Moving to Malaysia from Thailand
What to Expect
Considering a move from Thailand to Malaysia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Thailand to Malaysia, you would find that Malaysia is 10.2% cheaper than Thailand overall. A THB2,519,732 salary in Thailand would need to be roughly MYR297,129 in Malaysia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Malay.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Thailand and Malaysia.
What does your salary buy?
THB2,519,732 → MYR297,129
To maintain the same standard of living in Malaysia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.0% less
Groceries
pay 1.5% more
Transportation
pay 32.0% less
Housing
pay 4.8% less
Childcare
pay 48.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 8.8% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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 3% more than cities in Thailand.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Thailand to Malaysia.
Who's moving to Malaysia?
Top countries of origin for Malaysia's foreign-born residents.
- 1,241,634
- 585,864
- 415,717
- 350,605
- 148,096
- 117,990
- · · ·
-
12.15,790
Thailand
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Malaysia compared to Thailand.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Malaysia performs significantly better than Thailand 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
Thailand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malaysia 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
Thailand 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
Malaysia generally does better on infrastructure, though Thailand leads in broadband per 100 people.
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 Thailand leads in unemployment 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Thailand generally does better on family life, though Malaysia leads in education spending.
Data: The Revenue Department, Government of Thailand, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Bangkok | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/74°F (33°/23°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 93°/78°F (34°/26°C) | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/73°F (32°/23°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bangkok | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/70°F (32.0°/21.0°C) | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) |
| Feb | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.3°C) | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) |
| Mar | 93°/77°F (33.7°/24.9°C) | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) |
| Apr | 95°/79°F (34.9°/26.1°C) | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) |
| May | 93°/78°F (34.0°/25.6°C) | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) |
| Jun | 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.4°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 91°/77°F (32.7°/25.0°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) |
| Aug | 90°/77°F (32.5°/24.9°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) |
| Sep | 90°/76°F (32.3°/24.6°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 90°/76°F (32.0°/24.3°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Nov | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.1°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 88°/69°F (31.3°/20.8°C) | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) |
Data:
Thai Meteorological Department,
Malaysian Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Thailand 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.
Thailand passport holder visiting Malaysia
Visa Free
Malaysia passport holder visiting Thailand
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 Thailand?
On average Malaysia is about 3% less expensive than Thailand, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Malaysia?
Budget about MYR74,282 for 3 months in Malaysia (based on a THB2,519,732 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
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 Thailand across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malaysia is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.8 in Thailand. About 90% of people in Malaysia feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to Thailand?
Thailand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malaysia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 23.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 9.3 in Thailand. Malaysia scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Thailand: 82).
What's the weather like in Malaysia compared to Thailand?
The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 91°F in Bangkok. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Bangkok gets 59.0 in.
What language do they speak in Malaysia?
The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In Thailand, the official language is Thai.
