Moving to Malaysia from Mauritius

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Mauritius to Malaysia — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Mauritius to Malaysia, you would find that Malaysia is 6.2% cheaper than Mauritius overall. A MUR3,536,250 salary in Mauritius would need to be roughly MYR308,954 in Malaysia to maintain the same lifestyle.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Mauritius to Malaysia.

What does your salary buy?

MUR3,536,250 MYR308,954

To maintain the same standard of living in Malaysia

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 32.8% less

Groceries

pay 25.0% more

Transportation

pay 45.4% less

Housing

pay 16.6% less

Childcare

pay 30.1% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 6.7% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 MUR = 0.0869 MYR (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Mauritius and Malaysia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

MU
2.2
MY
0.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MU
9.7
MY
13.9

Mauritius generally does better on safety, though Malaysia leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

MU
$1,566
MY
$1,441
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

MU
12.0
MY
23.2

Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Mauritius leads in adult obesity rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

MU
28.0
MY
63.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MU
3.5t
MY
8.3t

Mauritius performs better than Malaysia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

MU
25.7
MY
12.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MU
22.0%
MY
3.4%

Malaysia generally does better on infrastructure, though Mauritius leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

MU
6.1%
MY
3.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MU
$26,600
MY
$33,600

Malaysia generally does better on employment & economy, though Mauritius leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

MU
74.9 yrs
MY
76.1 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MU
12.1
MY
6.6

Malaysia generally does better on family life, though Mauritius leads in education spending.

Data: Mauritius Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Port Louis Rain: 28.0 in/yr (711 mm)
85° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Port Louis Kuala Lumpur
Jan–Mar 89°/75°F (31°/24°C) 91°/73°F (33°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/71°F (29°/21°C) 91°/75°F (33°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 81°/67°F (27°/19°C) 90°/74°F (32°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 86°/71°F (30°/22°C) 89°/74°F (32°/23°C)
View all months
Month Port Louis Kuala Lumpur
Jan 89°/75°F (31.5°/24.1°C) 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C)
Feb 89°/75°F (31.4°/24.0°C) 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C)
Mar 89°/75°F (31.5°/23.8°C) 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C)
Apr 87°/73°F (30.7°/23.0°C) 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C)
May 85°/71°F (29.3°/21.5°C) 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C)
Jun 82°/68°F (27.6°/19.9°C) 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C)
Jul 80°/67°F (26.7°/19.3°C) 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C)
Aug 80°/66°F (26.8°/19.1°C) 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C)
Sep 82°/67°F (27.7°/19.4°C) 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C)
Oct 84°/69°F (28.8°/20.4°C) 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C)
Nov 86°/71°F (30.2°/21.8°C) 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C)
Dec 88°/74°F (31.1°/23.2°C) 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C)

Data: Mauritius Meteorological Services Mauritius Meteorological Services, Malaysian Meteorological Department Malaysian Meteorological Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Mauritius passport

Mauritius passport holder visiting Malaysia

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

Malaysia passport holder visiting Mauritius

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Malaysia than Mauritius?

Headline costs are within a few percent between Malaysia and Mauritius; rent and dining are where you'll actually feel differences.

How much money do I need to move to Malaysia?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a MUR3,536,250 comparable salary, that's around MYR77,238 in Malaysia for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Malaysia?

With 12.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Malaysia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Mauritius and Malaysia.

Is Malaysia safe for expats?

Mauritius generally does better on safety, though Malaysia leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Malaysia is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.2 in Mauritius.

How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to Mauritius?

Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Mauritius leads in adult obesity rate. There are 23.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 12.0 in Mauritius. Malaysia scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Mauritius: 66).

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

The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 85°F in Port Louis. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Port Louis gets 28.0 in.

What language do they speak in Malaysia?

The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In Mauritius, the official languages are English, French and Mauritian Creole.

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At a Glance

MU MY
Population 1,308,222 33,871,431
Currency Mauritian Rupee (MUR) Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)
Languages English, French, Mauritian Creole English, Malay
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +230 +60
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 999