Market profile
A small, dollarised, fast-modernising market where Phnom Penh does most of the work and mobile payment adoption is unusually advanced.
- Capital
- Phnom Penh
- Population
- around 17 million
- Currency
- Cambodian riel and US dollar
- Leading channel
- Traditional trade (52%)
- Cash on delivery
- 30% of online orders
- Lead region
- Phnom Penh (60%)
Retail value by channel
- Traditional trade 52%
- Modern trade 30%
- E-commerce 11%
- Other 7%
- Phnom Penh
- Siem Reap
- Sihanoukville
- Battambang
Property is the biggest fixed commitment a retailer makes, and it is the hardest one to reverse. In Cambodia, a small number of modern malls plus a large shophouse market.
Shophouse rents are negotiable; mall rents are quoted in US dollars, and two to three years with deposits paid upfront is the normal term.
The landlord landscape
A small number of modern malls plus a large shophouse market. Shophouse rents are negotiable; mall rents are quoted in US dollars.
Lease structure
Turnover rent clauses cut both ways: they lower risk in a weak year and hand the landlord visibility of your trading in every year. Negotiate the reporting obligation as carefully as the percentage.
| Term | Typical Cambodia position |
|---|---|
| Length | Two to three years with deposits paid upfront |
| Rent basis | Shophouse rents are negotiable; mall rents are quoted in US dollars |
| Deposit | Two to three months, sometimes more for new entrants |
| Fit-out | Rent-free fit-out period is negotiable, especially in secondary centres |
Choosing a location
Demand concentration matters more than city population. Phnom Penh carries roughly 60% of modern retail sales, so the first stores belong there unless there is a specific reason otherwise.
- Priority catchments: Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Sihanoukville and Battambang
- Test the catchment on a weekday evening and a weekend afternoon before signing
- Check the anchor tenant mix and the vacancy rate on upper floors
- Ask what the landlord's marketing levy actually pays for
- Phnom Penh60%
- Siem Reap15%
- Coastal provinces12%
- Other provinces13%
Indicative regional split, the first filter in a location plan.
Occupancy cost discipline
Track occupancy cost as a percentage of sales, including service charge and marketing levy, and set an exit threshold before opening. Stores are rarely closed early enough because the decision rule is written after performance disappoints.
Key takeaways
- A small number of modern malls plus a large shophouse market.
- Two to three years with deposits paid upfront is standard; the negotiable items are fit-out and turnover reporting.
- Occupancy cost ratio, with an exit threshold agreed in advance, is the discipline that protects the portfolio.
- Start in Phnom Penh and expand on evidence.
Questions & Answers
Q.How are retail leases structured in Cambodia?
How are retail leases structured in Cambodia?
Shophouse rents are negotiable; mall rents are quoted in US dollars, typically over two to three years with deposits paid upfront.
Q.Where should a brand open its first store in Cambodia?
Where should a brand open its first store in Cambodia?
In Phnom Penh, which carries around 60% of modern retail sales.
Q.What occupancy cost ratio is sustainable?
What occupancy cost ratio is sustainable?
It varies by category, but set the threshold before signing and treat breaching it for two consecutive quarters as a trigger for action.
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Written by
Retail News Asia Research Desk
Country data, market sizing and channel analysis
Researched, written and fact-checked by our newsroom. Last reviewed 13 August 2026. Meet the editorial team.