Malaysia is simply one of the best countries when it comes to bridging rich nature, technology, culture and urbanization - the total package that defines the good life. On top of that, the Malaysian lifestyle is very affordable, making comforts and pleasures come easily - the reason why it's one of the most inexpensive destinations in the world. Indeed, only good things await everyone in this Southeast Asian haven.
Household and Utilities
An expat can easily acquire a 2-3-bedroom apartment for about 100 - 150 Euros or RM506 - RM760 a month. An average electricity bill is around RM281 as temperatures rarely drop below 22° C in Malaysia, even at night. Hence, no central heating is required.
Telephone landline services are cheap, running at about RM22 a month on average, while Internet services cost RM51 per month. Expat workers who've left their families back home will be happy to learn that prepaid international calls only cost about RM25 per card for three to four hours of usage.
European expats are also amazed by how cheap domestic help can come. The convenience of having a maid is considered luxurious in their home countries; hence, they find it a breather to be able to hire a full-time English-speaking maid for about RM646 a month. The prices go down to RM420 for someone who doesn't speak English. You can also hire maids on an hourly basis for about RM8.50. Most of them are available through agencies.
Transportation
Whether you use public or private transport, running costs are generally low. A liter of RON97 unleaded blend costs RM2.30 and diesel is RM2.20 per liter. One thing expats truly appreciate in Malaysia is that the government recognizes all international driving licenses. Moreover, car purchases are not taxed, including those acquired from other countries. A lot of banks even offer housing and business loans, making it easier for anyone jumpstarting a new life in a new country.
Food
An average grocery bill in a Malaysian household is about RM760 per month and consists of a variety of food products such as fish, beef, poultry, vegetables, processed fish products such as canned tuna and sardines, fruits like Durian and mangosteen, tea, milk - practically every item on anyone's grocery list. Most of these are priced by weight and are very affordable. Households typically make use of piped natural gas for cooking, but when it's unavailable, LPG proves to be a good alternative. One tank lasts up to three months and costs less than RM12.40 for delivery.
Expats who want to explore food in Malaysia can get a typical meal in an ordinary cafe for as cheap as RM2. Prices are naturally higher in the more sophisticated restaurants.
Taxes
Expats like that inheritance taxes are low and capital gains taxes on assets are practically nonexistent. This means expats don't have to pay anything to acquire properties, only cover their market worth.
As it is, Malaysia is one of the most affordable cities to live in and this is significantly attributed to the government's efforts to keep the Malaysian Ringgit competitive with other currencies in the world. Hence, citizens, migrants, tourists, or expats are always on the winning end.
More Expat Resources
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
PGRpdiBjbGFzcz0iaXRlbSBibG9jX2ltYWdlIiBzdHlsZT0iYmFja2dyb3VuZDp1cmwoaHR0cDovL2hvbWUuZXhwYXRmaW5kZXIuY29tL2RhdGEvaW1ncy9jbXMvaGVhbHRoaW5zdXJhbmNlMl8xMzIyNTQ3NTYyODAyOTIyMDAucG5nKSBuby1yZXBlYXQgI0YyRjJGMjtiYWNrZ3JvdW5kLXBvc2l0aW9uOjMwcHggMjBweDsiPg0KCTxoMz5HZXQgZnJlZSBIZWFsdGggSW5zdXJhbmNlIFF1b3RlczwvaDM+DQoJPGRpdiBjbGFzcz0iZGVzY3JpcHRpb24iPkhvdyBtdWNoIHdpbGwgaGVhbHRoIGluc3VyYW5jZSBjb3ZlcmFnZSBjb3N0IHlvdSBpbiBNYWxheXNpYT8gR2V0IGZyZWUgSGVhbHRoIEluc3VyYW5jZSBRdW90ZXMgZnJvbSB0b3AgcHJpdmF0ZSBoZWFsdGggaW5zdXJhbmNlIHByb3ZpZGVycyBmb3IgY292ZXJhZ2UgaW4gTWFsYXlzaWE8L2Rpdj4NCgk8ZGl2IGNsYXNzPSJjbGlja2JvdXRvbiI+DQoJCTxhIGNsYXNzPSJidXR0b24gYmNzX2IxNDBfNDUgZjE0IiAgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL2luc3VyYW5jZS5leHBhdGZpbmRlci5jb20vaGVhbHRoLWluc3VyYW5jZS1tYWxheXNpYSI+PHNwYW4+R2V0IEZyZWUgUXVvdGVzPC9zcGFuPjwvYT4NCgk8L2Rpdj4NCgk8ZGl2IGNsYXNzPSJzZXBhcmF0aW9uIj4mbmJzcDs8L2Rpdj4NCjwvZGl2Pg0KDQo=
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
