Moving to Malawi from Tanzania

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Tanzania to Malawi.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Tanzania to Malawi.

Living there in 2020
7,041 ↓ 15% vs 2015

people born in Tanzania live in Malawi · UN DESA

Who's moving to Malawi?

Top countries of origin for Malawi's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Malawi compared to Tanzania.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

per 100,000 people per year

TZ
3.7
MW
1.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

TZ
15.8
MW
20.2

Tanzania generally does better on safety, though Malawi leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

TZ
$119
MW
$125
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

TZ
1.3
MW
0.5

Tanzania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malawi leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

TZ
36.0
MW
43.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

TZ
0.3t
MW
0.2t

Tanzania 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

TZ
2.2
MW
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

TZ
13.0%
MW
17.5%

Tanzania performs better than Malawi across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

TZ
2.6%
MW
5.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

TZ
$3,600
MW
$1,700

Tanzania performs better than Malawi across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

TZ
70.2 yrs
MW
72.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

TZ
36.4
MW
33.4

Tanzania generally does better on family life, though Malawi leads in life expectancy.

Data: Tanzania Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Dodoma Rain: 23.9 in/yr (607 mm)
84° / 62°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Dodoma Lilongwe
Jan–Mar 85°/65°F (29°/18°C) 78°/61°F (25°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 82°/61°F (28°/16°C) 72°/53°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 82°/58°F (28°/14°C) 72°/45°F (22°/7°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/64°F (30°/18°C) 80°/57°F (27°/14°C)
View all months
Month Dodoma Lilongwe
Jan 85°/65°F (29.4°/18.6°C) 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.1°C)
Feb 85°/65°F (29.4°/18.6°C) 78°/62°F (25.6°/16.5°C)
Mar 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.3°C) 77°/61°F (24.8°/16.0°C)
Apr 84°/64°F (28.7°/17.9°C) 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.9°C)
May 82°/62°F (28.0°/16.5°C) 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C)
Jun 81°/58°F (27.1°/14.4°C) 69°/46°F (20.4°/7.9°C)
Jul 80°/56°F (26.5°/13.6°C) 69°/44°F (20.3°/6.5°C)
Aug 81°/58°F (27.3°/14.2°C) 71°/44°F (21.9°/6.6°C)
Sep 84°/60°F (29.0°/15.3°C) 77°/48°F (25.1°/8.7°C)
Oct 87°/62°F (30.5°/16.9°C) 81°/53°F (27.2°/11.7°C)
Nov 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.3°C) 81°/58°F (27.2°/14.2°C)
Dec 87°/66°F (30.4°/18.8°C) 79°/61°F (26.1°/15.9°C)

Data: Tanzania Meteorological Agency Tanzania Meteorological Agency, Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Tanzania 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.

Tanzania passport

Tanzania passport holder visiting Malawi

Visa Free
Tanzania passport holders can enter Malawi without a visa.
Malawi passport

Malawi passport holder visiting Tanzania

Visa Free
Malawi passport holders can enter Tanzania without a visa.

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?

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?

Tanzania generally does better on safety, though Malawi leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Malawi is 1.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.7 in Tanzania.

How is healthcare in Malawi compared to Tanzania?

Tanzania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malawi leads in health coverage index. There are 0.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Malawi, compared to 1.3 in Tanzania. Malawi scores 48 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Tanzania: 43).

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

The average high temperature in Lilongwe is 75°F, compared to 84°F in Dodoma. Lilongwe receives around 50.7 in of rainfall per year, while Dodoma gets 23.9 in.

What language do they speak in Malawi?

The official languages in Malawi are Chewa and English. In Tanzania, the official languages are English and Swahili.

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At a Glance

TZ MW
Population 63,852,892 20,794,353
Currency Tanzanian Shilling (TZS) Malawian Kwacha (MWK)
Languages English, Swahili Chewa, English
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +255 +265
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112