Malaysia
Malaysia is a diverse and dynamic Southeast Asian nation located on the Malay Peninsula and the northern part of Borneo. Geographically, the country is divided into two main regions: Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia, separated by the South China...
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With a safety index of 52/100, Malaysia offers moderate safety conditions for expats and their families.
Malaysia permits visa-free short visits for citizens of many countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and most EU/Schengen states, typically for up to 90 days for tourism or business purposes (passport-holder specifics vary) [2][5]. All foreign travellers (with limited exceptions such as Singapore citizens and diplomatic/official passport holders) must complete the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) online within three days before arrival; passports must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry and...
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26% below EU avg
20% below EU avg
13% below EU avg
19% above EU avg
Baselines based on EU averages. Source: Numbeo indices.
Capital
Kuala Lumpur
Timezone
UTC+08:00
Area
330,803 km²
Population
32,365,998
Malaysia shows a purchasing power index of 83/100, indicating excellent economic conditions for expats.
GDP
$406.31B
HDI
0.8
Quality of Life
59/100
+16 vs NYC
Purchasing Power
35/100
-7 vs NYC
Understanding the economic landscape is essential for evaluating living costs and opportunities in Malaysia. This comprehensive overview covers key financial indicators including cost of living, housing markets, income levels, and fiscal policies that shape daily life and long-term financial planning.
Cost of Living Index
Extremely affordable with CPI of 30.17. Low grocery (38.82) and restaurant (21.68) prices make Malaysia highly cost-effective for expatriates and locals.
Housing Market
Property prices average 8.55 years of household income. Moderate housing market with regional variations between urban and rural areas.
Average Income Levels
Purchasing power index of 87.37 indicates moderate economic conditions. Income levels vary significantly between urban centers and rural regions.
Tax System
Progressive income tax system ranging from 0-30%. Tax incentives for certain industries and special economic zones. Relatively straightforward taxation framework.
Business Environment
Ranked #12 in World Bank's Ease of Doing Business. Strong manufacturing and services sectors with government support for digital economy initiatives.
Social Security
Comprehensive social protection with Employee Provident Fund, national healthcare system, and unemployment assistance. Strong social safety net for citizens.
Malaysia features a tropical rainforest climate (Af in Köppen classification) across its peninsular and East Malaysian regions, with high year-round temperatures, elevated humidity, and abundant rainfall driven by northeast and southwest monsoons. Average temperatures remain consistently warm between 23-32°C, showing minimal seasonal variation due to its equatorial position.
5 distinct climate regions — see full guide for details
Read full guideLife Expectancy
75.3
Population
32,365,998
Religions
Ethnic Composition
Research in Progress
We're currently analyzing expat perspectives for Malaysia. Check back soon for insights from real experiences!
We're gradually rolling out this feature and continuously improving the insights. The data is based on real expat discussions and will become more comprehensive over time.
Malaysia continues to navigate complex political dynamics with a coalition government led by Anwar Ibrahim, balancing economic development, political reforms, and maintaining social stability across its multiethnic society.
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Population
32,365,998
Currency
MYR
Timezone
UTC+08:00
Calling Code
+60
Week starts on
Sunday
Gini Coefficient
41.1 (2015)
Traffic side
left side
Data Source: Safety, crime, and quality metrics are sourced from Numbeo, a crowd-sourced global database of reported data.
All scores are relative comparisons on a 0-100 scale, where 50 = global average. Higher scores mean better than average, lower scores mean worse than average.