Moving to Malawi from Switzerland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Switzerland to Malawi? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Switzerland 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. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Lilongwe averages 75°F vs 55°F in Zurich, making it significantly warmer.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Malawi compared to Switzerland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Switzerland performs better than Malawi across all safety metrics.
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
Malawi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Switzerland generally does better on environment, though Malawi 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
share of households with internet
Switzerland performs better than Malawi across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Switzerland generally does better on employment & economy, though Malawi 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
Switzerland performs better than Malawi across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2012–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Swiss Federal Tax Administration (2016), Malawi Revenue Authority (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Malawi vs Switzerland
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Zurich | Lilongwe |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) | 78°/61°F (25°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) | 72°/45°F (22°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) | 80°/57°F (27°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Zurich | Lilongwe |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) | 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.1°C) |
| Feb | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) | 78°/62°F (25.6°/16.5°C) |
| Mar | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) | 77°/61°F (24.8°/16.0°C) |
| Apr | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) | 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.9°C) |
| May | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) | 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C) |
| Jun | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) | 69°/46°F (20.4°/7.9°C) |
| Jul | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) | 69°/44°F (20.3°/6.5°C) |
| Aug | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) | 71°/44°F (21.9°/6.6°C) |
| Sep | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) | 77°/48°F (25.1°/8.7°C) |
| Oct | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) | 81°/53°F (27.2°/11.7°C) |
| Nov | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) | 81°/58°F (27.2°/14.2°C) |
| Dec | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) | 79°/61°F (26.1°/15.9°C) |
Data:
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology,
Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services
Can you move from Switzerland to Malawi?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Switzerland 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.
Switzerland passport holder visiting Malawi
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Malawi passport holder visiting Switzerland
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Malawi?
Connectivity is usually fine (Malawi: 0.1 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Malawi offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Malawi safe for expats?
Switzerland performs better than Malawi across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malawi is 1.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Switzerland.
How is healthcare in Malawi compared to Switzerland?
Malawi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 0.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Malawi, compared to 44.8 in Switzerland. Malawi scores 48 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Switzerland: 86).
What's the weather like in Malawi compared to Switzerland?
The average high temperature in Lilongwe is 75°F, compared to 55°F in Zurich. Lilongwe receives around 50.7 in of rainfall per year, while Zurich gets 42.8 in.
What language do they speak in Malawi?
The official languages in Malawi are Chewa and English. In Switzerland, the official languages are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German.
