyers should not assume this will still be the case years from now when their unit is completed and eventually resold. The safest approach would be to prepare financially for the tax, in case it gets enforced in the coming years. If the tax gets implemented, we will update this section to reflect it’s calculation and practical implementation.
Have Questions About the Real Cost of Buying a Condo in Cambodia?
Buying a condo in Cambodia goes far beyond choosing the right unit or negotiating the right price. In our experience, the real difference between a smooth investment and a stressful one usually comes down to everything that happens after the sale, i.e., contract review, legal support, payment follow-up, handover, furnishing, title transfer, tenant placement, and ongoing support once you own the unit.
This is where many buyers get caught out. A project can look attractive on paper, but if the after-sales support is weak, small issues can quickly become expensive ones. That is why we always encourage buyers to look beyond the headline price and make sure they understand the full cost of ownership, the practical steps after purchase, and who will actually support them once the deal is done. Many agencies and agents claim to offer this, but the reality is quite different.
At HomeAbroad Cambodia, our role does not stop at helping you choose a condo. We focus heavily on what comes next: guiding you through the paperwork, helping coordinate handover and title transfer, assisting with furniture and setup, and making sure you succeed with rental and resale when needed.
If you have questions about the costs in this guide, or want help reviewing a specific condo purchase, feel free to contact us. We’d be more than happy to guide you through the market and explain what we do!
