Koh Pich Projects Overview: OCIC Diamond Island 2026
Koh Pich (Diamond Island) project overview: OCIC's masterplan, premium condo stock, pricing above $1,800 per sqm, foreign quota and an investor framework.
Quick answer: Koh Pich (Diamond Island) is OCIC’s flagship reclaimed district in central Phnom Penh, a walkable masterplan of residential towers, the convention and exhibition centre, international schools, retail and event venues. For investors the relevant stock is the strata condominium towers, which price above the $1,800 per sqm city average, with OCIC premium entry commonly from about $106,000. The island is a premium, capital-quality story, not an entry-tier one, so the right approach is to choose the building inside the masterplan that best matches your hold period, then verify quota and net yield.
Invest Cambodia Editorial maps districts and projects so foreign buyers can place a single tower inside its wider context. This overview covers the Koh Pich landscape: what OCIC built on the island, which project types matter to investors, what premium stock costs, how the island compares to Koh Norea and the entry tier, and the diligence any Koh Pich purchase requires on invest-cambodia.com.
For wider context read OCIC Developer Guide, Cambodia Property Investment Guide 2026, Phnom Penh Rental Yield Guide, Best Areas Invest Phnom Penh 2026, and Due Diligence Process Cambodia Step By Step, and the 2026 market page.
What is Koh Pich (Diamond Island) and who built it?
OCIC’s defining trait is the ability to reclaim land and build whole districts rather than single towers. On Koh Pich that produced a high-density, mixed-use island holding residential condominiums, the Koh Pich Convention and Exhibition Centre, international schools, retail streets and event venues, all inside one walkable plan. For an investor, this concentration is the point: amenities, schools and event space sustain end-user and tenant demand that an isolated building cannot easily replicate. The island therefore trades as a capital-quality story, with stock priced above the city average and rarely appearing in entry budget bands. That premium is the trade-off, and the same model carried into the newer Koh Norea satellite city, profiled alongside this overview in OCIC Developer Guide and Koh Norea. On the mainland, an OCIC affiliate has built Olympia City beside the National Olympic Stadium since 2013, a mixed-use district on about 6 hectares that shows the same district model without reclaimed land.
| 2026 metric | Indicative value | Buyer use |
|---|---|---|
| Phnom Penh avg price | $1,800 per sqm | Baseline vs district premium |
| Foreign quota cap | 70% per building | Above ground floor only |
| Banking NPL ratio | 8.9% | Developer completion risk |
| Stamp duty window | Through 31 December 2026 | Registration timing |
Which project types make up the Koh Pich masterplan?
| Project type | Investor relevance | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Strata condo towers | High, foreign-eligible | Quota, floor, view, finish |
| Mixed-use buildings | Medium, depends on title | Ownership structure, zoning |
| Retail and event venues | Low, demand driver | Footfall, event calendar |
| Schools and amenities | Indirect, supports demand | Proximity to your unit |
| Ground-floor commercial | Restricted for foreigners | Confirm title type |
| Off-plan phases | Variable, timing risk | Milestone-linked payments |
The masterplan matters because the same island contains very different buying propositions. A completed, well-positioned condominium tower near the island’s anchors behaves differently from an early-phase building on the edge of the plan, even under the same OCIC brand. The amenities and schools are not directly investable for most foreigners, but they are the demand engine that supports the condo stock, which is why a Koh Pich purchase is really a bet on the district plus the specific tower. A single project view, such as the one in Diamond Bay Garden, should always be read against this wider masterplan rather than in isolation.
How much does Koh Pich condo stock cost?
| Cost line | Indicative range | Buyer action |
|---|---|---|
| Unit price (premium entry) | From about $106,000 | Confirm exact stack and floor |
| Legal review | $800 to $2,500 | Use a Cambodia property lawyer |
| Transfer and stamp duty | Lower through 31 Dec 2026 | Model under the incentive window |
| Furnishing | $5,000 to $15,000 | Budget for rental readiness |
| Management fee | $40 to $80 per month | Confirm the sinking fund |
| Vacancy allowance | 1 to 2 months per year | Stress-test net yield |
Premium positioning reshapes the maths in two ways. The soft costs are a smaller share of a six-figure ticket than of a $40,000 entry unit, but the absolute capital at risk is higher, so district and developer quality must justify it. Build the stamp duty incentive through 31 December 2026 and the capital gains tax deferred to 1 January 2027 into your model, both explained in Cambodia Property Taxes Fees 2026. A Koh Pich purchase only makes sense when the demand depth behind the premium is real, not assumed from the island’s name alone.
What rental yield does Koh Pich stock deliver?
