Moving to Malawi from Spain

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Spain 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.

Get free moving quotes to Malawi

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Key Indicator Comparison

How Spain 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

ES
0.7
MW
1.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ES
3.5
MW
20.2

Spain 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

ES
$4,935
MW
$125
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ES
44.8
MW
0.5

Spain 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

ES
10.0
MW
43.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ES
4.5t
MW
0.2t

Spain 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

ES
36.0
MW
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ES
43.2%
MW
17.5%

Spain 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

ES
12.1%
MW
5.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ES
$46,400
MW
$1,700

Malawi generally does better on employment & economy, though Spain leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ES
82.5 yrs
MW
72.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ES
2.5
MW
33.4

Spain performs better than Malawi across all family life metrics.

Data: Agencia Tributaria, Spain, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Madrid Rain: 16.6 in/yr (421 mm)
68° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Madrid Lilongwe
Jan–Mar 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) 78°/61°F (25°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) 72°/53°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) 72°/45°F (22°/7°C)
Oct–Dec 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) 80°/57°F (27°/14°C)
View all months
Month Madrid Lilongwe
Jan 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.1°C)
Feb 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) 78°/62°F (25.6°/16.5°C)
Mar 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) 77°/61°F (24.8°/16.0°C)
Apr 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.9°C)
May 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C)
Jun 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) 69°/46°F (20.4°/7.9°C)
Jul 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) 69°/44°F (20.3°/6.5°C)
Aug 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) 71°/44°F (21.9°/6.6°C)
Sep 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) 77°/48°F (25.1°/8.7°C)
Oct 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) 81°/53°F (27.2°/11.7°C)
Nov 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) 81°/58°F (27.2°/14.2°C)
Dec 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) 79°/61°F (26.1°/15.9°C)

Data: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología Agencia Estatal de Meteorología, Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Spain 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.

Spain passport

Spain passport holder visiting Malawi

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Spain passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Malawi.
Malawi passport

Malawi passport holder visiting Spain

Visa Required
Malawi passport holders need a visa to enter Spain.

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 Spain and Malawi.

Is Malawi safe for expats?

Spain performs better than Malawi across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malawi is 1.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Spain.

How is healthcare in Malawi compared to Spain?

Spain 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 44.8 in Spain. Malawi scores 48 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Spain: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Lilongwe is 75°F, compared to 68°F in Madrid. Lilongwe receives around 50.7 in of rainfall per year, while Madrid gets 16.6 in.

What language do they speak in Malawi?

The official languages in Malawi are Chewa and English. In Spain, the official languages are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish.

Share this

At a Glance

ES MW
Population 47,163,418 20,794,353
Currency Euro (€) Malawian Kwacha (MWK)
Languages Basque, Catalan, Galician, Spanish Chewa, English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +34 +265
Time zones 2 1
Emergency number 112