Moving to Malaysia from France
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from France to Malaysia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from France to Malaysia, you would find that Malaysia is 50.7% cheaper than France overall. A €65,577 salary in France would need to be roughly MYR184,107 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 60°F in Paris, making it significantly warmer.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from France to Malaysia.
What does your salary buy?
€65,577 → MYR184,107
To maintain the same standard of living in Malaysia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 75.1% less
Groceries
pay 31.6% less
Transportation
pay 54.0% less
Housing
pay 53.5% less
Childcare
pay 59.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 43.3% 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 34% less than cities in France.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from France 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 generally does better on safety, though France leads in road traffic deaths.
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
Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though France leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
France 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
France generally does better on infrastructure, though Malaysia leads in water stress level.
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 generally does better on employment & economy, though France leads in gdp per capita.
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
France performs better than Malaysia across all family life metrics.
Data: Direction Générale des Finances Publiques, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Paris | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/38°F (9°/3°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 74°/58°F (23°/14°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 52°/43°F (11°/6°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Paris | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C) | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) |
| Feb | 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C) | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) |
| Mar | 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C) | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) |
| Apr | 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C) | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) |
| May | 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C) | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) |
| Jun | 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) |
| Aug | 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) |
| Sep | 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Nov | 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C) | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) |
Météo-France
Malaysian Meteorological DepartmentVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between France 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.
France passport holder visiting Malaysia
Visa Free
Malaysia passport holder visiting France
Visa FreeData: 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 France?
Yes — Malaysia is on average about 40% cheaper than France. 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 MYR46,027 in Malaysia on a €65,577 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 12.4 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 generally does better on safety, though France leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Malaysia is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.6 in France. About 90% of people in Malaysia feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to France?
Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though France leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 23.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 33.4 in France. Malaysia scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (France: 85).
What's the weather like in Malaysia compared to France?
The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 60°F in Paris. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Paris gets 25.6 in.
What language do they speak in Malaysia?
The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In France, the official language is French.
