Moving to Portugal from Malawi

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Malawi to Portugal, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
521 ↑ 14% vs 2015

people born in Malawi live in Portugal · UN DESA

Who's moving to Portugal?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Portugal compared to Malawi.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MW
1.8
PT
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MW
20.2
PT
7.2

Portugal performs significantly better than Malawi across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

MW
$125
PT
$4,928
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

MW
0.5
PT
57.7

Malawi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Portugal 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
PT
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MW
0.2t
PT
3.3t

Malawi generally does better on environment, though Portugal leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

MW
0.1
PT
43.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MW
17.5%
PT
12.3%

Portugal 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%
PT
6.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MW
$1,700
PT
$41,700

Malawi generally does better on employment & economy, though Portugal 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
PT
81.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MW
33.4
PT
2.5

Portugal performs significantly better than Malawi across all family life metrics.

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

Lisbon Rain: 29.6 in/yr (751 mm)
69° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Lilongwe Lisbon
Jan–Mar 78°/61°F (25°/16°C) 61°/48°F (16°/9°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) 71°/56°F (22°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/45°F (22°/7°C) 81°/63°F (27°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 80°/57°F (27°/14°C) 65°/53°F (18°/12°C)
View all months
Month Lilongwe Lisbon
Jan 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.1°C) 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C)
Feb 78°/62°F (25.6°/16.5°C) 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C)
Mar 77°/61°F (24.8°/16.0°C) 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C)
Apr 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.9°C) 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C)
May 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C) 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C)
Jun 69°/46°F (20.4°/7.9°C) 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C)
Jul 69°/44°F (20.3°/6.5°C) 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C)
Aug 71°/44°F (21.9°/6.6°C) 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C)
Sep 77°/48°F (25.1°/8.7°C) 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C)
Oct 81°/53°F (27.2°/11.7°C) 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C)
Nov 81°/58°F (27.2°/14.2°C) 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C)
Dec 79°/61°F (26.1°/15.9°C) 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C)

Data: Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services, Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Malawi passport

Malawi passport holder visiting Portugal

Visa Required
Malawi passport holders need a visa to enter Portugal.
Portugal passport

Portugal passport holder visiting Malawi

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Portugal passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Malawi.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Portugal?

Connectivity is usually fine (Portugal: 43.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Portugal offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Portugal safe for expats?

Portugal performs significantly better than Malawi across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Portugal is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.8 in Malawi.

How is healthcare in Portugal compared to Malawi?

Malawi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Portugal leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 57.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Portugal, compared to 0.5 in Malawi. Portugal scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malawi: 48).

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

The average high temperature in Lisbon is 69°F, compared to 75°F in Lilongwe. Lisbon receives around 29.6 in of rainfall per year, while Lilongwe gets 50.7 in.

What language do they speak in Portugal?

The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. In Malawi, the official languages are Chewa and English.

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At a Glance

MW PT
Population 20,794,353 10,242,081
Currency Malawian Kwacha (MWK) Euro (€)
Languages Chewa, English Portuguese
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +265 +351
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 112