Payment methods in Cambodia

Hello Priscilla.

Which are the most common payment methods in Cambodia? Why would you prefer some forms over others?
Most common is cash, whether in USD or in Riel. More and more things are oaid electronically, e.g. Wing, Pi-Pay

Does the amount of money or the type of paid services (groceries, bills, rent, etc.) determine the choice of payment methods?
Not for me, I pay everything cash in USD

Are there any apps at your disposal which make the payment process easier in Cambodia?
As mentioned Wing and Pi-Pay

Can certain foreign currencies be used to make payments?
USD is the most used foreign currency

Have your habits in terms of payment methods changed since moving to Cambodia?
Before Cambodia I lived in Thailand. Arriving there I decided to stop all my credit cards as everything was cash based, even buying a car or a tractor was a cash money payment.
Here in Cambodia I have on-line banking but I only use it to follow the money stream, not for payments. I once paid my rent of $300 on line and they charged me $5 for that, so I stopped. I can pay certain things and make reservations with my bank debit card.

That's it Priscilla, have a nice day.

Joe

Ok joe finally we have something we do not agree on, I pay in reil, the reason is even out of atm machine sometimes I get US dollars that are ripped are have been written on, in USA it's no problem, but in cambodia they check your US dollar carefully, many times after 5-6 months in Cambodia I have several bills in US dollars that have been rejected because of a small in perfection, I end up usually taking several 100 US dollars back, it's not a big problem because any bank in USA will take them , but reil can have imperfections, and they will take them I recommend changing to reil, might be the first time we disagree, if you have a cambodia bank account then the bank will exchange the bad for good if you have a recite that you have used there atm but if not the banks also will not take damaged us bills , so my advice is change to reil

Which are the most common payment methods in Cambodia? Why would you prefer some forms over others?
This is a cash society, so I pay everything cash, it's the easiest.

Does the amount of money or the type of paid services (groceries, bills, rent, etc.) determine the choice of payment methods?
No

Are there any apps at your disposal which make the payment process easier in Cambodia?
I think there are a couple that can be used in some stores but I don't use any.

Can certain foreign currencies be used to make payments?
The country's trade is based on the Riels and the $; the $ is accepted everywhere at a set rate: 4000 Riels for $1.

Have your habits in terms of payment methods changed since moving to Cambodia?
No, I came from the Caribbean where cash is the preference too.

I trust this will be helpful. Have a great day.

Twinsguy20:
I don't understand why the banks refuse to take damaged bills when we receive them from their own ATM. It means that the banks had them before they ended in the ATM.

Twins guy,  there is a simple reason.
Banks cannot exchange foreign currency to the Central Bank,  which is logical.

Khmer Riel is the local currency so banks can exchange damaged bills at the Central Bank.

Always check each note that comes out of any ATM,  there are plenty of cases of damaged notes, although I had it only once.
Also always get a receipt.

If I need to pay the rent plus utilities I go to my bank and take the money from inside. Never a problem.

I take USD as I don't want to walk around with a shopping bag with 1,200,000 Riel instead of 3 notes of $100 

Reil is less hassel , why would you need to carry 100$ bills which by the way jo you and I know it's not easy to get rid of a perfect 100$

Of course jo I understand this, the point being is I've recieved 500-700 $ bills that were not excepted because in the USA it's common for a business to have there employees put a red mark or black mark on the 100$ bills to have proven they have been held up and inspected, I do not have a Cambodian bank account, which would be the right choice and transfer money, yet I'm doing the atm, 300$ maybe at a time, then transfer to reil, so I don't have to inspect every bill I get in change from my $ and as for caring a ton of reil I don't carry more than 40 thousand reil in my pocket,  which can be two notes , even at smaller notes it's not much and honestly it's cambodia how much can you spend in a day,? I credit card my big items , I'm still thinking reil is better

I always use ABA for my ATM so whether I get dollars or Reil, I prefer Reil, they have always been brand nw notes. Maybe I'm just lucky. You must check every USD note for imperfections. It's just the way it is here. I've been to other countries that do the same thing but not to the same extent the Cambodians. Use Reil it will make your mind work.

You carry not more than 40,000 Riel with you?
That's the equivalent of $10!!!
How do you pay the rent?
I know you paid upfront but other people pay per month. I pay $400 rent and $75 utilities.  You really want me to exchange into 1,900,000 riel? No way,  I go to my Canadia bank,  get $475 and pay the landlord.

Maybe getting a Cambodian bank account would be a solution for you.  Easier for sure