Moving to Oman from Malaysia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Malaysia to Oman? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Malaysia to Oman, you would find that Oman is 34.7% more expensive than Malaysia overall. A MYR310,000 salary in Malaysia would need to be roughly OMR39,300 in Oman to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Malaysia and Oman.
What does your salary buy?
MYR310,000 → OMR39,300
To maintain the same standard of living in Oman
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 62.2% more
Groceries
pay 16.1% more
Transportation
pay 17.9% more
Housing
pay 52.4% more
Childcare
pay 0.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 92.9% 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.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Oman compared to Malaysia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Oman performs significantly better than Malaysia across all safety metrics.
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 Oman leads in suicide rate.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Malaysia performs better than Oman 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 Oman leads in electricity per capita.
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
Oman performs significantly better than Malaysia across all employment & economy metrics.
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
Oman generally does better on family life, though Malaysia leads in infant mortality.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (2016), Ministry of Finance, Oman (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Kuala Lumpur | Muscat |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) | 81°/65°F (27°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) | 100°/82°F (38°/28°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 97°/83°F (36°/28°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 87°/70°F (31°/21°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kuala Lumpur | Muscat |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) | 77°/62°F (25.1°/16.7°C) |
| Feb | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) | 80°/64°F (26.4°/17.8°C) |
| Mar | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.3°C) |
| Apr | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) | 94°/76°F (34.7°/24.2°C) |
| May | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) | 103°/84°F (39.6°/28.7°C) |
| Jun | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) | 104°/87°F (40.0°/30.3°C) |
| Jul | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) | 100°/86°F (38.0°/30.1°C) |
| Aug | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) | 96°/83°F (35.6°/28.2°C) |
| Sep | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) | 96°/80°F (35.6°/26.8°C) |
| Oct | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) | 94°/76°F (34.6°/24.2°C) |
| Nov | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) | 87°/69°F (30.3°/20.8°C) |
| Dec | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) | 80°/65°F (26.8°/18.3°C) |
Data:
Malaysian Meteorological Department,
Directorate General of Meteorology - Civil Aviation Authority
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malaysia and Oman. To live, work, or study long-term in Oman, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Oman's immigration authority.
Malaysia passport holder visiting Oman
Visa Free
Oman 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 Oman than Malaysia?
On average Oman is around 35% pricier than Malaysia, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Oman?
Budget about OMR9,825 for 3 months in Oman (based on a MYR310,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Oman?
Connectivity is usually fine (Oman: 11.1 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Oman offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Oman safe for expats?
Oman performs significantly better than Malaysia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Oman is 0.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Malaysia.
How is healthcare in Oman compared to Malaysia?
Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Oman leads in suicide rate. There are 19.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Oman, compared to 23.4 in Malaysia. Oman scores 70 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malaysia: 76).
What's the weather like in Oman compared to Malaysia?
The average high temperature in Muscat is 91°F, compared to 90°F in Kuala Lumpur. Muscat receives around 3.5 in of rainfall per year, while Kuala Lumpur gets 95.6 in.
What language do they speak in Oman?
The official language in Oman is Arabic. In Malaysia, the official languages are English and Malay.
