Moving to Malawi from Cote d'Ivoire

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Cote d'Ivoire to Malawi — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Cote d'Ivoire to Malawi, and you’d need to navigate life in Chewa and English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Lilongwe averages 75°F vs 94°F in Yamoussoukro, making it significantly cooler.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Cote d'Ivoire and Malawi stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

CI
20.6
MW
20.2

Malawi performs significantly better than Cote d'Ivoire across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

CI
$249
MW
$125
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

CI
1.8
MW
0.5

Malawi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cote d'Ivoire 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

CI
86.0
MW
43.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CI
0.6t
MW
0.2t

Malawi performs significantly better than Cote d'Ivoire 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

CI
1.4
MW
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CI
5.1%
MW
17.5%

Cote d'Ivoire 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

CI
2.4%
MW
5.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

CI
$7,000
MW
$1,700

Cote d'Ivoire performs better than Malawi across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

CI
62.3 yrs
MW
72.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CI
55.7
MW
33.4

Cote d'Ivoire generally does better on family life, though Malawi leads in life expectancy.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Yamoussoukro Rain: 65.0 in/yr (1652 mm)
94° / 67°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Yamoussoukro Lilongwe
Jan–Mar 99°/63°F (37°/17°C) 78°/61°F (25°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 94°/69°F (35°/20°C) 72°/53°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/67°F (32°/19°C) 72°/45°F (22°/7°C)
Oct–Dec 94°/67°F (34°/20°C) 80°/57°F (27°/14°C)
View all months
Month Yamoussoukro Lilongwe
Jan 98°/59°F (36.7°/15.1°C) 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.1°C)
Feb 100°/65°F (38.0°/18.5°C) 78°/62°F (25.6°/16.5°C)
Mar 99°/65°F (37.4°/18.2°C) 77°/61°F (24.8°/16.0°C)
Apr 96°/68°F (35.7°/19.8°C) 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.9°C)
May 94°/70°F (34.7°/20.9°C) 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C)
Jun 92°/69°F (33.5°/20.8°C) 69°/46°F (20.4°/7.9°C)
Jul 90°/67°F (32.0°/19.5°C) 69°/44°F (20.3°/6.5°C)
Aug 88°/66°F (31.0°/19.0°C) 71°/44°F (21.9°/6.6°C)
Sep 91°/67°F (33.0°/19.5°C) 77°/48°F (25.1°/8.7°C)
Oct 94°/69°F (34.2°/20.5°C) 81°/53°F (27.2°/11.7°C)
Nov 94°/70°F (34.7°/21.2°C) 81°/58°F (27.2°/14.2°C)
Dec 94°/63°F (34.5°/17.2°C) 79°/61°F (26.1°/15.9°C)

Data: Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Cote d'Ivoire 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.

Cote d'Ivoire passport

Cote d'Ivoire passport holder visiting Malawi

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Cote d'Ivoire passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Malawi.
Malawi passport

Malawi passport holder visiting Cote d'Ivoire

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Malawi passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Cote d'Ivoire.

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 Cote d'Ivoire and Malawi.

Is Malawi safe for expats?

Malawi performs significantly better than Cote d'Ivoire across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Malawi compared to Cote d'Ivoire?

Malawi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cote d'Ivoire leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 0.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Malawi, compared to 1.8 in Cote d'Ivoire. Malawi scores 48 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Cote d'Ivoire: 43).

What's the weather like in Malawi compared to Cote d'Ivoire?

The average high temperature in Lilongwe is 75°F, compared to 94°F in Yamoussoukro. Lilongwe receives around 50.7 in of rainfall per year, while Yamoussoukro gets 65.0 in.

What language do they speak in Malawi?

The official languages in Malawi are Chewa and English. In Cote d'Ivoire, the official language is French.

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At a Glance

CI MW
Population 28,713,423 20,794,353
Currency CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA) Malawian Kwacha (MWK)
Languages French Chewa, English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +225 +265
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 110