Moving to Russia from Malaysia
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Malaysia to Russia — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Malaysia to Russia, you would find that Russia is 20.1% more expensive than Malaysia overall. A MYR310,000 salary in Malaysia would need to be roughly RUB7,760,000 in Russia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Russian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Moscow averages 48°F vs 90°F in Kuala Lumpur, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Malaysia to Russia.
What does your salary buy?
MYR310,000 → RUB7,760,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Russia
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 2.0 times more
Groceries
pay 20.1% less
Transportation
pay 6.6% more
Housing
pay 34.7% more
Childcare
pay 46.9% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 9.1% 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 Russia cost about 4% more than cities in Malaysia.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Russia
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Malaysia to Russia, and how the trend has changed.
Who's moving to Russia?
Top countries of origin for Russia's foreign-born residents.
- 3,268,263
- 2,558,907
- 1,146,175
- 766,918
- 763,879
- 591,025
- · · ·
-
41.1,554
Malaysia
Key Indicator Comparison
How Malaysia and Russia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
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 Russia 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
Russia 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
Malaysia generally does better on environment, though Russia leads in air pollution deaths.
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 Russia 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
Russia generally does better on employment & economy, though Malaysia leads in poverty 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
Russia generally does better on family life, though Malaysia leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (2016), Federal Tax Service of Russia (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 | Moscow |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) | 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 68°/52°F (20°/11°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kuala Lumpur | Moscow |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) | 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C) |
| Feb | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) | 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C) |
| Mar | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) | 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C) |
| Apr | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) | 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C) |
| May | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) | 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C) |
| Jun | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) | 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C) |
| Jul | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C) |
| Aug | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C) |
| Sep | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C) |
| Oct | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) | 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C) |
| Nov | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) | 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C) |
| Dec | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) | 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C) |
Data:
Malaysian Meteorological Department,
Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malaysia and Russia. To live, work, or study long-term in Russia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Russia's immigration authority.
Malaysia passport holder visiting Russia
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Russia 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 Russia than Malaysia?
Day-to-day costs in Russia run about 20% higher than Malaysia on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Russia?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a MYR310,000 comparable salary, that's around RUB1,940,000 in Russia for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Russia?
With 27.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Russia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Malaysia and Russia.
Is Russia safe for expats?
Malaysia generally does better on safety, though Russia leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Russia is 6.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Malaysia. About 90% of people in Russia feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Russia compared to Malaysia?
Russia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malaysia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 51.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Russia, compared to 23.4 in Malaysia. Russia scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malaysia: 76).
What's the weather like in Russia compared to Malaysia?
The average high temperature in Moscow is 48°F, compared to 90°F in Kuala Lumpur. Moscow receives around 27.2 in of rainfall per year, while Kuala Lumpur gets 95.6 in.
What language do they speak in Russia?
The official language in Russia is Russian. In Malaysia, the official languages are English and Malay.
