bakedbean

Sorry to hear that Houses in Penang are a similar price I think.

Hovite

We live about 15 mins out of KK in the foothills and have a relatively cool breeze running through the place at night. Having said that the walls act like storage heaters. The locals have it right - build in wood (termite resistant type). It is worth trying to acclimatise if you can. We mainly use the ceiling fans and that is sufficient. Occasionally we put the a/c on an hour before bed and use the fan after that.
It is the old adage - horses for courses. Some like Malaysia, some prefer UK. And circumstances. Pots of money and a nice house in the countryside in the UK. Scrimping and not afraid to live in a tropical country where you are financially better off, then IMO Malaysia has it - Dentist - tooth extraction in the UK GBP140 and pain (LPT) - Malaysia GBP17 and hardly felt a thing!
As for cars, I have a Ford Ranger 2012 Wildtrak 3.2L TD in chilli red - a builder petrol head's mode of transport.

ex reg

Of course Singapore is not Malaysia but take out the cost of accommodation and a car then we still find living in Singapore double that of living in UK and we split our time 50/50.

bakedbean

Very interesting ex Reg. sure has changed eh.

Bocat

Hi Harlow Lad

I was wondering what had happened to you too!

Would you not consider one of the older properties in Leisure Farm? I wish we'd bought one now - much bigger gardens etc than what we're going for.

Also although I didn't like Horizon Hills when we went to look - now that I've been living here for a while and visited a few more places - some of the houses there are really nice - and definitely cheaper than Leisure Farm.

Or you could still come and join us in East Ledang (if we ever actually get the keys that is!)

ex reg

Certainly.

10 years ago maybe even 5 years I'd've said it was the other way round.

Luckily I don't think it will effect us but I think it's to do with salaries here escalating and then with people having too much disposable income and not being discriminatory over how much they paid for stuff the retailers just uped prices and no one took any notice.

We'll probably buy the latest LEDs when we are back in UK and get the same model when we come back here. The cost in Singapore is twice the cost in UK for the Samsung.
The missus already has an LED here, good it is too, but she won't let me watch it as she's not into sporting stuff and my LCD must be nearly 10 years old.

And iirc last time I looked LEDS cost more in Malaysia than Singapore.

Bocat

Lots of stuff costs more in Malaysia as I'm finding out!

However, the cost of living here is generally still lower than Singapore.

Fine example - I bought a packet of After Eights for RM12.99 today whereas they usually cost $12 A fine reason to live here I feel

ex reg

Agree we usually equate MYR to S$ if you get what I mean. So 1 to 2.5
The LED was just the exception.

Hovite

Goodness! I did not realise Singapore was so expensive! KK seems cheap to me but I do not do much food shopping, just the bag carrier when in town. 600g jar of Marmite for RM26 I think is cheaper than UK and from out tented open market in Inanam potatoes from Holland for RM4-5/kg - onions and shallots from India and garlic from China. I bought a 4" Bosch angle grinder from one of the local hardware stores a couple of days ago - boxed, unused and with everything inside - for 20% less than either Screwfix or Amazon. My son tells me Apple goods are cheaper from the Malaysian web site than the UK one. Setting aside price the quality and freshness of local fruit is reason enough - durian, langsat, longan, rambutan, honey starfruit, dalap, English durian, etc. etc.

Bluenose1

I think I have just had my first real experience of "white-skin" price! Last year, at my wife's suggestion, I sent an email to a (Chinese) builder asking for a rough 'guide price' for building a 4 bedroomed house on 2 floors. We met the same builder earlier this week and he asked us what our budget was. We didn't tell him, so he quoted a price that was more than double his email estimate!!! I'll be staying incognito from now on until my wife has negotiated a price! :-)

Hovite

Bluenose1 unfortunately it does not end with the price. We got a steal of a price to reduce our soil by 1.20m (big area). He said while digging that he had underpriced it - I was expecting that ( I am a QS so and and the cost), but not the amount he asked for at the end which was more than 3 times the original price. We settled on a lower figure, which was still cheaper than the second quote and I know he did OK out of it .. he was a local Malay chap so I did not screw too hard. Many locals (Chinese) on our estate ( and Chinese relatives around KK) seem to have paid over the odds for their extensions. Ours was very cheap as it was a builder friend and neighbour who did it.

Harlow Lad

Hello Bocat,

I'm still alive, barely. Yeap we didn't realised buying property here are so fearsomely competitive. We did when to see some very nice terrace house in Bayou water village last weekend. We all felt in love with the environment. However the house is too small only a 3 bedroom 1500sqf not much difference to a Singer condo. And they asking for RM1.2mil for this little house.

Actually Horizon Hill and East Ledang are more expensive than Leisure farm. We already done our research. A resale semi detached house in Horizon Hill or East Ledang cost at least RM2.5mil. So as you can see you already a millionaire.

You guys still in Leisure Farm? I thought you already moved in ages ago.

Bluenose1

Don't suppose you could persuade him to come to Melaka for 9 months or so could you, Hovite? ;-)

Actually, in the area where we are renting, there is a Chinese builder who has built 2 houses in the last year; they are big houses and when my wife spoke to him last, said the second one cost around RM500K! So she has him on her list to talk to!

bakedbean

Any new thoughts on this subject now we are into 2014?

UK...I haven't the foggiest as I haven't been back there for 7 years. Read the online papers...that's about it.

Malaysia is getting more expensive. Petrol has gone up, Electricity gone up - though both are a fraction compared to ol Blighty. A type of VAT will be coming in soon. In Penang, properties get ever more pricier, though seasoned expats say that there's no comparison with the more expensive Hong Kong and Singapore.

On the plus side, despite rises, you can still get a decent meal at the foodcourt for less than equivalent of 1 pound Sterling. Can't be bad.

TikkaMasala

Pros of Living in the UK
1. Online marketing (ebay, amazon). Need I say more?
2. (More) affordable cars.
3. Higher quality of public transport (although it was horrendously expensive in Norfolk).
4. I got to wear an overcoat!
5. Lower alcohol prices.

Cons
1. Fuel prices!
2. Long waiting lines at NHS centers.
3. I paid 10% NI but was ineligible for benefits (not that I would claim anyway but HRMC wouldn't refund me before I left, the bstards!)
4. Political Correctness.
5. Being one of the only non-white persons in a management position in my previous firm I experienced a bit of xenophobia.
6. Chavs.
7. Not being able to eat out affordably (discounting takeaways of course).
8. Price of services (PC Repair, plumbing e.g.) exorbitantly high.
9. Binge-drinking culture.
10. The weather.
11. Property prices.

Pros of living in Msia
1. Fuel prices!
2. Eating out is considerably cheaper.
3. Being able to exploit my connections in the government.
4. Services are cheaper - 24 hours McDonalds and a PC support technician who comes to your house?!
5. General prices of electronic and consumer goods are lower.
6. The weather.
7. Local plane flights are cheaper.
8. Local holidays are cheaper.

Cons
1. Traffic jams.
2. Prices of automobiles.
3. I don't get to wear an overcoat, and wearing a suit in any environment outside that of air-conditioning is akin to heat torture.
4. Public transport does not cover Greater KL (but hopefully the MRT will!)
5. Prices of alcohol.
6. Undersupply of Ales!
7. Online shopping has not reached a good level (yet).