Moving to Malaysia from Austria
What to Expect
Considering a move from Austria to Malaysia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Austria to Malaysia, you would find that Malaysia is 54.4% cheaper than Austria overall. A €65,700 salary in Austria would need to be roughly MYR166,886 in Malaysia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Malay. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Kuala Lumpur averages 90°F vs 58°F in Vienna, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Austria and Malaysia.
What does your salary buy?
€65,700 → MYR166,886
To maintain the same standard of living in Malaysia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 78.1% less
Groceries
pay 38.6% less
Transportation
pay 50.4% less
Housing
pay 63.3% less
Childcare
pay 65.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 42.4% 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.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Malaysia compared to Austria.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Austria 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 Austria 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
Austria performs better than Malaysia across all environment metrics.
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
Austria 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 Austria 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
Austria performs better than Malaysia across all family life metrics.
Data: Federal Ministry of Finance, 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 | Vienna | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/31°F (6°/0°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 67°/50°F (20°/10°C) | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 75°/58°F (24°/14°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/37°F (9°/3°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Vienna | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°/28°F (2.9°/-2.0°C) | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) |
| Feb | 41°/30°F (5.1°/-0.9°C) | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) |
| Mar | 51°/36°F (10.3°/2.4°C) | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) |
| Apr | 59°/42°F (15.2°/5.8°C) | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) |
| May | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C) | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) |
| Jun | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.5°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 78°/60°F (25.6°/15.4°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) |
| Aug | 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.3°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) |
| Sep | 69°/53°F (20.3°/11.7°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 58°/45°F (14.2°/7.0°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Nov | 46°/36°F (7.5°/2.4°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 39°/31°F (4.0°/-0.5°C) | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) |
Data:
GeoSphere Austria,
Malaysian Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Austria 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.
Austria passport holder visiting Malaysia
Visa Free
Malaysia passport holder visiting Austria
Visa FreeData: 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 Austria?
On average Malaysia is about 45% less expensive than Austria, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Malaysia?
Budget about MYR41,722 for 3 months in Malaysia (based on a €65,700 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Malaysia?
Connectivity is usually fine (Malaysia: 12.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Malaysia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Malaysia safe for expats?
Austria 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 0.9 in Austria.
How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to Austria?
Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Austria leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 23.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 55.1 in Austria. Malaysia scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Austria: 85).
What's the weather like in Malaysia compared to Austria?
The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 58°F in Vienna. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Vienna gets 24.4 in.
What language do they speak in Malaysia?
The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In Austria, the official language is German.