Moving to Malawi from Gabon

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Gabon to Malawi — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Gabon 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.

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Gabon to Malawi.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GA
12.5
MW
20.2

Gabon performs better than Malawi across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

GA
$673
MW
$125
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

GA
4.8
MW
0.5

Gabon generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malawi leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

GA
53.0
MW
43.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GA
2.0t
MW
0.2t

Malawi performs significantly better than Gabon 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

GA
3.4
MW
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GA
0.5%
MW
17.5%

Gabon 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

GA
20.4%
MW
5.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GA
$19,800
MW
$1,700

Malawi generally does better on employment & economy, though Gabon leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

GA
69.7 yrs
MW
72.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GA
28.6
MW
33.4

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

Data: General Direction of Taxes, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Libreville Rain: 111.9 in/yr (2842 mm)
83° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Libreville Lilongwe
Jan–Mar 86°/75°F (30°/24°C) 78°/61°F (25°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 84°/74°F (29°/23°C) 72°/53°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 81°/72°F (27°/22°C) 72°/45°F (22°/7°C)
Oct–Dec 83°/74°F (28°/23°C) 80°/57°F (27°/14°C)
View all months
Month Libreville Lilongwe
Jan 85°/75°F (29.5°/24.1°C) 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.1°C)
Feb 86°/75°F (30.0°/24.0°C) 78°/62°F (25.6°/16.5°C)
Mar 86°/75°F (30.2°/23.9°C) 77°/61°F (24.8°/16.0°C)
Apr 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.1°C) 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.9°C)
May 85°/75°F (29.4°/24.0°C) 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C)
Jun 82°/74°F (27.6°/23.2°C) 69°/46°F (20.4°/7.9°C)
Jul 80°/72°F (26.4°/22.1°C) 69°/44°F (20.3°/6.5°C)
Aug 80°/71°F (26.8°/21.8°C) 71°/44°F (21.9°/6.6°C)
Sep 82°/74°F (27.5°/23.2°C) 77°/48°F (25.1°/8.7°C)
Oct 82°/74°F (28.0°/23.4°C) 81°/53°F (27.2°/11.7°C)
Nov 83°/74°F (28.4°/23.4°C) 81°/58°F (27.2°/14.2°C)
Dec 84°/74°F (29.0°/23.4°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 Gabon 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.

Gabon passport

Gabon passport holder visiting Malawi

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

Malawi passport holder visiting Gabon

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

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?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Malawi has 0.1 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 Malawi safe for expats?

Gabon performs better than Malawi across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Malawi compared to Gabon?

Gabon generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malawi leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 0.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Malawi, compared to 4.8 in Gabon. Malawi scores 48 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Gabon: 49).

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

The average high temperature in Lilongwe is 75°F, compared to 83°F in Libreville. Lilongwe receives around 50.7 in of rainfall per year, while Libreville gets 111.9 in.

What language do they speak in Malawi?

The official languages in Malawi are Chewa and English. In Gabon, the official language is French.

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At a Glance

GA MW
Population 2,340,613 20,794,353
Currency CFA Franc BEAC (FCFA) Malawian Kwacha (MWK)
Languages French Chewa, English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +241 +265
Time zones 1 1