Moving to Namibia from Malawi

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Malawi to Namibia? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Malawi to Namibia.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Malawi to Namibia.

Living there in 2020
386 ↑ 7% vs 2015

people born in Malawi live in Namibia · UN DESA

Who's moving to Namibia?

Top countries of origin for Namibia's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Namibia compared to Malawi.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MW
1.8
NA
12.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MW
20.2
NA
22.0

Malawi performs better than Namibia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

MW
$125
NA
$1,068
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

MW
0.5
NA
5.4

Malawi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Namibia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

MW
43.0
NA
43.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MW
0.2t
NA
1.2t

Malawi performs better than Namibia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

MW
0.1
NA
3.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MW
17.5%
NA
0.9%

Namibia performs significantly better than Malawi across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

MW
5.0%
NA
19.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MW
$1,700
NA
$11,500

Malawi generally does better on employment & economy, though Namibia leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

MW
72.4 yrs
NA
66.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MW
33.4
NA
29.4

Namibia generally does better on family life, though Malawi leads in life expectancy.

Data: Malawi Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Lilongwe Rain: 50.7 in/yr (1289 mm)
75° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

Windhoek Rain: 14.5 in/yr (368 mm)
80° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Lilongwe Windhoek
Jan–Mar 78°/61°F (25°/16°C) 84°/63°F (29°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) 74°/50°F (23°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/45°F (22°/7°C) 76°/49°F (24°/9°C)
Oct–Dec 80°/57°F (27°/14°C) 87°/61°F (30°/16°C)
View all months
Month Lilongwe Windhoek
Jan 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.1°C) 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.7°C)
Feb 78°/62°F (25.6°/16.5°C) 84°/63°F (28.7°/17.0°C)
Mar 77°/61°F (24.8°/16.0°C) 81°/61°F (27.4°/15.9°C)
Apr 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.9°C) 78°/55°F (25.8°/12.9°C)
May 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C) 74°/50°F (23.4°/9.8°C)
Jun 69°/46°F (20.4°/7.9°C) 69°/44°F (20.7°/6.9°C)
Jul 69°/44°F (20.3°/6.5°C) 70°/44°F (21.2°/6.9°C)
Aug 71°/44°F (21.9°/6.6°C) 75°/48°F (23.8°/8.9°C)
Sep 77°/48°F (25.1°/8.7°C) 82°/54°F (27.5°/12.4°C)
Oct 81°/53°F (27.2°/11.7°C) 85°/58°F (29.3°/14.7°C)
Nov 81°/58°F (27.2°/14.2°C) 86°/61°F (30.2°/16.2°C)
Dec 79°/61°F (26.1°/15.9°C) 89°/63°F (31.4°/17.2°C)

Data: Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services, Namibia Meteorological Service Namibia Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malawi and Namibia. To live, work, or study long-term in Namibia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Namibia's immigration authority.

Malawi passport

Malawi passport holder visiting Namibia

Visa Free
Malawi passport holders can enter Namibia without a visa.
Namibia passport

Namibia passport holder visiting Malawi

Visa Free
Namibia passport holders can enter Malawi without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Namibia?

Connectivity is usually fine (Namibia: 3.9 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Namibia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Namibia safe for expats?

Malawi performs better than Namibia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Namibia is 12.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.8 in Malawi.

How is healthcare in Namibia compared to Malawi?

Malawi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Namibia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 5.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Namibia, compared to 0.5 in Malawi. Namibia scores 63 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malawi: 48).

What's the weather like in Namibia compared to Malawi?

The average high temperature in Windhoek is 80°F, compared to 75°F in Lilongwe. Windhoek receives around 14.5 in of rainfall per year, while Lilongwe gets 50.7 in.

What language do they speak in Namibia?

The official languages in Namibia are Afrikaans, English, German, Herero, Khoekhoe, Kwangali, Lozi, Ndonga and Tswana. In Malawi, the official languages are Chewa and English.

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At a Glance

MW NA
Population 20,794,353 2,727,409
Currency Malawian Kwacha (MWK) Namibian Dollar (NAD)
Languages Chewa, English Afrikaans, English, German, Herero, Khoekhoe, Kwangali, Lozi, Ndonga, Tswana
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +265 +264
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 10111