Moving to Malaysia from Macau
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Macau to Malaysia — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Macau to Malaysia, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Malay. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Kuala Lumpur averages 90°F vs 77°F in Macao, making it significantly warmer.
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Key Indicator Comparison
How Macau and Malaysia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
Macau performs better than Malaysia across all safety metrics.
What about the environment?
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Macau performs better than Malaysia across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
Macau performs better than Malaysia 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
Macau 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
Macau performs better than Malaysia across all family life metrics.
Data: Secretariat for Economy and Finance, 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 | Macao | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 66°/57°F (19°/14°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 82°/73°F (28°/23°C) | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 88°/78°F (31°/26°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 74°/64°F (23°/18°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Macao | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64°/54°F (17.7°/12.2°C) | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) |
| Feb | 64°/56°F (17.7°/13.1°C) | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) |
| Mar | 69°/61°F (20.7°/16.2°C) | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) |
| Apr | 76°/68°F (24.5°/20.2°C) | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) |
| May | 83°/74°F (28.1°/23.6°C) | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) |
| Jun | 87°/78°F (30.3°/25.7°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 89°/79°F (31.5°/26.3°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) |
| Aug | 88°/79°F (31.2°/26.0°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) |
| Sep | 86°/77°F (30.0°/24.9°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 81°/72°F (27.4°/22.3°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Nov | 74°/64°F (23.4°/17.8°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 67°/57°F (19.6°/13.8°C) | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) |
Data:
Macao Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau,
Malaysian Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Macau 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.
Macau passport holder visiting Malaysia
Visa Free
Malaysia passport holder visiting Macau
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 Malaysia?
With 12.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Malaysia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Macau and Malaysia.
Is Malaysia safe for expats?
Macau performs better than Malaysia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malaysia is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Macau.
What's the weather like in Malaysia compared to Macau?
The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 77°F in Macao. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Macao gets 83.6 in.
What language do they speak in Malaysia?
The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In Macau, the official languages are Chinese and Portuguese.
