Moving to Malaysia from Iran
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Iran to Malaysia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Iran to Malaysia, you would find that Malaysia is 69.4% more expensive than Iran overall. A IRR100,000,000,000 salary in Iran would need to be roughly MYR504,000 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 72°F in Tehran, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Iran to Malaysia.
What does your salary buy?
IRR100,000,000,000 → MYR504,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Malaysia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 3.3% less
Groceries
pay 2.4 times more
Transportation
pay 50.0% more
Housing
pay 44.1% more
Childcare
pay 4.0 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.8 times 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.
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 6% more than cities in Iran.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Malaysia
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Iran to Malaysia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Malaysia performs significantly better than Iran 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 Iran 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
Iran generally does better on environment, though Malaysia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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 Iran 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
Malaysia performs significantly better than Iran across all employment & economy metrics.
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 Iran leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2014–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2007). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Tehran | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 52°/35°F (11°/2°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 82°/61°F (28°/16°C) | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 94°/72°F (35°/22°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Tehran | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45°/30°F (7.2°/-1.1°C) | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) |
| Feb | 50°/33°F (9.9°/0.7°C) | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) |
| Mar | 60°/41°F (15.4°/5.2°C) | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) |
| Apr | 71°/52°F (21.9°/10.9°C) | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) |
| May | 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.1°C) | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) |
| Jun | 93°/70°F (34.1°/20.9°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 98°/75°F (36.8°/24.0°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) |
| Aug | 96°/73°F (35.4°/23.0°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) |
| Sep | 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.2°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Nov | 62°/44°F (16.5°/6.7°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.3°C) | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) |
Malaysian Meteorological DepartmentVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iran 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.
Iran passport holder visiting Malaysia
Visa Free
Malaysia passport holder visiting Iran
Visa on ArrivalData: 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 Iran?
No — Malaysia is on average about 69% more expensive than Iran. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Malaysia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly MYR126,000 in Malaysia on a IRR100,000,000,000 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 13.6 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 performs significantly better than Iran across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malaysia is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.4 in Iran.
How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to Iran?
Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iran leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 23.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 18.1 in Iran. Malaysia scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iran: 74).
What's the weather like in Malaysia compared to Iran?
The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 72°F in Tehran. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Tehran gets 9.1 in.
What language do they speak in Malaysia?
The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In Iran, the official language is Persian (Farsi).
