Moving to Taiwan from Malaysia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Malaysia to Taiwan? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Malaysia to Taiwan, you would find that Taiwan is 60.5% more expensive than Malaysia overall. A MYR310,350 salary in Malaysia would need to be roughly NT$2,968,856 in Taiwan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Malaysia and Taiwan.
What does your salary buy?
MYR310,350 → NT$2,968,856
To maintain the same standard of living in Taiwan
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 42.8% more
Groceries
pay 64.1% more
Transportation
pay 67.0% more
Housing
pay 19.9% more
Childcare
pay 2.9 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 19.3% 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 Taiwan cost about 21% more than cities in Malaysia.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Taiwan compared to Malaysia.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Malaysia performs better than Taiwan across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Taiwan generally does better on employment & economy, though Malaysia leads in top income tax rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
percentage of adults who can read and write
Taiwan performs significantly better than Malaysia across all family life metrics.
Data: Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia, The World Factbook
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malaysia and Taiwan. To live, work, or study long-term in Taiwan, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Taiwan's immigration authority.
Malaysia passport holder visiting Taiwan
Visa Free
Taiwan 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 Taiwan than Malaysia?
On average Taiwan is around 25% pricier than Malaysia, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Taiwan?
Budget about NT$742,214 for 3 months in Taiwan (based on a MYR310,350 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Taiwan?
From major Taiwan cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Malaysia and Taiwan are what actually decide it long-term.
What language do they speak in Taiwan?
The official language in Taiwan is Chinese. In Malaysia, the official languages are English and Malay.
