Moving to Malawi from Singapore

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Singapore to Malawi — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Singapore to Malawi. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Lilongwe averages 75°F vs 89°F in Singapore, making it significantly cooler.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Singapore and Malawi stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

SG
0.1
MW
1.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SG
1.9
MW
20.2

Singapore performs better than Malawi across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

SG
$6,551
MW
$125
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SG
26.0
MW
0.5

Singapore generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malawi 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

SG
23.0
MW
43.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SG
9.8t
MW
0.2t

Singapore generally does better on environment, though Malawi leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SG
37.7
MW
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SG
83.1%
MW
17.5%

Singapore generally does better on infrastructure, though Malawi leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SG
3.5%
MW
5.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SG
$127,500
MW
$1,700

Singapore performs better than Malawi across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SG
86.3 yrs
MW
72.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SG
1.6
MW
33.4

Singapore generally does better on family life, though Malawi leads in education spending.

Data: Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Singapore Rain: 83.2 in/yr (2113 mm)
89° / 77°F

Avg. annual high / low

Lilongwe Rain: 50.7 in/yr (1289 mm)
75° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Singapore Lilongwe
Jan–Mar 89°/76°F (31°/25°C) 78°/61°F (25°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) 72°/53°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 89°/78°F (31°/25°C) 72°/45°F (22°/7°C)
Oct–Dec 88°/76°F (31°/25°C) 80°/57°F (27°/14°C)
View all months
Month Singapore Lilongwe
Jan 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.3°C) 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.1°C)
Feb 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.6°C) 78°/62°F (25.6°/16.5°C)
Mar 90°/77°F (32.2°/24.9°C) 77°/61°F (24.8°/16.0°C)
Apr 90°/78°F (32.4°/25.3°C) 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.9°C)
May 90°/78°F (32.3°/25.7°C) 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C)
Jun 89°/78°F (31.9°/25.7°C) 69°/46°F (20.4°/7.9°C)
Jul 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.4°C) 69°/44°F (20.3°/6.5°C)
Aug 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.3°C) 71°/44°F (21.9°/6.6°C)
Sep 89°/77°F (31.6°/25.2°C) 77°/48°F (25.1°/8.7°C)
Oct 89°/77°F (31.8°/25.0°C) 81°/53°F (27.2°/11.7°C)
Nov 88°/76°F (31.2°/24.6°C) 81°/58°F (27.2°/14.2°C)
Dec 87°/76°F (30.5°/24.3°C) 79°/61°F (26.1°/15.9°C)

Data: Meteorological Service Singapore Meteorological Service Singapore, Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Singapore 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.

Singapore passport

Singapore passport holder visiting Malawi

Visa Free
Singapore passport holders can enter Malawi without a visa.
Malawi passport

Malawi passport holder visiting Singapore

Visa Free
Malawi passport holders can enter Singapore 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 Malawi?

With 0.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Malawi can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Singapore and Malawi.

Is Malawi safe for expats?

Singapore performs better than Malawi across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malawi is 1.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.1 in Singapore.

How is healthcare in Malawi compared to Singapore?

Singapore 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 26.0 in Singapore. Malawi scores 48 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Singapore: 89).

What's the weather like in Malawi compared to Singapore?

The average high temperature in Lilongwe is 75°F, compared to 89°F in Singapore. Lilongwe receives around 50.7 in of rainfall per year, while Singapore gets 83.2 in.

What language do they speak in Malawi?

The official languages in Malawi are Chewa and English. In Singapore, the official languages are Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil.

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At a Glance

SG MW
Population 5,921,231 20,794,353
Currency Singapore Dollar (SGD) Malawian Kwacha (MWK)
Languages Chinese, English, Malay, Tamil Chewa, English
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +65 +265
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999