Moving to Malaysia from California
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from California to Malaysia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from California to Malaysia, you would find that Malaysia is 58.0% cheaper than California. A $75,000 salary in California would need to be roughly MYR149,468 in Malaysia to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Kuala Lumpur averages 90°F vs 74°F in Sacramento, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from California to Malaysia.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → MYR149,468
To maintain the same standard of living in Malaysia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 76.3% less
Groceries
pay 40.5% less
Transportation
pay 47.2% less
Housing
pay 78.3% less
Childcare
pay 84.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 55.9% 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.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Malaysia cost about 57% less than cities in California.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from California to Malaysia.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Malaysia performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Malaysia performs significantly better than California 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
Malaysia generally does better on employment & economy, though California leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
California performs better than Malaysia 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 | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sacramento | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) |
| Feb | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) |
| Mar | 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) |
| Apr | 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) |
| May | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) |
| Jun | 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) |
| Aug | 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) |
| Sep | 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Nov | 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Malaysian Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Malaysia
Visa Free
Malaysia 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
Is it cheaper to live in Malaysia than California?
Yes — Malaysia is on average about 51% cheaper than California. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Malaysia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly MYR37,367 in Malaysia on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Malaysia?
Usually fine from major cities in Malaysia. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to California?
Malaysia performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Malaysia compared to California?
The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 74°F in Sacramento. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Sacramento gets 18.5 in.
What language do they speak in Malaysia?
The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In California, the official language is English.
