Moving to Japan from Malaysia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Malaysia to Japan? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Malaysia to Japan, you would find that Japan is 74.8% more expensive than Malaysia overall. A MYR305,250 salary in Malaysia would need to be roughly ¥14,001,321 in Japan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Japanese. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Tokyo averages 69°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 Japan.
What does your salary buy?
MYR305,250 → ¥14,001,321
To maintain the same standard of living in Japan
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 65.0% more
Groceries
pay 57.8% more
Transportation
pay 2.7 times more
Housing
pay 92.1% more
Childcare
pay 92.6% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 42.4% 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 Japan cost about 12% more than cities in Malaysia.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Malaysia to Japan.
people moved from Malaysia to Japan · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to Japan?
Top countries of origin for Japan's foreign-born residents.
- 775,893
- 456,203
- 335,668
- 275,252
- 204,814
- 58,340
- · · ·
-
18.10,519
Malaysia
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Japan 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
Japan 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
Japan 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
Japan 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 Japan 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 Japan 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
Japan generally does better on family life, though Malaysia leads in education spending.
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 | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kuala Lumpur | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) |
| Feb | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) |
| Mar | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) |
| Apr | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) |
| May | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) |
| Jun | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) |
| Jul | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) |
| Aug | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) |
| Sep | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) |
| Oct | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) |
| Nov | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) |
| Dec | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) |
Data:
Malaysian Meteorological Department,
Japan Meteorological Agency
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malaysia and Japan. To live, work, or study long-term in Japan, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Japan's immigration authority.
Malaysia passport holder visiting Japan
Visa Free
Japan 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 Japan than Malaysia?
On average Japan is around 15% pricier than Malaysia, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Japan?
Budget about ¥3,500,330 for 3 months in Japan (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 Japan?
Connectivity is usually fine (Japan: 37.2 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Japan offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Japan safe for expats?
Japan generally does better on safety, though Malaysia leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Japan is 0.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Malaysia. About 83% of people in Japan feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Japan compared to Malaysia?
Japan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malaysia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 26.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Japan, compared to 23.2 in Malaysia. Japan scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malaysia: 76).
What's the weather like in Japan compared to Malaysia?
The average high temperature in Tokyo is 69°F, compared to 90°F in Kuala Lumpur. Tokyo receives around 62.9 in of rainfall per year, while Kuala Lumpur gets 95.6 in.
What language do they speak in Japan?
The official language in Japan is Japanese. In Malaysia, the official languages are English and Malay.
