Moving to France from Malaysia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Malaysia to France — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Malaysia to France, you would find that France is 2.7 times more expensive than Malaysia overall. A MYR305,250 salary in Malaysia would need to be roughly €109,625 in France to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in French. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Paris averages 60°F vs 90°F in Kuala Lumpur, making it significantly cooler.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from Malaysia to France.
What does your salary buy?
MYR305,250 → €109,625
To maintain the same standard of living in France
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 4.3 times more
Groceries
pay 70.1% more
Transportation
pay 3.0 times more
Housing
pay 2.7 times more
Childcare
pay 3.1 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.1 times more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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 France cost about 51% more than cities in Malaysia.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Malaysia to France, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Malaysia to France.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Malaysia generally does better on safety, though France 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
Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though France leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
France performs significantly better than Malaysia 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 France 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 France 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
France performs significantly better than Malaysia across all family life metrics.
Data: Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia, 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 | Kuala Lumpur | Paris |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) | 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 74°/58°F (23°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 52°/43°F (11°/6°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kuala Lumpur | Paris |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) | 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C) |
| Feb | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) | 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C) |
| Mar | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) | 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C) |
| Apr | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) | 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C) |
| May | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) | 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C) |
| Jun | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) | 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C) |
| Jul | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C) |
| Aug | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) | 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C) |
| Sep | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) | 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C) |
| Oct | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) | 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C) |
| Nov | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) | 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C) |
| Dec | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) | 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C) |
Malaysian Meteorological Department
Météo-FranceVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malaysia and France. To live, work, or study long-term in France, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check France's immigration authority.
Malaysia passport holder visiting France
Visa Free
France 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 France than Malaysia?
No — France is on average about 67% more expensive than Malaysia. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to France?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €27,406 in France on a MYR305,250 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from France?
Internet is rarely the blocker — France has 49.4 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 France safe for expats?
Malaysia generally does better on safety, though France leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in France is 1.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Malaysia. About 82% of people in France feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in France compared to Malaysia?
Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though France leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 33.4 doctors per 10,000 people in France, compared to 23.2 in Malaysia. France scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malaysia: 76).
What's the weather like in France compared to Malaysia?
The average high temperature in Paris is 60°F, compared to 90°F in Kuala Lumpur. Paris receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while Kuala Lumpur gets 95.6 in.
What language do they speak in France?
The official language in France is French. In Malaysia, the official languages are English and Malay.
