Cost of Living in Malaysia

[rjnpenang]

Originally Posted by sandielenton

I see you spend 6 months in Southern Spain - I lived there for years and still have a place near to Sabinillas. Whereabouts are you when you are there?

Sandie

Hi Sandie, We live in Mijas Costa, not far from you. going back beginning of March, then return to Penang for the winter. Where are you in M/sia?. Rob

[rag]

Originally Posted by ztempest

Hello out there !!!

How much money do I need to make yearly to live comfortably in Malaysia ??? In US dollars please ....

Thank you !!!

Cheers !!
{z}}}

About US$1000 will do but for some it will be more if standards are high. I was surviving there for a few months with wife for about Aus$1000 only. I rented a 2 bed place in Penang for only RM$ 700 pm.

[sandielenton]

Hi Rob, We are in Tanjung Bungah, Penang - and love it here.

Originally Posted by rjnpenang

Hi Sandie, We live in Mijas Costa, not far from you. going back beginning of March, then return to Penang for the winter. Where are you in M/sia?. Rob

[louiss]

Originally Posted by ztempest

Hello out there !!!

How much money do I need to make yearly to live comfortably in Malaysia ??? In US dollars please ....

Thank you !!!

Cheers !!
{z}}}

As for me, at least $1000 can be very nice and comfortable at home in KL. If you stay some place that is not much people like perlis or sarawak, you just need $500 to stay alive and enjoy your day.

[tumbleweeds]

Originally Posted by louiss

As for me, at least $1000 can be very nice and comfortable at home in KL. If you stay some place that is not much people like perlis or sarawak, you just need $500 to stay alive and enjoy your day.

You must be giving a monthly figure! I'd say to live very nicely and comfortably in KL, you should have at least $1200-1500 monthly, though it is certainly possible to live for less than that. Figure around $500-700 per month for rent for a decent condo and the remainder going for food, public transport, utilities and entertainment. If you want to have your own car, you would have to add more onto this for gas, taxes, insurance, maintenance, etc. Though you could certainly survive for less than this figure - many local people live on about $300 per month (1000 rm).

[Serendipity2]

Hi all,

Thanks for your posts! Malaysia is also on my list of places to retire. I would appreciate any feedback on the following issues:

I understand expats can buy a home [or small plot of ground and build] is this correct?

Can we reasonably get my speaking only English?

Are we allowed to bring our personal effects into Malaysia? If so, are their costs involved?

I would love to find my 'significant other' - is that a reasonable expectation in Malaysia?

I know the country is predominantly Islamic. Is that a problem on such issues as wine or bacon or [ouch] sex?

Thanks for any and all feedback and suggestions!

Serendipity2

[Serendipity2]

Sorry, I should have added one more question....

I would like to work in Malaysia - or more specifically, own a small business that would employ Malaysians. Is that allowed and do I need a specific visa prior to moving to Malaysia? Is there a minimum US$ amount I have to bring in to open and operate a business? Thanks

Serendipity2

[tumbleweeds]

Yes, you can buy a home and land in Malaysia. :: MM2H :: Malaysia My Second Home has information about this - ex-pats must spend at least 250,000 rm for a home (300,000 if on Sarawak) - though it's possible to find something for less with an agent's help (for instance, the owner could buy a house full of furniture and include that in the purchase price to bring the total up to the minimum).

Yes, you can bring in personal effects. If you go under the Malaysia My Second Home promotion, there should be no duties on either personal effects or a vehicle. If you don't do the MM2H, I believe that you may be subject to duty.

Yes, English is very widely spoken and you can get by very well without knowing a word of Bahasa - though locals do appreciate it if you can at least say a few words. In areas like KL, you'll probably hear more English being spoken than any other language. There are also several English-language newspapers that can be found everywhere, as well as English book stores, etc. Many of Malaysia's minorities don't even speak Bahasa - many of the Indians and Chinese speak only their own language and English.

Sure, you might find your significant other in Malaysia. Keep in mind, though, that if he/she happens to be Muslim, then you would need to convert if you were to marry. Those rules don't apply for any other of Malaysia's many religions. I've seen many inter-racial couples in Malaysia.

Malaysia is roughly 60% Islamic and 40% everything else. That means that items such as beer, wine, pork, etc. are available in any place where Chinese or Indians or the indigenous people live - which is basically throughout the country. You'll find no shortage of places selling these items in the major cities, such as Georgetown, KL, Ipoh, etc. , but less so if you settle in the far north (around Terreganu or Kota Bahru), which tend to be more conservative than the rest of the country). Most grocery stores will have a non-halal section selling all sorts of products that would be forbidden to Muslims. Additionally, Chinese restaurants almost all sell alcohol and pork products. As far as sex goes, you shouldn't have any problems as long as you're mindful of the local culture - no public displays of affection (hand-holding is fine). Rarely, I've heard of hotels wanting to see a marriage license before renting to a couple - but that's extremely rare. In traveling for many months in Malaysia with my husband, I was never asked to show proof of marriage - but there was something in the paper just a couple of months ago about a couple who was not married - Georgetown, I think? - who were reprimanded by the police. It's really more of an issue if the couple is Islamic - if you're obviously a tourist or a non-Malaysian, it shouldn't be a problem.

Sorry, I don't know the answer to your last question. The Malaysian government makes it very easy for foreigners to live long-term in the country. They are not nearly as accommodating when it comes to employment or having a business. I would expect that there would be a great deal of red tape involved.

[Serendipity2]

Hi Tumbleweeds,

I'll look into Malaysia My Second Home. Thanks for that!

Have you ever noticed that if you ask a question it later reminds you of two more you want to ask?

Is high speed Internet readily available in Malaysia? I've a PC and would probably just bring my HDD rather than the entire PC [but might try to bring my monitor] if I don't ship my furniture and other personal effects. That said, I've read an expat needs to keep a certain amount of money in a local bank to be allowed 'resident' status. I've got to learn more about that!

Is English speaking TV available? There isn't a lot that's very good hear but I do love the PGA Tour [but only when El Tigre is playing] and shows like Jeopardy, Dancing with the Stars, the History channel etc. If not available I'll sure do a lot more reading.

Thanks again for the information.

Serendipity2

[tumbleweeds]

Yes, you can get high-speed internet. Most internet cafe's have broadband/DSL. For home use, there are several companies offering 3G, which isn't super-fast but it's pretty much adequate. If you're around KL, I'd recommend going with IZZI - they actually have 4G, which is faster than the 3G, and they don't require a contract. Whatever you end up with, avoid Celcom - service is unreliable and customer service is non-existent! You could also pick a plan with TM, but I think that all of their plans require that you have a land-line, which I never had, as well as a 1 or 2 year contract.

You can get cable TV through Astro (Astro :: Making Your Life Richer) - all sorts of English channels.

As far as local banking goes, you have to either be in Malaysia on a MM2H visa or an employment visa, or you can't bank locally. I stayed in Malaysia for 2 years on a social visit pass, so no one would let me have a bank account in the country (though I've heard rumours that Standard Chartered allows foreigners to have Malaysian accounts with them without a residency visa). What I ended up doing was opening a Singapore bank account, which I could do without any special visa (DBS was happy to do this). But you can also get by quite well by using your regular bank and just accessing cash through ATM's. If you think that you'll be wanting a local bank, be sure to bring a letter of reference from your bank back home - it will make it easier when you apply for a foreign account.

Hope this helps!