Moving to Malaysia from Burundi

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Burundi to Malaysia — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Burundi 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

How Burundi and Malaysia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BI
5.8
MY
0.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BI
12.3
MY
13.9

Burundi generally does better on safety, though Malaysia leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BI
$100
MY
$1,441
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

BI
0.6
MY
23.2

Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Burundi 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

BI
71.0
MY
63.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BI
0.1t
MY
8.3t

Burundi 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

BI
0.0
MY
12.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BI
10.2%
MY
3.4%

Malaysia performs significantly better than Burundi across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BI
0.9%
MY
3.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BI
$900
MY
$33,600

Burundi generally does better on employment & economy, though Malaysia leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BI
67.4 yrs
MY
76.1 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BI
37.8
MY
6.6

Malaysia generally does better on family life, though Burundi 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.

Bujumbura Rain: 30.9 in/yr (786 mm)
85° / 66°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bujumbura Kuala Lumpur
Jan–Mar 85°/67°F (29°/19°C) 91°/73°F (33°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 86°/66°F (30°/19°C) 91°/75°F (33°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) 90°/74°F (32°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 85°/66°F (29°/19°C) 89°/74°F (32°/23°C)
View all months
Month Bujumbura Kuala Lumpur
Jan 84°/67°F (29.1°/19.2°C) 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C)
Feb 85°/67°F (29.7°/19.3°C) 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C)
Mar 85°/67°F (29.3°/19.3°C) 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C)
Apr 85°/67°F (29.2°/19.6°C) 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C)
May 86°/66°F (29.9°/19.1°C) 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C)
Jun 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.6°C) 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C)
Jul 85°/63°F (29.2°/17.2°C) 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C)
Aug 86°/63°F (30.0°/17.4°C) 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C)
Sep 88°/65°F (30.9°/18.6°C) 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C)
Oct 86°/66°F (30.1°/19.1°C) 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C)
Nov 84°/66°F (29.1°/19.1°C) 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C)
Dec 84°/66°F (28.9°/19.1°C) 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C)

Data: Institut Géographique du Burundi (IGEBU) Institut Géographique du Burundi (IGEBU), Malaysian Meteorological Department Malaysian Meteorological Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Burundi 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.

Burundi passport

Burundi passport holder visiting Malaysia

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Burundi passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Malaysia.
Malaysia passport

Malaysia passport holder visiting Burundi

Visa on Arrival
Malaysia passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Burundi.

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?

With 12.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Malaysia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Burundi and Malaysia.

Is Malaysia safe for expats?

Burundi 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 5.8 in Burundi.

How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to Burundi?

Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Burundi leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 23.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 0.6 in Burundi. Malaysia scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Burundi: 41).

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

The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 85°F in Bujumbura. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Bujumbura gets 30.9 in.

What language do they speak in Malaysia?

The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In Burundi, the official languages are French and Kirundi.

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At a Glance

BI MY
Population 12,696,478 33,871,431
Currency Burundian Franc (BIF) Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)
Languages French, Kirundi English, Malay
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +257 +60
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999