3.3/5
103 reviews
Photo by SR via Unsplash

Malacca

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ringett

touristy

weather

2024

food

good

patches

Malacca presents a unique experience for digital nomads or long-term visitors, offering fast internet and extremely affordable living costs. Local food is cheap when avoiding tourist areas, and accommodation or even property can be found at significantly lower costs than in nearby cities. The weather is warm year-round, fluctuating between pleasant and uncomfortably humid. English is widely spoken, and locals are generally friendly and welcoming, especially in less tourist-centric spots.

However, the city may feel disjointed or underdeveloped to some. Many buildings appear abandoned, and public areas can feel empty and scattered, giving the city an eerie or sullen atmosphere. There is little in the way of nightlife or an active entrepreneurial scene, making it less ideal for those seeking vibrant communities and networking opportunities. While transportation via Grab is reliable, the layout of the city makes walking inconvenient.

Overall, Malacca may appeal to those looking for a quiet, low-cost base with cultural depth and decent infrastructure, but it may not suit those craving social activity and a highly walkable urban environment.

AI-generated summary of reviews
57 years ago

Having travelled and lived around Thailand and Malaysia, Malacca feels somewhat disjointed without any real centre apart from the touristy Jonker Street. Weather (January 2024) ranges between a balmy & breezy 28C to a slightly uncomfortable and sticky 33C. Local food is very reasonably priced (3.50 Ringett for sweet tea or kopi, 7 Ringett for a plate of noodles), if you avoid the most touristy places and stick to local side alleys and restaurants where the local people eat. People here are very friendly and interested to know where you come from, many speak good English. Big Chinese and Nyonya community here, which reflects in the food, along with Portuguese & Malay influences. Some of the longer-stay hotels are cheaper when rented through private landlords (find them on Booking website). Buying a traditional wooden house in the centre of Malacca near the canal costs from 12,000 Ringett (prices as of Jan 2024).

3 years ago

Arrived yesterday, at Dreambase coworking now. A fascinating city in the sense that is seems strange, eerie, and sullen. It feels like the city was abandoned for 30 years and what remains is the population that decided to stay. Many random empty, lonely buildings. Patches of busyness dispersed in between patches of nullness. Everything feels just a little bit too far to walk. Grab works fine here for getting around. Extremely affordable. But so far it definitely doesn't feel like the place to be if what you're looking for is night life, socializing, and entrepreneurial communities. Internet speed is great. Weather is good. Things are quiet.

7 years ago

✅ Very affordable

✅ Fast internet

✅ Warm all year

✅ Friendly people

✅ Affordable to live

✅ Warm now

✅ Good air quality on average

✅ Many Nomads.com members have been

✅ Spacious and not crowded

✅ Very easy to make friends

✅ Very easy to do business

✅ High quality of education

✅ Democratic

✅ Safe for women

✅ Family friendly

✅ Not many people smoke tobacco

✅ Not a lot of alcohol abuse

❌ Feels abandoned or disjointed

❌ Lacks nightlife and entrepreneurial communities

❌ Not walkable

❌ Freedom of speech is weak

❌ Not very safe

❌ Not much to do

❌ Hospitals are bad

❌ Roads are very dangerous

❌ People don't speak English well

❌ Hostile towards LGBTQ+

❌ Marijuana is illegal

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Feels (median)

3290°
hot

3799°
hot

38100°
hot

3595°
hot

3290°
hot

3595°
hot

Real (median)

