Moving to Malaysia from Pakistan
What to Expect
Considering a move from Pakistan to Malaysia? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Pakistan to Malaysia, you would find that Malaysia is 2.5 times more expensive than Pakistan overall. A PKR20,891,250 salary in Pakistan would need to be roughly MYR603,135 in Malaysia to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Pakistan and Malaysia.
What does your salary buy?
PKR20,891,250 → MYR603,135
To maintain the same standard of living in Malaysia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 59.3% more
Groceries
pay 2.6 times more
Transportation
pay 51.4% more
Housing
pay 2.8 times more
Childcare
pay 5.1 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 95.6% more
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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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Pakistan to Malaysia.
Who's moving to Malaysia?
Top countries of origin for Malaysia's foreign-born residents.
- 1,241,634
- 585,864
- 415,717
- 350,605
- 148,096
- 117,990
- · · ·
-
9.85,013
Pakistan
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Malaysia compared to Pakistan.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Pakistan generally does better on safety, though Malaysia leads in homicide rate.
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 Pakistan 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
Pakistan generally does better on environment, though Malaysia leads in air pollution deaths.
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 performs significantly better than Pakistan 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
Malaysia generally does better on employment & economy, though Pakistan 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Malaysia performs significantly better than Pakistan across all family life metrics.
Data: Federal Board of Revenue, Government of Pakistan, 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 | Islamabad | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/44°F (21°/7°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 95°/68°F (35°/20°C) | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 94°/74°F (34°/23°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 78°/48°F (26°/9°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Islamabad | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64°/38°F (17.9°/3.2°C) | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) |
| Feb | 68°/43°F (19.8°/6.0°C) | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) |
| Mar | 76°/51°F (24.5°/10.7°C) | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) |
| Apr | 87°/60°F (30.5°/15.8°C) | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) |
| May | 97°/69°F (36.0°/20.7°C) | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) |
| Jun | 101°/75°F (38.4°/23.8°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 96°/76°F (35.3°/24.4°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) |
| Aug | 93°/75°F (33.7°/23.8°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) |
| Sep | 93°/70°F (33.7°/21.1°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 88°/58°F (30.9°/14.5°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Nov | 79°/47°F (25.9°/8.3°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 68°/40°F (20.2°/4.3°C) | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) |
Malaysian Meteorological DepartmentVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Pakistan 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.
Pakistan passport holder visiting Malaysia
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Malaysia passport holder visiting Pakistan
Visa Online (e-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 Pakistan?
On average Malaysia is around 103% pricier than Pakistan, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Malaysia?
Budget about MYR150,784 for 3 months in Malaysia (based on a PKR20,891,250 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?
Pakistan generally does better on safety, though Malaysia leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Malaysia is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.2 in Pakistan.
How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to Pakistan?
Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pakistan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 23.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 10.8 in Pakistan. Malaysia scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Pakistan: 45).
What's the weather like in Malaysia compared to Pakistan?
The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 84°F in Islamabad. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Islamabad gets 49.1 in.
What language do they speak in Malaysia?
The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In Pakistan, the official languages are English and Urdu.
