Moving to Malaysia from Vietnam
What to Expect
Considering a move from Vietnam to Malaysia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Vietnam to Malaysia, you would find that Malaysia is 41.7% more expensive than Vietnam overall. A ₫1,961,040,692 salary in Vietnam would need to be roughly MYR357,304 in Malaysia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Malay. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Vietnam and Malaysia.
What does your salary buy?
₫1,961,040,692 → MYR357,304
To maintain the same standard of living in Malaysia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 38.3% more
Groceries
pay 38.0% more
Transportation
pay 26.5% more
Housing
pay 54.0% more
Childcare
pay 31.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.4 times 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Vietnam 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
- · · ·
-
7.101,220
Vietnam
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Malaysia compared to Vietnam.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Malaysia performs significantly better than Vietnam 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
Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Vietnam 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
Vietnam 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 Vietnam 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
Vietnam generally does better on employment & economy, though Malaysia leads in gdp per capita.
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
Vietnam generally does better on family life, though Malaysia leads in life expectancy.
Data: General Department Of Taxation - 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 | Hanoi | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 88°/75°F (31°/24°C) | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/66°F (26°/19°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Hanoi | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/58°F (20.0°/14.6°C) | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) |
| Feb | 70°/61°F (21.3°/16.2°C) | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) |
| Mar | 74°/66°F (23.5°/18.7°C) | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) |
| Apr | 82°/71°F (27.7°/21.9°C) | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) |
| May | 89°/76°F (31.7°/24.5°C) | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) |
| Jun | 93°/79°F (33.8°/26.3°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 92°/80°F (33.3°/26.5°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) |
| Aug | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.8°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) |
| Sep | 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.7°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 85°/72°F (29.6°/22.4°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Nov | 79°/67°F (26.3°/19.2°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 72°/60°F (22.1°/15.4°C) | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) |
Data:
Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration,
Malaysian Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Vietnam 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.
Vietnam passport holder visiting Malaysia
Visa Free
Malaysia passport holder visiting Vietnam
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 Vietnam?
On average Malaysia is around 17% pricier than Vietnam, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Malaysia?
Budget about MYR89,326 for 3 months in Malaysia (based on a ₫1,961,040,692 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 Vietnam across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malaysia is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.5 in Vietnam.
How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to Vietnam?
Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Vietnam leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 23.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 8.3 in Vietnam. Malaysia scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Vietnam: 68).
What's the weather like in Malaysia compared to Vietnam?
The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 82°F in Hanoi. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Hanoi gets 64.1 in.
What language do they speak in Malaysia?
The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In Vietnam, the official language is Vietnamese.