The yield logic is simple arithmetic: a premium unit costs more per square metre while achievable rent does not rise in the same proportion, so gross yield compresses relative to entry stock. That does not make Koh Pich a weak buy; it makes it a different one. The island’s case rests on end-user demand, brand resilience and the chance of stronger capital performance in a recognisable district, not on out-yielding a $40,000 entry unit. A seasonality nuance applies because the convention and exhibition centre can lift short-stay demand on event days, but the prudent approach underwrites the steady long-term base and treats event uplift as upside. Foreign tenant demand concentrates in central, well-amenitised areas, supported by a buyer mix of 9% Polish, 9.6% Russian and 7.4% French shares per realestate.com.kh, with the method set out in Phnom Penh Rental Yield Guide.
How does Koh Pich compare to Koh Norea and Megakim stock?
| Factor | Koh Pich (OCIC) | Koh Norea (OCIC) | Megakim entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maturity | Established, central | Newer, early-phase | Single towers |
| Indicative entry | From about $106,000 | Project specific | From about $40,000 |
| Demand driver | End-user, brand | Infrastructure-led | Price-led, yield |
| Risk profile | Lower, completed bias | Timing, absorption | Completion, liquidity |
| Best for | Capital quality now | Patient corridor bet | Lowest ticket |
The comparison is about matching the asset to your plan, not ranking developers. Koh Pich offers demand depth and resale resilience today at a premium price, Koh Norea offers a longer-hold corridor thesis with more timing risk, and Megakim offers affordability with thinner liquidity. A buyer weighing the two OCIC districts should read OCIC Koh Norea against this overview, while a buyer weighing premium against entry tier should use Megakim VS OCIC Entry Price.
Comparing several Koh Pich blocks at once? We will put the live pricing, quota headroom and lease comps side by side for the shortlist you are actually looking at.
Compare Koh Pich stockWhat are the advantages and disadvantages of Koh Pich stock?
Koh Pich’s advantages are a central island address, full district amenities, brand-led end-user demand and resale resilience; its disadvantages are high entry prices, compressed gross yields, event-driven seasonality and the citywide thin-liquidity backdrop. The premium positioning drives both sides.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Central, walkable island masterplan | High premium entry from about $106,000 |
| Full amenities, schools and event space | Gross yields lower than entry tier |
| Strong brand supports resale and rental | Premium price not matched by premium yield |
| Deeper re-letting demand during vacancy | Event-day seasonality skews short-stay demand |
| Capital-quality story for longer holds | 70% quota can fill fast in popular towers |
| Mostly completed, lower timing risk | Thin resale market still applies citywide |
Every strength carries a matching cost. The amenities and brand that protect demand also lift prices beyond entry-buyer reach and below the gross yield those buyers chase. A disciplined investor treats Koh Pich as a capital-quality, longer-hold position and weighs it against the affordability case for the entry tier in Megakim World Corp, choosing the tier that fits the budget and hold plan rather than the most prestigious name.
What are the risks and red flags before you deposit?
- Brand-premium overpay: Verify the exact stack, floor, view and finish; the island’s reputation does not justify every unit’s price.
- Quota pressure: Request the written foreign quota ledger before deposit, because near-full towers narrow your future resale pool.
- Seasonality over-reliance: the island’s event calendar fills hotels rather than apartments, so a rent projection built around it is measuring the wrong demand.
- Off-plan timing: On any unfinished phase, tie instalments to verified construction milestones and use escrow where available under the 8.9% NPL backdrop.
- Yield inflation: premium island stock does not produce double-digit gross. A figure that does is either short-let, serviced, or drawn from an asking rent nobody paid.
Insider tip: Walk the island on a quiet weekday morning and again during a major exhibition, then compare two towers, one near the island’s anchors and one on the edge of the plan. The demand and noise difference between locations within the same masterplan is often larger than the difference between buildings, and it is exactly what you are paying the premium to capture.
Which buyer scenarios fit Koh Pich projects?
Koh Pich fits buyers prioritising capital quality, a central island address and end-user demand with budgets above roughly $100,000, while accepting compressed yields. It is the wrong fit for buyers chasing the lowest ticket, the highest gross yield or a short, certain exit.
| Profile | Goal | Fit | Starting point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium end-user | Central island address | Strong | Koh Pich |
| Capital-quality buyer | Resale resilience | Strong | Diamond Bay Garden |
| Corridor bettor | Long-hold upside | Consider Koh Norea | OCIC Koh Norea |
| Entry investor under $50k | Lowest ticket | Weak, prefer Megakim | Megakim VS OCIC Entry Price |
| Yield hunter | Highest gross yield | Weak, yields compress | Phnom Penh Rental Yield Guide |
Scenario A: A buyer with $140,000 seeking a recognisable central address for end-user resale selects a completed, well-positioned Koh Pich tower near the island’s anchors, accepting a lower gross yield for demand depth.
