Moving to Malaysia from Senegal

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Senegal to Malaysia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Senegal to Malaysia, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Malay. 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 Senegal to Malaysia.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SN
20.8
MY
13.9

Malaysia performs significantly better than Senegal across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

SN
$206
MY
$1,441
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SN
1.3
MY
23.2

Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Senegal leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

SN
65.0
MY
63.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SN
0.8t
MY
8.3t

Senegal generally does better on environment, though Malaysia leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SN
1.4
MY
12.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SN
16.3%
MY
3.4%

Malaysia performs significantly better than Senegal across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SN
2.9%
MY
3.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SN
$4,400
MY
$33,600

Malaysia generally does better on employment & economy, though Senegal leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SN
70.0 yrs
MY
76.1 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SN
32.4
MY
6.6

Malaysia generally does better on family life, though Senegal leads in education spending.

Data: Direction Generale des Impots et des Domaines, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Dakar Rain: 14.9 in/yr (379 mm)
82° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

Kuala Lumpur Rain: 95.6 in/yr (2427 mm)
90° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Dakar Kuala Lumpur
Jan–Mar 77°/64°F (25°/18°C) 91°/73°F (33°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 79°/70°F (26°/21°C) 91°/75°F (33°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/77°F (30°/25°C) 90°/74°F (32°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 85°/73°F (29°/23°C) 89°/74°F (32°/23°C)
View all months
Month Dakar Kuala Lumpur
Jan 77°/64°F (24.9°/17.9°C) 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C)
Feb 77°/64°F (24.8°/17.8°C) 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C)
Mar 77°/65°F (25.1°/18.3°C) 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C)
Apr 76°/66°F (24.7°/19.1°C) 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C)
May 79°/69°F (25.9°/20.6°C) 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C)
Jun 83°/74°F (28.5°/23.5°C) 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C)
Jul 86°/77°F (29.9°/25.0°C) 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C)
Aug 86°/77°F (30.2°/25.2°C) 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C)
Sep 87°/77°F (30.6°/25.0°C) 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C)
Oct 88°/77°F (30.9°/25.2°C) 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C)
Nov 85°/74°F (29.7°/23.2°C) 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C)
Dec 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C)

Data: Agence nationale de l'Aviation Civile et de la Météorologie (ANACIM) Agence nationale de l'Aviation Civile et de la Météorologie (ANACIM), Malaysian Meteorological Department Malaysian Meteorological Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Senegal 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.

Senegal passport

Senegal passport holder visiting Malaysia

Visa Free
Senegal passport holders can enter Malaysia without a visa.
Malaysia passport

Malaysia passport holder visiting Senegal

Visa Free
Malaysia passport holders can enter Senegal without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

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?

Malaysia performs significantly better than Senegal across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to Senegal?

Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Senegal leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 23.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 1.3 in Senegal. Malaysia scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Senegal: 50).

What's the weather like in Malaysia compared to Senegal?

The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 82°F in Dakar. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Dakar gets 14.9 in.

What language do they speak in Malaysia?

The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In Senegal, the official language is French.

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At a Glance

SN MY
Population 17,923,036 33,871,431
Currency CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA) Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)
Languages French English, Malay
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +221 +60
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 17 999