Moving to Malaysia from Oman
What to Expect
Considering a move from Oman to Malaysia? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Oman to Malaysia, you would find that Malaysia is 16.5% cheaper than Oman overall. A OMR28,838 salary in Oman would need to be roughly MYR309,530 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.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Oman and Malaysia.
What does your salary buy?
OMR28,838 → MYR309,530
To maintain the same standard of living in Malaysia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 11.9% less
Groceries
pay 21.6% more
Transportation
pay 16.8% less
Housing
pay 34.1% less
Childcare
pay 20.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 47.5% 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
The numbers behind daily life in Malaysia compared to Oman.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Oman 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
Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Oman leads in suicide rate.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Malaysia performs significantly better than Oman 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
Malaysia generally does better on infrastructure, though Oman leads in electricity per capita.
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
Oman performs better than Malaysia across all employment & economy metrics.
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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Oman generally does better on family life, though Malaysia leads in infant mortality.
Data: Ministry of Finance, Oman, 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 | Muscat | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 81°/65°F (27°/18°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 100°/82°F (38°/28°C) | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 97°/83°F (36°/28°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/70°F (31°/21°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Muscat | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 77°/62°F (25.1°/16.7°C) | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) |
| Feb | 80°/64°F (26.4°/17.8°C) | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) |
| Mar | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.3°C) | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) |
| Apr | 94°/76°F (34.7°/24.2°C) | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) |
| May | 103°/84°F (39.6°/28.7°C) | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) |
| Jun | 104°/87°F (40.0°/30.3°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 100°/86°F (38.0°/30.1°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) |
| Aug | 96°/83°F (35.6°/28.2°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) |
| Sep | 96°/80°F (35.6°/26.8°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 94°/76°F (34.6°/24.2°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Nov | 87°/69°F (30.3°/20.8°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 80°/65°F (26.8°/18.3°C) | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) |
Data:
Directorate General of Meteorology - Civil Aviation Authority,
Malaysian Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Oman 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.
Oman passport holder visiting Malaysia
Visa Free
Malaysia passport holder visiting Oman
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 Oman?
Malaysia and Oman are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to Malaysia?
Budget about MYR77,382 for 3 months in Malaysia (based on a OMR28,838 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Malaysia?
Connectivity is usually fine (Malaysia: 12.4 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?
Oman performs better than Malaysia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malaysia is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.3 in Oman.
How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to Oman?
Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Oman leads in suicide rate. There are 23.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 20.6 in Oman. Malaysia scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Oman: 70).
What's the weather like in Malaysia compared to Oman?
The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 91°F in Muscat. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Muscat gets 3.5 in.
What language do they speak in Malaysia?
The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In Oman, the official language is Arabic.
