Moving to Malaysia from Spain
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Spain to Malaysia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Spain to Malaysia, you would find that Malaysia is 46.8% cheaper than Spain overall. A €67,000 salary in Spain would need to be roughly MYR164,000 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 68°F in Madrid, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Malaysia cheaper than Spain?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 71.5% less
Groceries
pay 18.3% less
Transportation
pay 40.9% less
Housing
pay 61.2% less
Childcare
pay 34.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 18.1% 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.
What salary do you need in Malaysia?
What does your salary buy?
€67,000 → MYR164,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Malaysia
Calculate with your salary →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 28% less than cities in Spain.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Spain to Malaysia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Spain 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Spain 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
Spain 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
Spain 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 Spain leads in gdp per capita.
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
Spain performs better than Malaysia across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2013–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Agencia Tributaria, Spain (2016), Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Malaysia vs Spain
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Madrid | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Madrid | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) |
| Feb | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) |
| Mar | 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) |
| Apr | 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) |
| Jun | 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) |
| Aug | 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) |
| Sep | 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Nov | 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) |
Data:
Agencia Estatal de Meteorología,
Malaysian Meteorological Department
Can you move from Spain to Malaysia?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Spain 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.
Spain passport holder visiting Malaysia
Visa Free
Malaysia passport holder visiting Spain
Visa FreeData: 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 Spain?
Yes — Malaysia is on average about 47% cheaper than Spain. 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 MYR41,000 in Malaysia on a €67,000 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 13.6 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?
Spain 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 0.7 in Spain. About 90% of people in Malaysia feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to Spain?
Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malaysia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 23.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 42.9 in Spain. Malaysia scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Spain: 85).
What's the weather like in Malaysia compared to Spain?
The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 68°F in Madrid. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Madrid gets 16.6 in.
What language do they speak in Malaysia?
The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In Spain, the official languages are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish.
