Moving to United States from Malaysia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Malaysia to United States? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Malaysia to United States, you would find that United States is 3.2 times more expensive than Malaysia overall. A MYR305,250 salary in Malaysia would need to be roughly $154,142 in United States to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Washington averages 66°F vs 90°F in Kuala Lumpur, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Malaysia and United States.
What does your salary buy?
MYR305,250 → $154,142
To maintain the same standard of living in United States
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 4.3 times more
Groceries
pay 2.0 times more
Transportation
pay 2.4 times more
Housing
pay 4.3 times more
Childcare
pay 5.9 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.1 times 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 United States cost about 143% more than cities in Malaysia.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Malaysia to United States.
people moved from Malaysia to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
77.73,947
Malaysia
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in United States 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 performs better than United States 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 United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
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 United States 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 United States 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 United States leads in unemployment 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
United States performs significantly better than Malaysia across all family life metrics.
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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Kuala Lumpur | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kuala Lumpur | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) |
| Feb | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) |
| Mar | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) |
| Apr | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) |
| May | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) |
| Jun | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) |
| Jul | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) |
| Aug | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) |
| Sep | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) |
| Oct | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) |
| Nov | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) |
| Dec | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) |
Data:
Malaysian Meteorological Department,
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malaysia and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Malaysia passport holder visiting United States
Visa Required
United States 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 United States than Malaysia?
On average United States is around 106% pricier than Malaysia, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to United States?
Budget about $38,536 for 3 months in United States (based on a MYR305,250 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from United States?
Connectivity is usually fine (United States: 37.8 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does United States offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is United States safe for expats?
Malaysia performs better than United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United States is 6.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Malaysia. About 63% of people in United States feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in United States compared to Malaysia?
Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United States, compared to 23.2 in Malaysia. United States scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malaysia: 76).
What's the weather like in United States compared to Malaysia?
The average high temperature in Washington is 66°F, compared to 90°F in Kuala Lumpur. Washington receives around 41.5 in of rainfall per year, while Kuala Lumpur gets 95.6 in.
What language do they speak in United States?
The official language in United States is English. In Malaysia, the official languages are English and Malay.
