Moving to Malawi from Cameroon

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Cameroon to Malawi. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Cameroon and Malawi stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

per 100,000 people per year

CM
4.5
MW
1.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

CM
10.6
MW
20.2

Cameroon generally does better on safety, though Malawi leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

CM
$246
MW
$125
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

CM
1.3
MW
0.5

Malawi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cameroon 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

CM
101.0
MW
43.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CM
0.4t
MW
0.2t

Malawi performs significantly better than Cameroon 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

CM
2.2
MW
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CM
1.6%
MW
17.5%

Cameroon 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

CM
3.6%
MW
5.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

CM
$4,800
MW
$1,700

Cameroon generally does better on employment & economy, though Malawi leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

CM
63.3 yrs
MW
72.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CM
48.7
MW
33.4

Cameroon generally does better on family life, though Malawi leads in life expectancy.

Data: Ministry of Finance, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Yaounde Rain: 62.2 in/yr (1580 mm)
84° / 67°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Yaounde Lilongwe
Jan–Mar 88°/67°F (31°/19°C) 78°/61°F (25°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 84°/68°F (29°/20°C) 72°/53°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 81°/66°F (27°/19°C) 72°/45°F (22°/7°C)
Oct–Dec 83°/66°F (28°/19°C) 80°/57°F (27°/14°C)
View all months
Month Yaounde Lilongwe
Jan 85°/65°F (29.3°/18.2°C) 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.1°C)
Feb 87°/68°F (30.6°/20.0°C) 78°/62°F (25.6°/16.5°C)
Mar 92°/68°F (33.4°/19.9°C) 77°/61°F (24.8°/16.0°C)
Apr 85°/68°F (29.5°/20.1°C) 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.9°C)
May 84°/68°F (28.7°/20.1°C) 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C)
Jun 82°/67°F (27.5°/19.3°C) 69°/46°F (20.4°/7.9°C)
Jul 83°/66°F (28.3°/19.0°C) 69°/44°F (20.3°/6.5°C)
Aug 79°/66°F (26.3°/19.0°C) 71°/44°F (21.9°/6.6°C)
Sep 81°/67°F (27.2°/19.6°C) 77°/48°F (25.1°/8.7°C)
Oct 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.9°C) 81°/53°F (27.2°/11.7°C)
Nov 83°/67°F (28.2°/19.2°C) 81°/58°F (27.2°/14.2°C)
Dec 83°/66°F (28.3°/19.1°C) 79°/61°F (26.1°/15.9°C)

Data: Direction de la Meteorologie Nationale Direction de la Meteorologie Nationale, Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Cameroon 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.

Cameroon passport

Cameroon passport holder visiting Malawi

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

Malawi passport holder visiting Cameroon

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

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?

With 0.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Malawi can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Cameroon and Malawi.

Is Malawi safe for expats?

Cameroon generally does better on safety, though Malawi leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Malawi is 1.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.5 in Cameroon.

How is healthcare in Malawi compared to Cameroon?

Malawi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cameroon leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 0.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Malawi, compared to 1.3 in Cameroon. Malawi scores 48 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Cameroon: 44).

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

The average high temperature in Lilongwe is 75°F, compared to 84°F in Yaounde. Lilongwe receives around 50.7 in of rainfall per year, while Yaounde gets 62.2 in.

What language do they speak in Malawi?

The official languages in Malawi are Chewa and English. In Cameroon, the official languages are English and French.

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At a Glance

CM MW
Population 29,321,637 20,794,353
Currency CFA Franc BEAC (FCFA) Malawian Kwacha (MWK)
Languages English, French Chewa, English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +237 +265
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112