Moving to Senegal from Malaysia

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Malaysia to Senegal? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Malaysia to Senegal, and you’d need to navigate life in French. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Senegal compared to Malaysia.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MY
13.9
SN
20.8

Malaysia performs better than Senegal across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

MY
$1,441
SN
$206
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

MY
23.2
SN
1.3

Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Senegal leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

MY
63.0
SN
65.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MY
8.3t
SN
0.8t

Malaysia generally does better on environment, though Senegal leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

MY
12.4
SN
1.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MY
3.4%
SN
16.3%

Malaysia performs better than Senegal across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

MY
3.9%
SN
2.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MY
$33,600
SN
$4,400

Malaysia generally does better on employment & economy, though Senegal leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

MY
76.1 yrs
SN
70.0 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MY
6.6
SN
32.4

Malaysia generally does better on family life, though Senegal 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.

Kuala Lumpur Rain: 95.6 in/yr (2427 mm)
90° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

Dakar Rain: 14.9 in/yr (379 mm)
82° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kuala Lumpur Dakar
Jan–Mar 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) 77°/64°F (25°/18°C)
Apr–Jun 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) 79°/70°F (26°/21°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) 86°/77°F (30°/25°C)
Oct–Dec 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) 85°/73°F (29°/23°C)
View all months
Month Kuala Lumpur Dakar
Jan 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) 77°/64°F (24.9°/17.9°C)
Feb 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) 77°/64°F (24.8°/17.8°C)
Mar 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) 77°/65°F (25.1°/18.3°C)
Apr 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) 76°/66°F (24.7°/19.1°C)
May 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) 79°/69°F (25.9°/20.6°C)
Jun 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) 83°/74°F (28.5°/23.5°C)
Jul 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) 86°/77°F (29.9°/25.0°C)
Aug 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) 86°/77°F (30.2°/25.2°C)
Sep 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) 87°/77°F (30.6°/25.0°C)
Oct 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) 88°/77°F (30.9°/25.2°C)
Nov 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) 85°/74°F (29.7°/23.2°C)
Dec 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C)

Data: Malaysian Meteorological Department Malaysian Meteorological Department, Agence nationale de l'Aviation Civile et de la Météorologie (ANACIM) Agence nationale de l'Aviation Civile et de la Météorologie (ANACIM)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malaysia and Senegal. To live, work, or study long-term in Senegal, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Senegal's immigration authority.

Malaysia passport

Malaysia passport holder visiting Senegal

Visa Free
Malaysia passport holders can enter Senegal without a visa.
Senegal passport

Senegal passport holder visiting Malaysia

Visa Free
Senegal passport holders can enter Malaysia without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Senegal?

Connectivity is usually fine (Senegal: 1.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Senegal offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Senegal safe for expats?

Malaysia performs better than Senegal across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Senegal compared to Malaysia?

Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Senegal leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Senegal, compared to 23.2 in Malaysia. Senegal scores 50 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malaysia: 76).

What's the weather like in Senegal compared to Malaysia?

The average high temperature in Dakar is 82°F, compared to 90°F in Kuala Lumpur. Dakar receives around 14.9 in of rainfall per year, while Kuala Lumpur gets 95.6 in.

What language do they speak in Senegal?

The official language in Senegal is French. In Malaysia, the official languages are English and Malay.

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At a Glance

MY SN
Population 33,871,431 17,923,036
Currency Malaysian Ringgit (MYR) CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA)
Languages English, Malay French
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +60 +221
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999 17