Moving to Malaysia from Australia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Australia to Malaysia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Australia to Malaysia, you would find that Malaysia is 61.3% cheaper than Australia overall. A A$110,000 salary in Australia would need to be roughly MYR121,000 in Malaysia to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Kuala Lumpur averages 90°F vs 72°F in Sydney, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Malaysia cheaper than Australia?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 73.8% less
Groceries
pay 37.8% less
Transportation
pay 46.7% less
Housing
pay 73.2% less
Childcare
pay 77.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 54.8% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Malaysia?
What does your salary buy?
A$110,000 → MYR121,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Malaysia
Calculate with your salary →Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Malaysia cost about 35% less than cities in Australia.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Malaysia
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Australia to Malaysia, based on official data.
Who's moving to Malaysia?
Top countries of origin for Malaysia's foreign-born residents.
- 1,241,634
- 585,864
- 415,717
- 350,605
- 148,096
- 117,990
- · · ·
-
17.6,157
Australia
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Australia to Malaysia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Australia generally does better on safety, though Malaysia leads in homicide rate.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Australia generally does better on environment, though Malaysia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Australia generally does better on infrastructure, though Malaysia leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Malaysia generally does better on employment & economy, though Australia leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Australia performs better than Malaysia across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Australian Taxation Office (2016), Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (2016), The World Factbook (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Malaysia vs Australia
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Sydney | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 79°/66°F (26°/19°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 69°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 75°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sydney | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.6°C) | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) |
| Feb | 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.7°C) | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) |
| Mar | 78°/65°F (25.4°/18.1°C) | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) |
| Apr | 74°/60°F (23.3°/15.3°C) | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) |
| May | 69°/54°F (20.6°/12.5°C) | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) |
| Jun | 64°/49°F (18.0°/9.7°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 63°/48°F (17.4°/8.7°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) |
| Aug | 66°/49°F (18.9°/9.7°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) |
| Sep | 70°/54°F (21.2°/12.0°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 73°/58°F (22.8°/14.4°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Nov | 75°/61°F (23.8°/16.3°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 78°/65°F (25.5°/18.3°C) | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) |
Data:
Bureau of Meteorology,
Malaysian Meteorological Department
Can you move from Australia to Malaysia?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Australia and Malaysia. To live, work, or study long-term in Malaysia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Malaysia's immigration authority.
Australia passport holder visiting Malaysia
Visa Free
Malaysia passport holder visiting Australia
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Malaysia than Australia?
Yes — Malaysia is on average about 61% cheaper than Australia. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Malaysia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly MYR30,250 in Malaysia on a A$110,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Malaysia?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Malaysia has 13.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Malaysia safe for expats?
Australia generally does better on safety, though Malaysia leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Malaysia is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Australia.
How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to Australia?
Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 23.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 40.9 in Australia. Malaysia scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Australia: 87).
What's the weather like in Malaysia compared to Australia?
The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 72°F in Sydney. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Sydney gets 48.1 in.
What language do they speak in Malaysia?
The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In Australia, the official language is English.
