Moving to Malawi from Portugal
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Portugal to Malawi — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Portugal to Malawi, and you’d need to navigate life in Chewa and English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Portugal to Malawi.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Portugal performs better than Malawi 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
Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malawi 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
Portugal generally does better on environment, though Malawi leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
Portugal performs better than Malawi 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
Malawi generally does better on employment & economy, though Portugal 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Portugal performs better than Malawi across all family life metrics.
Data: Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira, 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 | Lisbon | Lilongwe |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) | 78°/61°F (25°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) | 72°/45°F (22°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 80°/57°F (27°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lisbon | Lilongwe |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) | 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.1°C) |
| Feb | 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) | 78°/62°F (25.6°/16.5°C) |
| Mar | 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) | 77°/61°F (24.8°/16.0°C) |
| Apr | 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) | 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.9°C) |
| May | 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) | 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C) |
| Jun | 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) | 69°/46°F (20.4°/7.9°C) |
| Jul | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) | 69°/44°F (20.3°/6.5°C) |
| Aug | 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) | 71°/44°F (21.9°/6.6°C) |
| Sep | 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) | 77°/48°F (25.1°/8.7°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) | 81°/53°F (27.2°/11.7°C) |
| Nov | 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) | 81°/58°F (27.2°/14.2°C) |
| Dec | 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) | 79°/61°F (26.1°/15.9°C) |
Data:
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera,
Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Portugal 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.
Portugal passport holder visiting Malawi
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Malawi passport holder visiting Portugal
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Malawi?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Malawi has 0.1 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 Malawi safe for expats?
Portugal performs better than Malawi across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malawi is 1.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Portugal.
How is healthcare in Malawi compared to Portugal?
Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malawi leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 0.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Malawi, compared to 57.7 in Portugal. Malawi scores 48 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Portugal: 88).
What's the weather like in Malawi compared to Portugal?
The average high temperature in Lilongwe is 75°F, compared to 69°F in Lisbon. Lilongwe receives around 50.7 in of rainfall per year, while Lisbon gets 29.6 in.
What language do they speak in Malawi?
The official languages in Malawi are Chewa and English. In Portugal, the official language is Portuguese.
