Moving to Turkey from Malaysia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Malaysia to Turkey? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Malaysia to Turkey, you would find that Turkey is 18.5% more expensive than Malaysia overall. A MYR310,000 salary in Malaysia would need to be roughly TRY4,450,000 in Turkey to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Turkish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Istanbul averages 65°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 ↓Is Turkey cheaper than Malaysia?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 87.8% more
Groceries
pay 35.3% less
Transportation
pay 55.5% more
Housing
pay 25.9% more
Childcare
pay 2.1 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 7.5% 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.
What salary do you need in Turkey?
What does your salary buy?
MYR310,000 → TRY4,450,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Turkey
Calculate with your salary →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 Turkey cost about 16% more than cities in Malaysia.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Turkey
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Malaysia to Turkey.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Turkey 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
Malaysia generally does better on safety, though Turkey 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
Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Turkey leads in suicide rate.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Turkey 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 Turkey 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 Turkey leads in gdp per capita.
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
Malaysia generally does better on family life, though Turkey leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (2016), Revenue Administration, Government of Turkey (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Turkey vs Malaysia
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Kuala Lumpur | Istanbul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) | 49°/38°F (10°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) | 71°/54°F (21°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 81°/64°F (27°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 60°/48°F (16°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kuala Lumpur | Istanbul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) | 48°/37°F (8.7°/2.9°C) |
| Feb | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) | 48°/37°F (9.1°/2.8°C) |
| Mar | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) | 52°/39°F (11.2°/3.9°C) |
| Apr | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) | 62°/46°F (16.5°/7.7°C) |
| May | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) | 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.0°C) |
| Jun | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) | 79°/61°F (26.0°/16.0°C) |
| Jul | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) | 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.5°C) |
| Aug | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) | 83°/66°F (28.5°/18.7°C) |
| Sep | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.5°C) |
| Oct | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) | 68°/54°F (20.1°/12.0°C) |
| Nov | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) | 60°/47°F (15.3°/8.5°C) |
| Dec | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) | 52°/42°F (11.1°/5.3°C) |
Data:
Malaysian Meteorological Department,
Turkish State Meteorological Service
Can you move from Malaysia to Turkey?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malaysia and Turkey. To live, work, or study long-term in Turkey, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Turkey's immigration authority.
Malaysia passport holder visiting Turkey
Visa Free
Turkey 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 Turkey than Malaysia?
On average Turkey is around 18% pricier than Malaysia, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Turkey?
Budget about TRY1,112,500 for 3 months in Turkey (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 Turkey?
Connectivity is usually fine (Turkey: 23.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Turkey offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Turkey safe for expats?
Malaysia generally does better on safety, though Turkey leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Turkey is 3.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Malaysia. About 61% of people in Turkey feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Turkey compared to Malaysia?
Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Turkey leads in suicide rate. There are 22.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Turkey, compared to 23.4 in Malaysia. Turkey scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malaysia: 76).
What's the weather like in Turkey compared to Malaysia?
The average high temperature in Istanbul is 65°F, compared to 90°F in Kuala Lumpur. Istanbul receives around 26.7 in of rainfall per year, while Kuala Lumpur gets 95.6 in.
What language do they speak in Turkey?
The official language in Turkey is Turkish. In Malaysia, the official languages are English and Malay.
