Moving to Malaysia from Ghana
What to Expect
Considering a move from Ghana to Malaysia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Ghana to Malaysia, you would find that Malaysia is 38.1% more expensive than Ghana overall. A GHS864,429 salary in Ghana would need to be roughly MYR460,240 in Malaysia to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Ghana and Malaysia.
What does your salary buy?
GHS864,429 → MYR460,240
To maintain the same standard of living in Malaysia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 16.2% less
Groceries
pay 0.9% less
Transportation
pay 53.3% more
Housing
pay 14.9% more
Childcare
pay 39.5% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 63.4% more
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
The numbers behind daily life in Malaysia compared to Ghana.
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 Ghana 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
Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ghana 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
Ghana generally does better on environment, though Malaysia leads in air pollution deaths.
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 performs significantly better than Ghana across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Ghana generally does better on employment & economy, though Malaysia 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
Malaysia generally does better on family life, though Ghana leads in education spending.
Data: Ghana Revenue Authority, 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 | Accra | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/76°F (33°/25°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 88°/76°F (31°/24°C) | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 84°/74°F (29°/23°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/75°F (32°/24°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Accra | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/75°F (32.4°/24.1°C) | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) |
| Feb | 92°/77°F (33.1°/25.0°C) | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) |
| Mar | 91°/77°F (33.0°/25.1°C) | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) |
| Apr | 91°/77°F (32.7°/25.1°C) | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) |
| May | 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.4°C) | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) |
| Jun | 85°/74°F (29.7°/23.6°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 83°/74°F (28.4°/23.1°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) |
| Aug | 83°/73°F (28.3°/22.7°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) |
| Sep | 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.1°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Nov | 90°/76°F (32.0°/24.2°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 90°/76°F (32.1°/24.3°C) | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) |
Data:
Ghana Meteorological Agency,
Malaysian Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ghana 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.
Ghana passport holder visiting Malaysia
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Malaysia passport holder visiting Ghana
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 Ghana?
On average Malaysia is around 50% pricier than Ghana, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Malaysia?
Budget about MYR115,060 for 3 months in Malaysia (based on a GHS864,429 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Malaysia?
Connectivity is usually fine (Malaysia: 12.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Malaysia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Malaysia safe for expats?
Malaysia performs significantly better than Ghana across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malaysia is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.8 in Ghana. About 90% of people in Malaysia feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to Ghana?
Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ghana leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 23.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 1.4 in Ghana. Malaysia scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ghana: 48).
What's the weather like in Malaysia compared to Ghana?
The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 88°F in Accra. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Accra gets 29.2 in.
What language do they speak in Malaysia?
The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In Ghana, the official language is English.
