Moving to Malaysia from Morocco

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Morocco to Malaysia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Morocco to Malaysia, you would find that Malaysia is 17.5% more expensive than Morocco overall. A MAD701,348 salary in Morocco would need to be roughly MYR335,816 in Malaysia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Malay. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Kuala Lumpur averages 90°F vs 73°F in Rabat, making it significantly warmer.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Morocco to Malaysia.

What does your salary buy?

MAD701,348 MYR335,816

To maintain the same standard of living in Malaysia

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 7.7% less

Groceries

pay 74.3% more

Transportation

pay 21.9% less

Housing

pay 8.9% more

Childcare

pay 57.3% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 13.3% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 MAD = 0.4352 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.

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 Malaysia cost about 8% more than cities in Morocco.

Morocco

Kenitra 32%
Tetouan 31%

Malaysia

Selangor 38%
Shah Alam 34%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Morocco to Malaysia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

MA
1.7
MY
0.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MA
18.6
MY
13.9

Malaysia performs significantly better than Morocco across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

MA
$606
MY
$1,441
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

MA
7.3
MY
23.2

Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Morocco 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

MA
59.0
MY
63.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MA
1.8t
MY
8.3t

Morocco 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

MA
6.4
MY
12.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MA
50.8%
MY
3.4%

Malaysia performs significantly better than Morocco across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

MA
9.1%
MY
3.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MA
$8,800
MY
$33,600

Malaysia generally does better on employment & economy, though Morocco leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

MA
73.7 yrs
MY
76.1 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MA
19.2
MY
6.6

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

Data: Direction Générale des Impôts, Morocco, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Rabat Rain: 20.6 in/yr (522 mm)
73° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Rabat Kuala Lumpur
Jan–Mar 65°/47°F (19°/8°C) 91°/73°F (33°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 74°/56°F (23°/13°C) 91°/75°F (33°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 81°/64°F (27°/18°C) 90°/74°F (32°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 71°/52°F (22°/11°C) 89°/74°F (32°/23°C)
View all months
Month Rabat Kuala Lumpur
Jan 63°/45°F (17.4°/7.2°C) 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C)
Feb 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.8°C) 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C)
Mar 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.5°C) 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C)
Apr 70°/52°F (21.2°/10.9°C) 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C)
May 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.3°C) 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C)
Jun 78°/61°F (25.6°/15.9°C) 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C)
Jul 81°/64°F (27.2°/17.9°C) 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C)
Aug 82°/65°F (27.8°/18.3°C) 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C)
Sep 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.8°C) 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C)
Oct 77°/58°F (24.8°/14.4°C) 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C)
Nov 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.8°C) 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C)
Dec 65°/48°F (18.6°/8.8°C) 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C)

Data: Direction de la Météorologie Nationale Direction de la Météorologie Nationale, Malaysian Meteorological Department Malaysian Meteorological Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Morocco 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.

Morocco passport

Morocco passport holder visiting Malaysia

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

Malaysia passport holder visiting Morocco

Visa Free
Malaysia passport holders can enter Morocco 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 Morocco?

No — Malaysia is on average about 10% more expensive than Morocco. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Malaysia?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly MYR83,954 in Malaysia on a MAD701,348 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Malaysia?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Malaysia has 12.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Malaysia safe for expats?

Malaysia performs significantly better than Morocco across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malaysia is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.7 in Morocco.

How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to Morocco?

Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Morocco leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 23.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 7.3 in Morocco. Malaysia scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Morocco: 69).

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

The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 73°F in Rabat. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Rabat gets 20.6 in.

What language do they speak in Malaysia?

The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In Morocco, the official languages are Arabic and Berber.

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At a Glance

MA MY
Population 36,738,229 33,871,431
Currency Moroccan Dirham (MAD) Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)
Languages Arabic, Berber English, Malay
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +212 +60
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 15 999