Moving to Malaysia from Benin

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Benin to Malaysia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

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

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Malaysia compared to Benin.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BJ
24.8
MY
13.9

Malaysia 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
MY
$1,441
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BJ
2.0
MY
23.2

Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Benin leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BJ
77.0
MY
63.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BJ
0.5t
MY
8.3t

Benin generally does better on environment, though Malaysia leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BJ
0.2
MY
12.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BJ
1.0%
MY
3.4%

Malaysia generally does better on infrastructure, though Benin leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BJ
1.4%
MY
3.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BJ
$3,800
MY
$33,600

Malaysia generally does better on employment & economy, though Benin leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BJ
62.2 yrs
MY
76.1 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BJ
55.8
MY
6.6

Malaysia performs significantly better than Benin across all family life metrics.

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

Kuala Lumpur Rain: 95.6 in/yr (2427 mm)
90° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Porto-novo Kuala Lumpur
Jan–Mar 91°/73°F (33°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 91°/75°F (33°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/74°F (32°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 89°/74°F (32°/23°C)
View all months
Month Porto-novo Kuala Lumpur
Jan 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C)
Feb 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C)
Mar 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C)
Apr 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C)
May 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C)
Jun 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C)
Jul 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C)
Aug 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C)
Sep 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C)
Oct 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C)
Nov 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C)
Dec 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C)

Data: Agence Nationale de la Meteorologie (METEO BENIN) Agence Nationale de la Meteorologie (METEO BENIN), Malaysian Meteorological Department Malaysian Meteorological Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Benin 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.

Benin passport

Benin passport holder visiting Malaysia

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

Malaysia passport holder visiting Benin

Visa Free
Malaysia 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 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?

Malaysia performs significantly better than Benin across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to Benin?

Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Benin leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 23.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 2.0 in Benin. Malaysia scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Benin: 38).

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

The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to None°F in Porto-novo. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Porto-novo gets 47.0 in.

What language do they speak in Malaysia?

The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In Benin, the official language is French.

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At a Glance

BJ MY
Population 13,754,688 33,871,431
Currency CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA) Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)
Languages French English, Malay
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +229 +60
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999