Moving to Malawi from Gambia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Gambia to Malawi? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Gambia to Malawi. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Lilongwe averages 75°F vs 90°F in Banjul, making it significantly cooler.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Malawi compared to Gambia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
Malawi performs significantly better than Gambia 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
Gambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malawi leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Gambia generally does better on environment, though Malawi leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
share of households with internet
Gambia performs better than Malawi across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Malawi generally does better on employment & economy, though Gambia 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Malawi performs significantly better than Gambia across all family life metrics.
Data: 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 | Banjul | Lilongwe |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/65°F (33°/19°C) | 78°/61°F (25°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 89°/70°F (32°/21°C) | 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 72°/45°F (22°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 92°/71°F (33°/22°C) | 80°/57°F (27°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Banjul | Lilongwe |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/64°F (32.4°/17.9°C) | 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.1°C) |
| Feb | 92°/65°F (33.2°/18.3°C) | 78°/62°F (25.6°/16.5°C) |
| Mar | 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.6°C) | 77°/61°F (24.8°/16.0°C) |
| Apr | 89°/68°F (31.8°/19.9°C) | 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.9°C) |
| May | 89°/70°F (31.6°/21.0°C) | 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C) |
| Jun | 90°/72°F (32.4°/22.4°C) | 69°/46°F (20.4°/7.9°C) |
| Jul | 89°/74°F (31.8°/23.2°C) | 69°/44°F (20.3°/6.5°C) |
| Aug | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.4°C) | 71°/44°F (21.9°/6.6°C) |
| Sep | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) | 77°/48°F (25.1°/8.7°C) |
| Oct | 92°/75°F (33.5°/23.9°C) | 81°/53°F (27.2°/11.7°C) |
| Nov | 93°/71°F (34.0°/21.6°C) | 81°/58°F (27.2°/14.2°C) |
| Dec | 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.7°C) | 79°/61°F (26.1°/15.9°C) |
Data:
Department of Water Resources,
Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Gambia 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.
Gambia passport holder visiting Malawi
Visa Free
Malawi passport holder visiting Gambia
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Malawi?
Connectivity is usually fine (Malawi: 0.1 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Malawi offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Malawi safe for expats?
Malawi performs significantly better than Gambia across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Malawi compared to Gambia?
Gambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malawi leads in health coverage index. There are 0.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Malawi, compared to 1.0 in Gambia. Malawi scores 48 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Gambia: 46).
What's the weather like in Malawi compared to Gambia?
The average high temperature in Lilongwe is 75°F, compared to 90°F in Banjul. Lilongwe receives around 50.7 in of rainfall per year, while Banjul gets 32.3 in.
What language do they speak in Malawi?
The official languages in Malawi are Chewa and English. In Gambia, the official language is English.
