Moving to Indonesia from Malaysia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Malaysia to Indonesia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Malaysia to Indonesia, you would find that Indonesia is 16.8% cheaper than Malaysia overall. A MYR307,192 salary in Malaysia would need to be roughly IDR1,022,737,592 in Indonesia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Indonesian.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Malaysia to Indonesia.
What does your salary buy?
MYR307,192 → IDR1,022,737,592
To maintain the same standard of living in Indonesia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 27.4% less
Groceries
pay 10.1% less
Transportation
pay 9.6% less
Housing
pay 8.4% less
Childcare
pay 21.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 36.0% 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.
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 Indonesia cost about 27% less than cities in Malaysia.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Indonesia
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Malaysia to Indonesia, based on official data.
Who's moving to Indonesia?
Top countries of origin for Indonesia's foreign-born residents.
- 76,028
- 33,580
- 32,911
- 23,681
- 23,681
- 23,681
- · · ·
-
16.2,378
Malaysia
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Malaysia to Indonesia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Indonesia generally does better on safety, though Malaysia leads in feel safe walking at night.
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
Indonesia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malaysia 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
Indonesia 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 performs better than Indonesia 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
share of people below the poverty line
Malaysia generally does better on employment & economy, though Indonesia leads in unemployment rate.
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
Malaysia generally does better on family life, though Indonesia leads in literacy rate.
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 | Jakarta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) | 87°/76°F (31°/25°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kuala Lumpur | Jakarta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) | 86°/76°F (29.9°/24.2°C) |
| Feb | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) | 87°/76°F (30.3°/24.3°C) |
| Mar | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) | 89°/77°F (31.5°/25.2°C) |
| Apr | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) | 90°/77°F (32.5°/25.1°C) |
| May | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.4°C) |
| Jun | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) | 89°/77°F (31.4°/24.8°C) |
| Jul | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) | 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.1°C) |
| Aug | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) | 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) |
| Sep | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) | 91°/78°F (33.0°/25.5°C) |
| Oct | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) | 91°/78°F (32.7°/25.5°C) |
| Nov | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) | 88°/77°F (31.3°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) | 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) |
Data:
Malaysian Meteorological Department,
Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malaysia and Indonesia. To live, work, or study long-term in Indonesia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Indonesia's immigration authority.
Malaysia passport holder visiting Indonesia
Visa Free
Indonesia 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 Indonesia than Malaysia?
Yes — Indonesia is on average about 24% cheaper than Malaysia. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Indonesia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly IDR255,684,398 in Indonesia on a MYR307,192 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Indonesia?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Indonesia has 4.9 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 Indonesia safe for expats?
Indonesia generally does better on safety, though Malaysia leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Indonesia is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Malaysia. About 63% of people in Indonesia feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Indonesia compared to Malaysia?
Indonesia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malaysia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 6.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Indonesia, compared to 23.2 in Malaysia. Indonesia scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malaysia: 76).
What's the weather like in Indonesia compared to Malaysia?
The average high temperature in Jakarta is 89°F, compared to 90°F in Kuala Lumpur. Jakarta receives around 65.2 in of rainfall per year, while Kuala Lumpur gets 95.6 in.
What language do they speak in Indonesia?
The official language in Indonesia is Indonesian. In Malaysia, the official languages are English and Malay.
