Moving to Malaysia from Syria

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Syria to Malaysia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Syria to Malaysia, 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 78°F in Damascus, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Malaysia compared to Syria.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SY
2.1
MY
0.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SY
29.9
MY
13.9

Malaysia performs significantly better than Syria across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

SY
$122
MY
$1,441
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

SY
11.9
MY
23.2

Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Syria 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

SY
83.0
MY
63.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SY
1.3t
MY
8.3t

Syria generally does better on environment, though Malaysia leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SY
7.3
MY
12.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SY
124.4%
MY
3.4%

Malaysia performs significantly better than Syria across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SY
13.5%
MY
3.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SY
$2,900
MY
$33,600

Malaysia generally does better on employment & economy, though Syria leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SY
74.3 yrs
MY
76.1 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SY
15.9
MY
6.6

Malaysia generally does better on family life, though Syria leads in education spending.

Data: Ministry of Finance, Syria, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Damascus Rain: 5.3 in/yr (134 mm)
78° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

Kuala Lumpur Rain: 95.6 in/yr (2427 mm)
90° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Damascus Kuala Lumpur
Jan–Mar 60°/35°F (15°/2°C) 91°/73°F (33°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/51°F (29°/11°C) 91°/75°F (33°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 96°/60°F (35°/15°C) 90°/74°F (32°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 70°/40°F (21°/5°C) 89°/74°F (32°/23°C)
View all months
Month Damascus Kuala Lumpur
Jan 55°/33°F (12.6°/0.4°C) 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C)
Feb 59°/34°F (14.8°/1.3°C) 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C)
Mar 66°/39°F (18.9°/3.7°C) 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C)
Apr 76°/45°F (24.5°/7.0°C) 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C)
May 85°/51°F (29.7°/10.5°C) 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C)
Jun 94°/58°F (34.2°/14.2°C) 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C)
Jul 98°/62°F (36.5°/16.9°C) 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C)
Aug 97°/62°F (36.2°/16.5°C) 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C)
Sep 92°/55°F (33.4°/13.0°C) 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C)
Oct 82°/48°F (28.0°/8.9°C) 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C)
Nov 69°/39°F (20.3°/4.0°C) 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C)
Dec 58°/34°F (14.2°/1.3°C) 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C)

Data: Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department, Malaysian Meteorological Department Malaysian Meteorological Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Syria 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.

Syria passport

Syria passport holder visiting Malaysia

Visa Free
Syria passport holders can enter Malaysia without a visa.
Malaysia passport

Malaysia passport holder visiting Syria

Visa on Arrival
Malaysia passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Syria.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Malaysia?

Connectivity is usually fine (Malaysia: 12.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Malaysia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Malaysia safe for expats?

Malaysia performs significantly better than Syria across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malaysia is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.1 in Syria.

How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to Syria?

Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Syria leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 23.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 11.9 in Syria. Malaysia scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Syria: 64).

What's the weather like in Malaysia compared to Syria?

The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 78°F in Damascus. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Damascus gets 5.3 in.

What language do they speak in Malaysia?

The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In Syria, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

SY MY
Population 21,563,800 33,871,431
Currency Syrian Pound (SYP) Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)
Languages Arabic English, Malay
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +963 +60
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999