Moving to Malaysia from Netherlands
What to Expect
Considering a move from Netherlands to Malaysia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Netherlands to Malaysia, you would find that Malaysia is 63.8% cheaper than Netherlands overall. A €67,000 salary in Netherlands would need to be roughly MYR111,000 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 56°F in Amsterdam, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Netherlands and Malaysia.
What does your salary buy?
€67,000 → MYR111,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Malaysia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 79.3% less
Groceries
pay 30.3% less
Transportation
pay 63.9% less
Housing
pay 75.9% less
Childcare
pay 68.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 45.9% less
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 41% less than cities in Netherlands.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Malaysia compared to Netherlands.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Netherlands performs better than Malaysia 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
Netherlands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malaysia leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Netherlands performs 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
Netherlands generally does better on infrastructure, though Malaysia leads in water stress level.
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 Netherlands 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
Netherlands performs better than Malaysia across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Tax and Customs Administration - Belastingdienst (2016), Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Amsterdam | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 69°/53°F (21°/12°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Amsterdam | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C) | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) |
| Feb | 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C) | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) |
| Mar | 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C) | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) |
| Apr | 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C) | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) |
| May | 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C) | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) |
| Jun | 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) |
| Aug | 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) |
| Sep | 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Nov | 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) |
Data:
Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute,
Malaysian Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Netherlands 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.
Netherlands passport holder visiting Malaysia
Visa Free
Malaysia passport holder visiting Netherlands
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 Malaysia than Netherlands?
On average Malaysia is about 64% less expensive than Netherlands, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Malaysia?
Budget about MYR27,750 for 3 months in Malaysia (based on a €67,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Malaysia?
Connectivity is usually fine (Malaysia: 13.6 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Malaysia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Malaysia safe for expats?
Netherlands performs better than Malaysia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malaysia is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Netherlands.
How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to Netherlands?
Netherlands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malaysia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 23.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 38.8 in Netherlands. Malaysia scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Netherlands: 85).
What's the weather like in Malaysia compared to Netherlands?
The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 56°F in Amsterdam. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Amsterdam gets 30.7 in.
What language do they speak in Malaysia?
The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In Netherlands, the official language is Dutch.
