Moving to Malaysia from Colombia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Colombia to Malaysia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Colombia to Malaysia, you would find that Malaysia is 37.4% cheaper than Colombia overall. A COP240,000,000 salary in Colombia would need to be roughly MYR191,000 in Malaysia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Malay. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Kuala Lumpur averages 90°F vs 61°F in Bogota, making it significantly warmer.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from Colombia to Malaysia.
What does your salary buy?
COP240,000,000 → MYR191,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Malaysia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 53.4% less
Groceries
pay 9.8% less
Transportation
pay 39.2% less
Housing
pay 49.3% less
Childcare
pay 37.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.4% 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.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Colombia to Malaysia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Malaysia performs significantly better than Colombia across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Colombia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malaysia leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Colombia performs better than Malaysia across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Malaysia generally does better on infrastructure, though Colombia leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Malaysia performs significantly better than Colombia across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Colombia generally does better on family life, though Malaysia leads in infant mortality.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Directorate of National Taxes and Customs (DIAN) (2016), Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Bogota | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/47°F (16°/9°C) | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 60°/45°F (15°/7°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bogota | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62°/42°F (16.4°/5.6°C) | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) |
| Feb | 62°/44°F (16.7°/6.5°C) | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) |
| Mar | 62°/46°F (16.7°/7.6°C) | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) |
| Apr | 61°/47°F (16.0°/8.6°C) | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) |
| May | 61°/48°F (16.2°/8.7°C) | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) |
| Jun | 60°/47°F (15.7°/8.3°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 59°/46°F (14.9°/7.7°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) |
| Aug | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.3°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) |
| Sep | 60°/45°F (15.8°/7.1°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 61°/46°F (15.9°/7.7°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Nov | 61°/46°F (16.0°/7.9°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 61°/43°F (16.1°/6.3°C) | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) |
Data:
Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environment Studies,
Malaysian Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Colombia 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.
Colombia passport holder visiting Malaysia
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Malaysia passport holder visiting Colombia
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 Colombia?
Yes — Malaysia is on average about 37% cheaper than Colombia. 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 MYR47,750 in Malaysia on a COP240,000,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Malaysia?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Malaysia has 13.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Malaysia safe for expats?
Malaysia performs significantly better than Colombia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malaysia is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 24.9 in Colombia. About 90% of people in Malaysia feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to Colombia?
Colombia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malaysia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 23.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 25.4 in Colombia. Malaysia scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Colombia: 80).
What's the weather like in Malaysia compared to Colombia?
The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 61°F in Bogota. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Bogota gets 31.5 in.
What language do they speak in Malaysia?
The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In Colombia, the official language is Spanish.
