Moving to Malaysia from Serbia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Serbia to Malaysia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Serbia to Malaysia, you would find that Malaysia is 19.8% cheaper than Serbia overall. A RSD7,694,475 salary in Serbia would need to be roughly MYR278,226 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 62°F in Belgrade, making it significantly warmer.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from Serbia to Malaysia.
What does your salary buy?
RSD7,694,475 → MYR278,226
To maintain the same standard of living in Malaysia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 63.2% less
Groceries
pay 26.9% more
Transportation
pay 32.0% less
Housing
pay 25.7% less
Childcare
pay 21.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 14.2% 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.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Malaysia cost about 22% less than cities in Serbia.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Serbia to Malaysia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Serbia 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Serbia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
Serbia 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
share of households with internet
Serbia generally does better on infrastructure, though Malaysia leads in water stress level.
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
share of people below the poverty line
Malaysia generally does better on employment & economy, though Serbia 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
Serbia generally does better on family life, though Malaysia leads in life expectancy.
Data: Ministry of Finance, Republic of Serbia, 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 | Belgrade | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 45°/33°F (7°/0°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/53°F (22°/12°C) | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 53°/39°F (11°/4°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Belgrade | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°/28°F (3.5°/-2.3°C) | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) |
| Feb | 44°/32°F (6.4°/-0.2°C) | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) |
| Mar | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.3°C) | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.5°/7.8°C) | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) |
| May | 72°/54°F (22.5°/12.1°C) | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) |
| Jun | 78°/59°F (25.3°/15.0°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.3°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) |
| Aug | 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.1°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) |
| Sep | 75°/55°F (23.7°/13.0°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 65°/47°F (18.1°/8.3°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Nov | 52°/39°F (11.0°/4.0°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 42°/32°F (5.3°/-0.2°C) | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) |
Data:
Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia,
Malaysian Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Serbia 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.
Serbia passport holder visiting Malaysia
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Malaysia passport holder visiting Serbia
Visa RequiredData: 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 Serbia?
Yes — Malaysia is on average about 9% cheaper than Serbia. 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 MYR69,556 in Malaysia on a RSD7,694,475 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and 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?
Serbia 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 1.0 in Serbia.
How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to Serbia?
Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Serbia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 23.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 28.4 in Serbia. Malaysia scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Serbia: 72).
What's the weather like in Malaysia compared to Serbia?
The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 62°F in Belgrade. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Belgrade gets 26.9 in.
What language do they speak in Malaysia?
The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In Serbia, the official language is Serbian.
