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 51.8% cheaper than Australia overall. A A$107,450 salary in Australia would need to be roughly MYR180,543 in Malaysia to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Kuala Lumpur averages 90°F vs 67°F in Canberra, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Australia to Malaysia.
What does your salary buy?
A$107,450 → MYR180,543
To maintain the same standard of living in Malaysia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 72.3% less
Groceries
pay 25.4% less
Transportation
pay 43.7% less
Housing
pay 67.4% less
Childcare
pay 71.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 49.6% 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.
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 37% less than cities in Australia.
Compare cities head-to-head
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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
Australia generally does better on employment & economy, though Malaysia leads in top income tax rate.
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.
Data: Australian Taxation Office, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Canberra | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Canberra | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) |
| Feb | 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) |
| Mar | 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) |
| Apr | 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) |
| May | 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) |
| Jun | 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) |
| Aug | 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) |
| Sep | 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Nov | 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C) | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) |
Data:
Bureau of Meteorology,
Malaysian Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
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 41% 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 MYR45,136 in Malaysia on a A$107,450 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 12.4 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 23.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 39.8 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 67°F in Canberra. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Canberra gets 24.8 in.
What language do they speak in Malaysia?
The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In Australia, the official language is English.
