Detailed comparison
| Side-by-side comparison of taxation, cost of living and scores between the two countries. |  France | |
|---|---|---|
| Taxation | ||
| Dividend tax | 0%, Edge to this country | 31.4% |
| Capital gains tax | 20%, Edge to this country | 31.4% |
| Corporate tax | 20%, Edge to this country | 25% |
| Wealth tax | None | Yes, IFI (real estate only) |
| Direct inheritance | 0%, Edge to this country | 45%Scale5-45% |
| Cost and real estate | ||
| Monthly FIRE budget | €1,500, Edge to this country | €2,700 |
| Cost-of-living score | 84.6, Edge to this country | 38.5 |
| Reference city | Phnom Penh | Paris |
| City-center 2-bed rent | €400, Edge to this country | €2,450 |
| Safety and FIRE score | ||
| Insecurity | 2.0 | 2.0, Edge to this country |
| FIRE Ultimate V3 score | 90.5, Edge to this country | 64.6 |
Verdict
- Cambodia wins on cost of living (index 38, a three-bedroom flat at €400 a month), on foreign dividends (0% against France's 31.4% flat tax), on the absence of any wealth or inheritance tax, and on the omnipresent dollar that removes exchange-rate risk for dollar income.
- France keeps the edge on institutions, healthcare, education (a PISA score far above 337), and the legal security of stable residency, where Cambodia offers only renewable extensions with no formal permanent residency.
- Verdict: Cambodia wins clearly for a lean-FIRE rentier living on dollar dividends without school-age children. France remains preferable for anyone valuing healthcare, schooling, and legal security, or whose returns rely on capital gains now taxed at 20%.
Frequently asked questions about this duel
Is it better to receive dividends in Cambodia or in France?
On dividend tax, Cambodia wins comfortably: 0% on foreign-source dividends, for lack of any general personal income tax, against France's 31.4% flat tax. On €40,000 of dividends, that is roughly €12,560 of tax avoided each year. Watch out, however, for the source-country withholding, which remains due with no credit on the Cambodian side.
Does Cambodia's 20% capital gains tax change the duel with France?
Yes, it is the new element of 2026. Cambodia now taxes its residents' worldwide capital gains at 20%, against France's 31.4% flat tax. Cambodia is still lower on capital gains, but the gap narrows, and the country is no longer the zero-tax haven of before. For anyone living on dividends rather than gains, the Cambodian advantage stays very clear.
Does the cost of living offset Cambodia's fragility against France?
For a lean FIRE, often yes. A cost index of 38 and a three-bedroom flat at €400 a month allow a comfortable life on a portfolio that would not suffice in France. But this saving has a price: limited healthcare with evacuation to Bangkok, PISA 337 the lowest on the hub, and no formal permanent residency. France keeps the edge on everything tied to institutions.