Moving to Malaysia from South Korea
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from South Korea to Malaysia — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from South Korea to Malaysia, you would find that Malaysia is 33.4% cheaper than South Korea overall. A ₩113,056,500 salary in South Korea would need to be roughly MYR229,100 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 63°F in Seoul, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from South Korea to Malaysia.
What does your salary buy?
₩113,056,500 → MYR229,100
To maintain the same standard of living in Malaysia
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 43.6% less
Groceries
pay 42.6% less
Transportation
pay 27.9% less
Housing
pay 26.4% less
Childcare
pay 56.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 11.4% less
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?
Real numbers on people moving from South Korea to Malaysia, and how the trend has changed.
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
- · · ·
-
18.3,970
South Korea
Key Indicator Comparison
How South Korea and Malaysia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
South Korea generally does better on safety, though Malaysia leads in feel safe walking at night.
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
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malaysia 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
South Korea generally does better on environment, though Malaysia 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
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
South Korea 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
South Korea generally does better on employment & economy, though Malaysia 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
South Korea performs better than Malaysia across all family life metrics.
Data: National Tax Service, South Korea, 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 | Seoul | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Seoul | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) |
| Feb | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) |
| Mar | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) |
| May | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) |
| Jun | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) |
| Aug | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) |
| Sep | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Nov | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) |
Data:
Korea Meteorological Administration,
Malaysian Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Korea 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.
South Korea passport holder visiting Malaysia
Visa Free
Malaysia passport holder visiting South Korea
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 South Korea?
Generally yes: Malaysia runs about 23% cheaper than South Korea on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Malaysia?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ₩113,056,500 comparable salary, that's around MYR57,275 in Malaysia for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Malaysia?
With 12.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Malaysia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in South Korea and Malaysia.
Is Malaysia safe for expats?
South Korea generally does better on safety, though Malaysia leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Malaysia is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in South Korea. About 90% of people in Malaysia feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to South Korea?
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malaysia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 23.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 25.2 in South Korea. Malaysia scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Korea: 89).
What's the weather like in Malaysia compared to South Korea?
The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 63°F in Seoul. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Seoul gets 55.8 in.
What language do they speak in Malaysia?
The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In South Korea, the official language is Korean.
