Moving to Malawi from Mozambique

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Mozambique to Malawi? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Mozambique to Malawi, and you’d need to navigate life in Chewa and English.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Mozambique to Malawi.

Living there in 2020
40,131 ↓ 15% vs 2015

people born in Mozambique live in Malawi · UN DESA

Who's moving to Malawi?

Top countries of origin for Malawi's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Malawi compared to Mozambique.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2012

per 100,000 people per year

MZ
3.6
MW
1.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MZ
20.1
MW
20.2

Mozambique generally does better on safety, though Malawi leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

MZ
$143
MW
$125
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

MZ
0.8
MW
0.5

Malawi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Mozambique leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

MZ
64.0
MW
43.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MZ
0.3t
MW
0.2t

Malawi performs significantly better than Mozambique 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

MZ
0.2
MW
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MZ
1.8%
MW
17.5%

Mozambique performs better than Malawi across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

MZ
3.5%
MW
5.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MZ
$1,500
MW
$1,700

Malawi generally does better on employment & economy, though Mozambique leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

MZ
57.1 yrs
MW
72.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MZ
61.4
MW
33.4

Malawi generally does better on family life, though Mozambique leads in education spending.

Data: Autoridade Tributária de Moçambique, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Maputo Rain: 32.0 in/yr (814 mm)
81° / 65°F

Avg. annual high / low

Lilongwe Rain: 50.7 in/yr (1289 mm)
75° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Maputo Lilongwe
Jan–Mar 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) 78°/61°F (25°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 79°/62°F (26°/17°C) 72°/53°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 78°/60°F (25°/16°C) 72°/45°F (22°/7°C)
Oct–Dec 82°/68°F (28°/20°C) 80°/57°F (27°/14°C)
View all months
Month Maputo Lilongwe
Jan 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.3°C) 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.1°C)
Feb 85°/72°F (29.6°/22.3°C) 78°/62°F (25.6°/16.5°C)
Mar 85°/71°F (29.3°/21.5°C) 77°/61°F (24.8°/16.0°C)
Apr 82°/67°F (27.8°/19.4°C) 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.9°C)
May 80°/62°F (26.4°/16.8°C) 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C)
Jun 76°/58°F (24.6°/14.4°C) 69°/46°F (20.4°/7.9°C)
Jul 76°/58°F (24.4°/14.2°C) 69°/44°F (20.3°/6.5°C)
Aug 78°/60°F (25.3°/15.4°C) 71°/44°F (21.9°/6.6°C)
Sep 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.2°C) 77°/48°F (25.1°/8.7°C)
Oct 80°/65°F (26.5°/18.3°C) 81°/53°F (27.2°/11.7°C)
Nov 81°/67°F (27.4°/19.7°C) 81°/58°F (27.2°/14.2°C)
Dec 84°/71°F (29.1°/21.4°C) 79°/61°F (26.1°/15.9°C)

Data: Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Mozambique passport

Mozambique passport holder visiting Malawi

Visa Free
Mozambique passport holders can enter Malawi without a visa.
Malawi passport

Malawi passport holder visiting Mozambique

Visa Free
Malawi passport holders can enter Mozambique without a visa.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Malawi?

Connectivity is usually fine (Malawi: 0.1 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Malawi offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Malawi safe for expats?

Mozambique generally does better on safety, though Malawi leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Malawi is 1.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.6 in Mozambique.

How is healthcare in Malawi compared to Mozambique?

Malawi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Mozambique leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 0.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Malawi, compared to 0.8 in Mozambique. Malawi scores 48 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Mozambique: 44).

What's the weather like in Malawi compared to Mozambique?

The average high temperature in Lilongwe is 75°F, compared to 81°F in Maputo. Lilongwe receives around 50.7 in of rainfall per year, while Maputo gets 32.0 in.

What language do they speak in Malawi?

The official languages in Malawi are Chewa and English. In Mozambique, the official language is Portuguese.

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At a Glance

MZ MW
Population 31,693,239 20,794,353
Currency Mozambican Metical (MZN) Malawian Kwacha (MWK)
Languages Portuguese Chewa, English
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +258 +265
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 119