2882°
very warm

3086°
very warm

2984°
very warm

2882°
very warm

2984°
very warm

Humidity

sweaty
84%

sweaty
81%

sweaty
83%

sweaty
84%

sweaty
82%

sweaty
83%

sweaty
84%

sweaty
83%

sweaty
82%

sweaty
85%

Most common

☔️ Rain

☀️ Clear

☔️ Rain

Rain

rainy
79mm

dry
11mm

rainy
160mm

rainy
231mm

rainy
244mm

rainy
202mm

rainy
226mm

rainy
203mm

rainy
198mm

rainy
238mm

rainy
286mm

rainy
240mm

Cloud

cloudy
85%

cloudy
72%

cloudy
77%

cloudy
85%

cloudy
79%

cloudy
84%

cloudy
87%

overcast
91%

Air quality

clean
33 US AQI

clean
39 US AQI

clean
38 US AQI

clean
30 US AQI

clean
27 US AQI

clean
30 US AQI

clean
40 US AQI

okay
66 US AQI

okay
64 US AQI

okay
54 US AQI

okay
53 US AQI

clean
36 US AQI

Sun

avoid sun
7 UVI

avoid sun
9 UVI

avoid sun
8 UVI

avoid sun
7 UVI

Remote workers

1,050 people

750 people

943 people

1,114 people

771 people

750 people

1,050 people

800 people

900 people

943 people

1,050 people

Green is good. Red is bad. Values shown are the medians of all daily highs in a month based on past few years, not necessarily current numbers. Remote worker count is estimated based on the total amount of trips logged by Nomads.com members.

If you'd like to filter destinations based on their climate, try Nomads.com's Climate Finder

Current weather data from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0)

Based on Malacca's cost of living, here's selected remote jobs that would cover your costs:

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65pts

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5pts

4pts

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Penang

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⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 😙 Affordable

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked good

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🌥 Feels 37° 99° 30° 86° Has AC AQI 134 😷

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Medan, Sumatra

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💵 Cost 😝 Cheap

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Langkawi

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💵 Cost 😙 Affordable

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

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🌥 Feels 35° 95° 29° 84° Has AC AQI 86 😷

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Ko Lipe

Thailand

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 🧐 Pricey

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

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Ko Lanta

Thailand

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💵 Cost 😙 Affordable

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

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✈️55min

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Ko Phi Phi

Thailand

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💵 Cost 😙 Affordable

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked very bad

👮 Safety good

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🌥 Feels 34° 93° 29° 84° Some AC 🥵 AQI 85 😷

✈️58min

$2,252 / mo

19 Mbps

Bangkok

Thailand

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 😙 Affordable

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked mediocre

👮 Safety mediocre

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🌥 Feels 38° 100° 31° 87° Has AC AQI 32

✈️2h

$1,643 / mo

32 Mbps

Singapore

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 😳 Extremely expensive

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked mediocre

👮 Safety good

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☀️ Feels 39° 102° 32° 89° Has AC AQI 85 😷

✈️16min

$6,113 / mo

102 Mbps

London

United Kingdom

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 😳 Extremely expensive

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked good

👮 Safety mediocre

Tap to open

🌥 Feels 21° 70° 20° 68° AQI 50

✈️14h

$8,578 / mo

23 Mbps

Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia

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💵 Cost 😙 Affordable

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked good

👮 Safety mediocre

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✈️10min

$1,839 / mo

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Lisbon

Portugal

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 😳 Extremely expensive

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked bad

👮 Safety mediocre

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🌧 Feels 23° 73° 23° 74° AQI 18

✈️16h

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Chiang Mai

Thailand

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 😙 Affordable

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked good

👮 Safety good

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🌫 Feels 37° 99° 30° 85° Has AC AQI 43

✈️3h

$1,326 / mo

25 Mbps

Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 😙 Affordable

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked mediocre

👮 Safety mediocre

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🌥 Feels 38° 100° 30° 86° Has AC AQI 3

✈️1h

$1,420 / mo

14 Mbps

Barcelona

Spain

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 😳 Extremely expensive

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked mediocre

👮 Safety mediocre

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🌥 Feels 30° 86° 27° 80° Has AC AQI 38

✈️14h

$7,433 / mo

38 Mbps

Berlin

Germany

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 😳 Extremely expensive

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked mediocre

👮 Safety good

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☀️ Feels 19° 66° 19° 66° AQI 28

✈️13h

$5,910 / mo

32 Mbps

Reykjavik

Iceland

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 😳 Extremely expensive

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked great

👮 Safety good

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🌥 Feels 6° 43° 9° 48° AQI 20

