Moving to Malaysia from Norway
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Norway to Malaysia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Norway to Malaysia, you would find that Malaysia is 53.3% cheaper than Norway overall. A NOK712,312 salary in Norway would need to be roughly MYR161,501 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 49°F in Oslo, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Norway to Malaysia.
What does your salary buy?
NOK712,312 → MYR161,501
To maintain the same standard of living in Malaysia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 79.3% less
Groceries
pay 36.3% less
Transportation
pay 56.1% less
Housing
pay 67.7% less
Childcare
pay 35.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 56.4% 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.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Norway to Malaysia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Norway 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Norway 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
Norway 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
Norway performs better than Malaysia across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Norway generally does better on employment & economy, though Malaysia leads in top income tax 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
Norway performs better than Malaysia across all family life metrics.
Data: Norwegian Tax Administration, 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 | Oslo | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/43°F (15°/6°C) | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 66°/51°F (19°/10°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Oslo | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C) | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) |
| Feb | 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C) | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) |
| Mar | 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C) | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) |
| Apr | 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C) | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) |
| May | 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C) | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) |
| Jun | 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) |
| Aug | 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) |
| Sep | 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Nov | 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C) | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) |
Data:
Norwegian Meteorological Institute,
Malaysian Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Norway 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.
Norway passport holder visiting Malaysia
Visa Free
Malaysia passport holder visiting Norway
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 Norway?
Yes — Malaysia is on average about 47% cheaper than Norway. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Malaysia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly MYR40,375 in Malaysia on a NOK712,312 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, 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?
Norway performs better than Malaysia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malaysia is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Norway.
How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to Norway?
Norway generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malaysia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 23.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 51.7 in Norway. Malaysia scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Norway: 87).
What's the weather like in Malaysia compared to Norway?
The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 49°F in Oslo. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Oslo gets 30.0 in.
What language do they speak in Malaysia?
The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In Norway, the official languages are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami.