Scenario B: A patient buyer weighs the established island against the newer riverfront corridor, reading OCIC Koh Norea before deciding between completed demand and infrastructure-led upside.
Scenario C: A buyer with $45,000 accepts the island is out of reach and turns to the Megakim entry tier, trading capital quality for a far lower absolute ticket.
How should you run due diligence on a Koh Pich purchase?
Brand and address raise the stakes of skipping verification rather than lowering the need for it, because a Koh Pich unit ties up materially more capital than an entry purchase. Visit a finished tower on the island to judge how OCIC stock ages and maintains, not only the showroom, and apply the developer red-flag screen in Developer Due Diligence Red Flags Cambodia. Because the whole island is privately held, read the Koh Pich district page alongside foreign ownership and strata title, and price the exit through resale liquidity.
Closing verification checklist
Before you transfer funds for a Koh Pich unit: confirm the construction licence and land title with a Cambodia lawyer, request the building’s remaining foreign quota ledger in writing, inspect a completed island tower rather than only the showroom, model net yield with realistic occupancy and verified fees, account for the stamp duty incentive through 31 December 2026, and for any off-plan phase tie instalments to verified construction milestones with escrow where available. Set the island premium against what the same money buys elsewhere in the city using how much a condo costs in Phnom Penh.
Frequently Asked Questions
Koh Pich, or Diamond Island, is a reclaimed central district in Phnom Penh master-planned by OCIC at the confluence of the Tonle Bassac and Mekong rivers. It holds residential towers, the convention and exhibition centre, international schools, retail and event venues, making it OCIC's flagship premium address.
Koh Pich premium stock typically prices above the $1,800 per sqm Phnom Penh average, with OCIC premium entry commonly from about $106,000. That places the island well above the entry tier, where Megakim launches start near $40,000, so Koh Pich is a premium-band decision.
Koh Pich blends residential condominiums, mixed-use towers, retail streets, schools and the convention and exhibition centre inside one walkable masterplan. For investors the relevant stock is the strata condominium towers, where foreigners can own above the ground floor within the 70% quota.
Yes. Foreigners can hold strata co-ownership above the ground floor within the 70% foreign quota per building, the same rule that applies across Cambodia. Popular Koh Pich towers can fill the foreign allocation faster, so verify the remaining quota in writing before any deposit.
They suit different buyers. Koh Pich is the established, central, mostly completed district with deeper end-user demand, while Koh Norea is OCIC's larger, newer riverfront satellite city with early-phase, infrastructure-led upside and timing risk. Choose by hold period and risk appetite.
Koh Pich rents to a settled professional tenant base, which supports steadier yields at lower headline numbers than the launch material suggests. Premium Koh Pich units usually yield less than cheaper stock because of high entry prices, so underwrite net yield after vacancy, management and maintenance, modelling occupancy near 85%.
Frequently Asked Questions
Koh Pich, or Diamond Island, is a reclaimed central district in Phnom Penh master-planned by OCIC at the confluence of the Tonle Bassac and Mekong rivers. It holds residential towers, the convention and exhibition centre, international schools, retail and event venues, making it OCIC's flagship premium address.
Koh Pich premium stock typically prices above the $1,800 per sqm Phnom Penh average, with OCIC premium entry commonly from about $106,000. That places the island well above the entry tier, where Megakim launches start near $40,000, so Koh Pich is a premium-band decision.
Koh Pich blends residential condominiums, mixed-use towers, retail streets, schools and the convention and exhibition centre inside one walkable masterplan. For investors the relevant stock is the strata condominium towers, where foreigners can own above the ground floor within the 70% quota.
Yes. Foreigners can hold strata co-ownership above the ground floor within the 70% foreign quota per building, the same rule that applies across Cambodia. Popular Koh Pich towers can fill the foreign allocation faster, so verify the remaining quota in writing before any deposit.
They suit different buyers. Koh Pich is the established, central, mostly completed district with deeper end-user demand, while Koh Norea is OCIC's larger, newer riverfront satellite city with early-phase, infrastructure-led upside and timing risk. Choose by hold period and risk appetite.
Koh Pich rents to a settled professional tenant base, which supports steadier yields at lower headline numbers than the launch material suggests. Premium Koh Pich units usually yield less than cheaper stock because of high entry prices, so underwrite net yield after vacancy, management and maintenance, modelling occupancy near 85%.
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