Preah Khan of Kompong Svay and the nearby Phnom Dek metallurgical landscape, best known for their role in Angkorian iron production, represent important loci for discussing settlement variability on the ‘edge’ of the Khmer Empire. In contrast to approaches focused within a single type of ‘site’ (e.g., temple enclosure), this paper utilizes a multi-scalar comparison of various settlement contexts to understand not only the different types of activities being undertaken but also how they relate to each other within the landscape. Excavation and survey conducted by the Industries of Angkor and Two Buddhist Towers Projects are combined with remote sensing (e.g., lidar) to compare three different occupational contexts: within the central temple enclosure of Preah Khan of Kompong Svay, beyond its external walls, and between the iron smelting mounds of Phnom Dek. The results provide us with new perspectives about how we characterize elite/non-elite occupations and the relationship between the Angkorian Khmer and minority groups, such as the Kuay. We argue that scaling our focus up from the house to the community is a more effective way of documenting the lifeways in Monsoon environments and allows us to discuss issues of social networks and interactions. Preah Khan of Kompong Svay and its surrounding landscape offers a unique perspective on habitation away from the complex palimpsest of Angkor.