Moving to China from Malaysia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Malaysia to China — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Malaysia to China, you would find that China is 7.9% cheaper than Malaysia overall. A MYR310,000 salary in Malaysia would need to be roughly CN¥468,000 in China to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Shanghai averages 68°F vs 90°F in Kuala Lumpur, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is China cheaper than Malaysia?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 9.1% less
Groceries
pay 21.5% less
Transportation
pay 0.6% less
Housing
pay 13.1% less
Childcare
pay 2.3 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 14.3% 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.
What salary do you need in China?
What does your salary buy?
MYR310,000 → CN¥468,000
To maintain the same standard of living in China
Calculate with your salary →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 China cost about 22% less than cities in Malaysia.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to China
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Malaysia to China, based on official data.
Who's moving to China?
Top countries of origin for China's foreign-born residents.
- 303,095
- 209,555
- 144,831
- 57,602
- 56,657
- 30,811
- · · ·
-
15.4,753
Malaysia
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Malaysia to China.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
China generally does better on safety, though Malaysia leads in road traffic deaths.
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
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malaysia 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
Malaysia performs better than China across all environment metrics.
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 generally does better on infrastructure, though China 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
share of people below the poverty line
Malaysia generally does better on employment & economy, though China leads in gdp per capita.
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
China performs significantly better than Malaysia across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (2016), State Administration of Taxation (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in China vs Malaysia
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Kuala Lumpur | Shanghai |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) | 49°/36°F (10°/2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) | 73°/60°F (23°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 62°/47°F (17°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kuala Lumpur | Shanghai |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) | 46°/33°F (7.7°/0.5°C) |
| Feb | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) | 47°/35°F (8.6°/1.5°C) |
| Mar | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) | 55°/41°F (12.7°/5.1°C) |
| Apr | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) | 65°/51°F (18.6°/10.6°C) |
| May | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) | 74°/60°F (23.5°/15.7°C) |
| Jun | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.3°C) |
| Jul | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) | 89°/77°F (31.6°/24.8°C) |
| Aug | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.7°C) |
| Sep | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) |
| Oct | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) | 72°/58°F (22.3°/14.7°C) |
| Nov | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) | 62°/47°F (16.7°/8.6°C) |
| Dec | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) | 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.4°C) |
Data:
Malaysian Meteorological Department,
China Meteorological Administration
Can you move from Malaysia to China?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malaysia and China. To live, work, or study long-term in China, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check China's immigration authority.
Malaysia passport holder visiting China
Visa Free
China passport holder visiting Malaysia
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in China than Malaysia?
Yes — China is on average about 8% cheaper than Malaysia. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to China?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly CN¥117,000 in China on a MYR310,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from China?
Internet is rarely the blocker — China has 47.2 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 China safe for expats?
China generally does better on safety, though Malaysia leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in China is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Malaysia. About 91% of people in China feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in China compared to Malaysia?
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malaysia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 31.1 doctors per 10,000 people in China, compared to 23.4 in Malaysia. China scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malaysia: 76).
What's the weather like in China compared to Malaysia?
The average high temperature in Shanghai is 68°F, compared to 90°F in Kuala Lumpur. Shanghai receives around 43.8 in of rainfall per year, while Kuala Lumpur gets 95.6 in.
What language do they speak in China?
The official language in China is Chinese. In Malaysia, the official languages are English and Malay.