✈️15h

$9,336 / mo

30 Mbps

Canggu, Bali

Indonesia

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 🧐 Pricey

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked bad

👮 Safety bad

Tap to open

☀️ Feels 29° 84° 26° 79° Barely AC 🥵 AQI 151 😷

✈️2h

$3,238 / mo

25 Mbps

Penang

Malaysia

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 😙 Affordable

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked good

👮 Safety mediocre

Tap to open

🌥 Feels 37° 99° 30° 86° Has AC AQI 134 😷

✈️33min

$1,309 / mo

18 Mbps

Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 😙 Affordable

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked good

👮 Safety mediocre

Tap to open

🌥 Feels 41° 106° 34° 93° Has AC AQI 103 😷

✈️10min

$1,839 / mo

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Singapore

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 😳 Extremely expensive

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked mediocre

👮 Safety good

Tap to open

☀️ Feels 39° 102° 32° 89° Has AC AQI 85 😷

✈️16min

$6,113 / mo

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Penang

Malaysia

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 😙 Affordable

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked good

👮 Safety mediocre

Tap to open

🌥 Feels 37° 99° 30° 86° Has AC AQI 134 😷

✈️33min

$1,309 / mo

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Phuket

Thailand

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 😙 Affordable

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked mediocre

👮 Safety mediocre

Tap to open

🌥 Feels 35° 95° 29° 84° Some AC 🥵 AQI 85 😷

✈️1h

$1,977 / mo

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Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 😙 Affordable

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked mediocre

👮 Safety mediocre

Tap to open

🌥 Feels 38° 100° 30° 86° Has AC AQI 3

✈️1h

$1,420 / mo

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Siem Reap

Cambodia

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 😙 Affordable

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked good

👮 Safety mediocre

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🌥 Feels 38° 100° 31° 87° 🥵 AQI 25

✈️2h

$1,369 / mo

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Bangkok

Thailand

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 😙 Affordable

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked mediocre

👮 Safety mediocre

Tap to open

🌥 Feels 38° 100° 31° 87° Has AC AQI 32

✈️2h

$1,643 / mo

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Canggu, Bali

Indonesia

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 🧐 Pricey

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked bad

👮 Safety bad

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☀️ Feels 29° 84° 26° 79° Barely AC 🥵 AQI 151 😷

✈️2h

$3,238 / mo

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Ubud, Bali

Indonesia

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 😙 Affordable

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked good

👮 Safety good

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🌥 Feels 30° 86° 27° 80° Barely AC 🥵 AQI 162 😷

✈️2h

$1,983 / mo

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Chiang Mai

Thailand

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 😙 Affordable

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked good

👮 Safety good

Tap to open

🌫 Feels 37° 99° 30° 85° Has AC AQI 43

✈️3h

$1,326 / mo

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Hanoi

Vietnam

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 😙 Affordable

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked mediocre

👮 Safety mediocre

Tap to open

🌧 Feels 39° 102° 29° 85° Has AC AQI 10

✈️3h

$1,282 / mo

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Hong Kong

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 🧐 Pricey

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked mediocre

👮 Safety mediocre

Tap to open

🌦 Feels 35° 95° 29° 84° Has AC AQI 12

✈️3h

$3,075 / mo

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Tokyo

Japan

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 🧐 Pricey

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked good

👮 Safety good

Tap to open

☀️ Feels 39° 102° 31° 87° Has AC AQI 68 😷

✈️7h

$3,929 / mo

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London

United Kingdom

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 😳 Extremely expensive

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked good

👮 Safety mediocre

Tap to open

🌥 Feels 21° 70° 20° 68° AQI 50

✈️14h

$8,578 / mo

🌇 Also went here55 people

Barcelona

Spain

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 😳 Extremely expensive

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked mediocre

👮 Safety mediocre

Tap to open

🌥 Feels 30° 86° 27° 80° Has AC AQI 38

✈️14h

$7,433 / mo

🌇 Also went here42 people

Members here right now

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Members who have been here

Values shown are estimated visits by traveling remote workers based on the total amount of trips logged by Nomads.com members. Visits to a place are only counted once per year per user, even if they visit more in that year. Visits are also normalized by overall trips added per month on the site, so if site usage goes up or down it does not affect trends. Not all digital nomads are on Nomads.com, and not all Nomads.com members log their trips. So the data is only indicative.

