Best places to live in Malaysia
Living in Malaysia: the overview
Across the 16 Malaysia cities we score, livability averages about 62/100 — cost 46, climate 82 and safety 61 on our 0–100 scales. The most affordable city is Port Dickson (cost 50/100), and the warmest is Alor Setar (warmest-month highs around 28.6°C). Cost is anchored to Malaysia's World Bank price level, climate to WorldClim normals, and safety blends USGS/FEMA disaster exposure with World Bank homicide rates. National averages hide big within-country gaps, so the table below lets you sort all 16 cities by whichever factor matters most to you — budget, weather or safety — rather than trusting one headline number.
The spread is real: livability runs from 59/100 in Kota Kinabalu up to 64/100 in Kuala Terengganu, a 5-point gap across Malaysia. Warmest-month highs across these cities range roughly 27.0–28.6°C, and the leading natural-disaster exposure is flooding in the flagship city — check each city page for its own hazard breakdown before deciding.
Scores are 0–100, higher = better. Cost = affordability (higher = cheaper) · Climate = year-round comfort · Safety = natural-disaster + crime safety · Livability = the three combined.
| City | LivabilityiOverall score, 0–100 = 0.35 × Cost + 0.30 × Climate + 0.35 × Safety. | CostiAffordability, 0–100. Higher = cheaper. = 100 − (country price level vs US × a city-size premium). Source: World Bank PPP ÷ exchange rate (US = 100). | ClimateiComfort, 0–100, from WorldClim monthly temperatures. Penalises hot summers (above ~24°C), cold winters (below ~6°C) and too-cool summers (below 15°C). Higher = milder. | Safetyi0–100. Higher = safer. Blends 55% natural-disaster safety (8 hazards — earthquake from real USGS records, plus flood, storm, wildfire, heat, drought, cold, tsunami) and 45% crime safety (homicide rate). | Summer°C | Top risk |
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FAQ
What is the best place to live in Malaysia?
Among major cities, Kuala Terengganu ranks highest for livability (64/100); smaller, cheaper towns can score higher still — sort the full table by your priorities.
How many cities in Malaysia are ranked?
16 cities, scored on cost of living, climate and natural-disaster safety.
Is Malaysia safe from natural disasters?
It varies by city — each city page shows the full breakdown. Kuala Terengganu scores 66/100 for safety.