Moving to Malawi from California
What to Expect
Considering a move from California to Malawi? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from California to Malawi. 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 Malawi compared to California.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Malawi performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
California performs better than Malawi across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
California generally does better on employment & economy, though Malawi leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
California performs better than Malawi across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Sacramento | Lilongwe |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) | 78°/61°F (25°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) | 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) | 72°/45°F (22°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) | 80°/57°F (27°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sacramento | Lilongwe |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) | 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.1°C) |
| Feb | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) | 78°/62°F (25.6°/16.5°C) |
| Mar | 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) | 77°/61°F (24.8°/16.0°C) |
| Apr | 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) | 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.9°C) |
| May | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) | 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C) |
| Jun | 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) | 69°/46°F (20.4°/7.9°C) |
| Jul | 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) | 69°/44°F (20.3°/6.5°C) |
| Aug | 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) | 71°/44°F (21.9°/6.6°C) |
| Sep | 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) | 77°/48°F (25.1°/8.7°C) |
| Oct | 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) | 81°/53°F (27.2°/11.7°C) |
| Nov | 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) | 81°/58°F (27.2°/14.2°C) |
| Dec | 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) | 79°/61°F (26.1°/15.9°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Malawi
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Malawi passport holder visiting United States
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Malawi?
From major Malawi cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in California and Malawi are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Malawi compared to California?
Malawi performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Malawi compared to California?
The average high temperature in Lilongwe is 75°F, compared to 74°F in Sacramento. Lilongwe receives around 50.7 in of rainfall per year, while Sacramento gets 18.5 in.
What language do they speak in Malawi?
The official languages in Malawi are Chewa and English. In California, the official language is English.