The chart below shows visitors by nationality normalized for population size. This means we take all trips logged on Nomads.com, check which country of origin the user is from, then divide that total visit count by the country of origin's population. If we didn't, it'd just show the big countries like US, Brazil and India always on top. Instead, this shows which nationalities worldwide proportionally visit more or less, which is more useful.

🎒 Nomad Score™	3.3/5 (Rank #258) 103 reviews
👍 Quality of life score	Okay
👶 Family score	Okay
🎒 Community score	Okay
🤯 Overcrowding score	0% is nomad here
💵 Cost	😙 Affordable: $1,410 / mo
📡 Internet	🚀 Super fast: 57 Mbps (avg)
😝 Fun	Okay
⛅️ Temperature (now)	🥵 Too hot: 32°C89°F (feels 39°C102°F)
💦 Humidity (now)	😊 Comfy: 70%
❄️ % of buildings with AC	😊 High: 80%
💨 Air quality (now)	😐 Moderate: 75 US AQI
💨 Air quality (annual)	🌱 Great: 39 US AQI
👌 Safety	Bad
👩 Safe for women	Okay
🌈 Safe for LGBTQ+	Bad
🤮 Food safety*	Good
👮‍♀️ Lack of crime*	Good
🤝 Lack of racism*	Bad
🎓 Education level*	Mediocre
⚡️ Power grid	Great
🌊 Resilience to climate change	Good
💰 Income level*	Low: $792 / mo
🙊 English speaking*	Okay
🚶 Walkability	Great
🚦 Traffic safety*	Bad
✈️ Airline scores*	Great
🧳 Lost luggage*	Great
😄 Happiness*	Bad
🍸 Nightlife	Bad
📶 Free WiFi in city	Bad
🖥 Places to work from	Bad
❄️ A/C or heating	Okay
😁 Friendly to foreigners	Okay
🗯 Freedom of speech*	Okay
🎅 Startup Score	Bad

🌍 Continent	Asia
🚩 Country	Malaysia
🗓️ Average trip length	3 days
📡 Internet speed (avg)	57 Mbps
⛅️ Weather (now)	☀️ 32°C 89°F + 😊 Comfy (70%) = feels 39°C 102°F
💨 Air quality (now)	👍 75 US AQI = 🚬🍃 OK
💨 Air quality (annual avg)	👍 40 US AQI
🔌 Power	230V 50Hz
🚕 Best taxi app*	Grab
🚑 Travel medical insurance	Safetywing
💸 10 MYR in USD	USD 2.47
🏧 Suggested ATM take out:	MYR 1,000 = USD 247
💸 Tipping	No
💳 Cashless	💵 No, cash only (esp. for foreigners)
☕️ Best coffee place	San Francisco Coffee
🏪 Best 24/7 coffee place	Utopia Workspaces
🚰 Tap water	🚫 No, not drinkable
♻️ Return rate	5% of visitors return
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Population	580,000 people
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 GDP per capita*	$9,508 / year
👫 Gender ratio (nomads)	👨 77% 👱‍♀️ 23%
🏞 Foreign land ownership allowed	Yes
⛪️ Religious government	Religious
💻 Online electronics shop	Lazada
🏠 Apartment listings	Airbnb
✈️ Best int'l air carrier	Air Asia
🏥 Best hospital	Mahkota Medical Centre

💵 Cost of living for nomad	$1,410 / month
💵 Cost of living for expat	$1,024 / month
💵 Cost of living for family	$1,616 / month
💵 Cost of living for local	$462 / month
🏨 Hotel (median price)	$474 / month
🏡 Airbnb (median price)	$2,239 / month
🏠 1br studio rent in center	$640 / month
🏠 Median home price	$86,612
🏨 Hotel (median price)	$22 / night
🏠 Airbnb (median price)	$73 / night
🏢 Coworking hot desk	$91 / month
🍛 Dinner	$2
🥤 Coca-Cola (0.3L)	$1
🍺 Beer in cafe (0.5L)	$5
☕️ Coffee in cafe	$2
👩‍🏫 International school	$4,516 / year
📱 Mobile data (~10GB)	$5 / month
🚕 Taxi price (avg trip ~3km/2mi)	$3 / trip

Malacca

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Members who have been here

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