Moving to Malawi from United Arab Emirates
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United Arab Emirates to Malawi — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from United Arab Emirates 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 93°F in Abu Dhabi, making it significantly cooler.
Get free moving quotes to Malawi
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Key Indicator Comparison
How United Arab Emirates and Malawi stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Arab Emirates 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malawi 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
Malawi performs significantly better than United Arab Emirates across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
United Arab Emirates generally does better on infrastructure, though Malawi 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
United Arab Emirates performs better than Malawi across all employment & economy metrics.
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
United Arab Emirates performs better than Malawi across all family life metrics.
Data: Ministry of Finance, 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 | Abu Dhabi | Lilongwe |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 78°/56°F (26°/14°C) | 78°/61°F (25°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 99°/72°F (37°/22°C) | 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 106°/81°F (41°/27°C) | 72°/45°F (22°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/64°F (31°/18°C) | 80°/57°F (27°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Abu Dhabi | Lilongwe |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C) | 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.1°C) |
| Feb | 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C) | 78°/62°F (25.6°/16.5°C) |
| Mar | 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C) | 77°/61°F (24.8°/16.0°C) |
| Apr | 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C) | 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.9°C) |
| May | 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C) | 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C) |
| Jun | 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C) | 69°/46°F (20.4°/7.9°C) |
| Jul | 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C) | 69°/44°F (20.3°/6.5°C) |
| Aug | 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C) | 71°/44°F (21.9°/6.6°C) |
| Sep | 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C) | 77°/48°F (25.1°/8.7°C) |
| Oct | 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C) | 81°/53°F (27.2°/11.7°C) |
| Nov | 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C) | 81°/58°F (27.2°/14.2°C) |
| Dec | 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) | 79°/61°F (26.1°/15.9°C) |
Data:
Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Arab Emirates 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.
United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Malawi
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Malawi passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates
Visa Online (e-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?
With 0.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Malawi can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in United Arab Emirates and Malawi.
Is Malawi safe for expats?
United Arab Emirates performs better than Malawi across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malawi is 1.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in United Arab Emirates.
How is healthcare in Malawi compared to United Arab Emirates?
United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malawi leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 0.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Malawi, compared to 29.1 in United Arab Emirates. Malawi scores 48 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Arab Emirates: 82).
What's the weather like in Malawi compared to United Arab Emirates?
The average high temperature in Lilongwe is 75°F, compared to 93°F in Abu Dhabi. Lilongwe receives around 50.7 in of rainfall per year, while Abu Dhabi gets 3.5 in.
What language do they speak in Malawi?
The official languages in Malawi are Chewa and English. In United Arab Emirates, the official language is Arabic.
