Moving to Israel from Malaysia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Malaysia to Israel? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Malaysia to Israel, you would find that Israel is 3.1 times more expensive than Malaysia overall. A MYR305,250 salary in Malaysia would need to be roughly ₪458,667 in Israel to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic and Hebrew. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Jerusalem averages 72°F vs 90°F in Kuala Lumpur, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Malaysia and Israel.
What does your salary buy?
MYR305,250 → ₪458,667
To maintain the same standard of living in Israel
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 5.1 times more
Groceries
pay 59.1% more
Transportation
pay 3.0 times more
Housing
pay 3.5 times more
Childcare
pay 4.0 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.3 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 Israel cost about 93% more than cities in Malaysia.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Israel compared to Malaysia.
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 Israel 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
Israel 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
Israel 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 Israel 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 Israel 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
Israel 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 | Jerusalem |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) | 58°/46°F (15°/8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) | 78°/60°F (25°/15°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 85°/67°F (29°/20°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 68°/55°F (20°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kuala Lumpur | Jerusalem |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) | 55°/44°F (12.8°/6.9°C) |
| Feb | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) | 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.1°C) |
| Mar | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) | 63°/49°F (17.0°/9.2°C) |
| Apr | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.1°C) |
| May | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) | 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.0°C) |
| Jun | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) | 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.2°C) |
| Jul | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) | 86°/68°F (30.0°/20.2°C) |
| Aug | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) | 86°/68°F (29.9°/20.0°C) |
| Sep | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) | 83°/66°F (28.4°/18.7°C) |
| Oct | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) | 78°/62°F (25.3°/16.8°C) |
| Nov | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) | 68°/55°F (19.9°/12.8°C) |
| Dec | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) | 59°/48°F (15.2°/9.0°C) |
Data:
Malaysian Meteorological Department,
Israel Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malaysia and Israel. To live, work, or study long-term in Israel, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Israel's immigration authority.
Malaysia passport holder visiting Israel
Visa Required
Israel passport holder visiting Malaysia
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Israel than Malaysia?
On average Israel is around 103% pricier than Malaysia, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Israel?
Budget about ₪114,667 for 3 months in Israel (based on a MYR305,250 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Israel?
Connectivity is usually fine (Israel: 29.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Israel offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Israel safe for expats?
Malaysia generally does better on safety, though Israel leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Israel is 1.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Malaysia. About 80% of people in Israel feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Israel compared to Malaysia?
Israel generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malaysia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 37.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Israel, compared to 23.2 in Malaysia. Israel scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malaysia: 76).
What's the weather like in Israel compared to Malaysia?
The average high temperature in Jerusalem is 72°F, compared to 90°F in Kuala Lumpur. Jerusalem receives around 21.1 in of rainfall per year, while Kuala Lumpur gets 95.6 in.
What language do they speak in Israel?
The official languages in Israel are Arabic and Hebrew. In Malaysia, the official languages are English and Malay.
