Moving to Malawi from Benin

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Benin to Malawi — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Benin to Malawi, and you’d need to navigate life in Chewa and English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Benin to Malawi.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BJ
24.8
MW
20.2

Malawi performs significantly better than Benin across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BJ
$138
MW
$125
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BJ
2.0
MW
0.5

Malawi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Benin leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BJ
77.0
MW
43.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BJ
0.5t
MW
0.2t

Malawi performs significantly better than Benin across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BJ
0.2
MW
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BJ
1.0%
MW
17.5%

Benin performs better than Malawi across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BJ
1.4%
MW
5.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BJ
$3,800
MW
$1,700

Benin performs better than Malawi across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BJ
62.2 yrs
MW
72.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BJ
55.8
MW
33.4

Malawi generally does better on family life, though Benin leads in education spending.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Porto-novo Rain: 47.0 in/yr (1194 mm)
None° / None°F

Avg. annual high / low

Lilongwe Rain: 50.7 in/yr (1289 mm)
75° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Porto-novo Lilongwe
Jan–Mar 78°/61°F (25°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/53°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/45°F (22°/7°C)
Oct–Dec 80°/57°F (27°/14°C)
View all months
Month Porto-novo Lilongwe
Jan 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.1°C)
Feb 78°/62°F (25.6°/16.5°C)
Mar 77°/61°F (24.8°/16.0°C)
Apr 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.9°C)
May 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C)
Jun 69°/46°F (20.4°/7.9°C)
Jul 69°/44°F (20.3°/6.5°C)
Aug 71°/44°F (21.9°/6.6°C)
Sep 77°/48°F (25.1°/8.7°C)
Oct 81°/53°F (27.2°/11.7°C)
Nov 81°/58°F (27.2°/14.2°C)
Dec 79°/61°F (26.1°/15.9°C)

Data: Agence Nationale de la Meteorologie (METEO BENIN) Agence Nationale de la Meteorologie (METEO BENIN), Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Benin and Malawi. To live, work, or study long-term in Malawi, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Malawi's immigration authority.

Benin passport

Benin passport holder visiting Malawi

Visa Free
Benin passport holders can enter Malawi without a visa.
Malawi passport

Malawi passport holder visiting Benin

Visa Free
Malawi passport holders can enter Benin without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Malawi?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Malawi has 0.1 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 Malawi safe for expats?

Malawi performs significantly better than Benin across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Malawi compared to Benin?

Malawi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Benin leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 0.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Malawi, compared to 2.0 in Benin. Malawi scores 48 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Benin: 38).

What's the weather like in Malawi compared to Benin?

The average high temperature in Lilongwe is 75°F, compared to None°F in Porto-novo. Lilongwe receives around 50.7 in of rainfall per year, while Porto-novo gets 47.0 in.

What language do they speak in Malawi?

The official languages in Malawi are Chewa and English. In Benin, the official language is French.

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At a Glance

BJ MW
Population 13,754,688 20,794,353
Currency CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA) Malawian Kwacha (MWK)
Languages French Chewa, English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +229 +265
Time zones 1 1