Moving to Malaysia from Kuwait
What to Expect
Considering a move from Kuwait to Malaysia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Kuwait to Malaysia, you would find that Malaysia is 6.8% cheaper than Kuwait overall. A KWD23,224 salary in Kuwait would need to be roughly MYR260,859 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.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Kuwait and Malaysia.
What does your salary buy?
KWD23,224 → MYR260,859
To maintain the same standard of living in Malaysia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 12.9% less
Groceries
pay 41.4% more
Transportation
pay 5.0% less
Housing
pay 36.5% less
Childcare
pay 13.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 20.3% 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.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Malaysia compared to Kuwait.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Kuwait performs better than Malaysia 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 Kuwait 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
Kuwait 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
Kuwait generally does better on infrastructure, though Malaysia leads in broadband per 100 people.
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
Kuwait performs better than Malaysia 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
Kuwait generally does better on family life, though Malaysia leads in infant mortality.
Data: Ministry of Finance, Kuwait, 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 | Kuwait City | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 73°/51°F (23°/11°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 104°/76°F (40°/25°C) | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 114°/84°F (46°/29°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/60°F (29°/15°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kuwait City | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 67°/47°F (19.5°/8.5°C) | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) |
| Feb | 71°/50°F (21.8°/10.0°C) | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) |
| Mar | 80°/57°F (26.9°/14.0°C) | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) |
| Apr | 93°/67°F (33.9°/19.5°C) | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) |
| May | 106°/78°F (40.9°/25.4°C) | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) |
| Jun | 114°/84°F (45.5°/28.9°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 116°/87°F (46.7°/30.7°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) |
| Aug | 116°/85°F (46.9°/29.5°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) |
| Sep | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.2°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 98°/71°F (36.6°/21.5°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Nov | 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.5°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 71°/50°F (21.9°/9.9°C) | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Department,
Malaysian Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Kuwait 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.
Kuwait passport holder visiting Malaysia
Visa Free
Malaysia passport holder visiting Kuwait
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 Kuwait?
On average Malaysia is about 15% less expensive than Kuwait, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Malaysia?
Budget about MYR65,215 for 3 months in Malaysia (based on a KWD23,224 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?
Kuwait performs better than Malaysia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malaysia is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Kuwait.
How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to Kuwait?
Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kuwait leads in health coverage index. There are 23.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 22.9 in Kuwait. Malaysia scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Kuwait: 78).
What's the weather like in Malaysia compared to Kuwait?
The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 94°F in Kuwait City. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Kuwait City gets 4.6 in.
What language do they speak in Malaysia?
The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In Kuwait, the official language is Arabic.
