tinati

Hello everyone.

I've got a very specific question... Can RM 8 500 a month (before tax) provide a decent life for a family with 2 little children?
We've been told that living cost in Malaysia is lower than in the UK but when I compared prices in Malaysian Tesco I could not see much difference to prices here in the UK.
One of the previous posts stated that a couple in Penang spent RM3 060 a month for a smallish apartment, car, bills, insurance, clothes.. That was some time ago and i'm not sure about inflation rate.. Would situation in Selangor be similar to the situation in Penang?
Just want to add that we would not have to worry about paying our health insurance and fees for children's private education.

Thanks

Tina

ex reg

I'm jumping in first again, just turned on the computer and tuned into here.

If I start with the bad news then the other guys will come along with some good stuff.

I don't live in Malaysia now but next door.
MYR 8500 is about 1700 quid before tax.

Can you live on that in UK?

Are your accommodation, return flights to UK etc etc provided outwith the 8500?

Just on the medical and schooling which you say will be provided. Make sure that the provision will cover what you need and is not limited to an amount that will not be increased if need be.

Is that salary in line with what the job pays in UK or has it been uplifted to account for your moving overseas?

Have you lived overseas before?

If this is your first overseas posting be aware that unlike the nice people on this forum when you meet overseas colleagues and neighbours in real life and they know your salary and where you live etc then it sometimes happens that they can be a bit 'bitchy' if their standard of living is higher than yours.
And yours is not too great on the face of it.

Akchewly it appears that this won't be your first trip overseas because the usual question from those guys is 'will my children be gobbled up by nasty creatures'.

I'm not trying to be negative baked bean and I hope the OP gets to work and live in Malaysia because if you get your basics right we all know it is a fabulous country and has great people.

bakedbean

oh you are a naughty person ex Reg.

I think living costs is so difficult to compare. If you're just comparing foodstuffs in Tesco, it probably isn't going to tell you much to be honest. Are you looking at imported goods/foodstuffs? We've just got a new Tesco in Penang and certainly the fruit and veggie prices are terrific. Seems cheap to me. But if you go to the market, probably even cheaper still. But then I'm totally clueless about prices in the UK these days. If you buy "local" foodstuffs, it's bound to be cheaper I would've thought.

I guess you need to be looking at the big figures like rental prices. I've not a clue about Selangor but I'm sure there's some property websites out there you can check on.

Oh... petrol is dead cheap here... currently RM 1.90 per litre... probably a fraction of what you pay in the UK.

What else? I suppose it depends on your interests, hobbies etc.

I think that alcohol is perceived to be expensive, though not as expensive as Singapore... eh Ex Reg? Be interested to know what a bottle of wine costs in the UK these days. As a cheapskate, I go for the bargain bottles in Cold Storage (supermarket) and pay around RM 30 to 35 for an okayish bottle of Sauvignon Blanc or similar.

Eating out, you can pay anything really. A plate of local food at a foodcourt, Mee Goreng or Char Kway Teow or Penang Laksa will probably set you back between RM 3 and RM 4 a plateful. A fairly decent bistro type place with aircon probably RM 10 upwards for a plateful.

bakedbean

oh and you don't get most of these horrible stealth taxes like you get in the Uk... and of course electricity bill will be minimal unless you bash the aircon seriously. You won't need central heating of course

People are nosey about your finances here, much like Singapore, so ex Reg does have a point in a way. We've just bought a new condo unit and were in the lifts the other day and a local lady asked what floor we were living. Then.... are you renting? No. How much did you pay for the unit? I said I don't know, cannot remember

ajw

A rough break down of our living costs in KL

Rent 8000rm per month (but u can spend less)
Elec 400 pm
Gas 30 per three months
Water 20 pm
Astro 80 pm
Tm unifi (internet and phone) 150 pm
Petrol 150 pm
Supermarket 1800 pm (but I dont shop at the markets as I should. This is for 2 adults and two young children).
Pay as you go mobile. 60 pm

Road tax 90 per year!!
Car insurance (comp) 1000 per year

Hope this helps...

On top are any other going out/entertainment costs.

ajw

Check out iproperty.com.my for rentals

Atilla

Similar to above, I find the costs here very reasonable. Rough costs in RM per month:

• Electricity: 180
• Gas: 10-20
• Water (mains): 2-3
• Bottled water: 30-50 (you can 'plumb' in a filter for around RM 2,000 but IMO you need to be staying somewhere for the duration to get the return on investment)
• Broadband Internet (4MB) / Landline: 150
• Astro TV (premium package with all English channels, movies and recording box etc.): 135
• Mobile phone (pre paid): 50
• Medical cover: 100 - 150
• Car Insurance: RM 100

I have factored in some things which are paid annually but will clearly still have to be accounted for. In addition you may need to include Service Charge (condo) if buying.

Alcohol is somewhat mor expensive here but depends how much you drink as to how much of a problem that is. Beer wise it costs almost as much to drink at home as it does to go out so good incentive to go out At £6-7 for a decent bottle of wine in the UK the prices here are comparable though the mark-up in the more 'sophisticated' restaurants can be considerably more than UK / Europe. Many of the foodstuffs I find very reasonable here, esp if you buy local produce and even more so if it's geared towards Asian cuisine. Many of the basics can also be cheap if you avoid going for named brands for your own country where much of the local branded stuff is just as good.

Where I think there is a big win is no VAT (I've just sourced a PC that would cost £1,500 in the UK for less than £800 - no point in assembling at that price), no Council Tax, lower fuel costs (all types), zero heating costs and the cost of eating out here which in many ways can make it more expensive to cook at home. That little cluster of benefits for me makes the cost of living here considerably cheaper than the UK .

And yes, some people are nosey about income, and some do bitch (and not just locals either!!) Thankfully they are few in number and easy enough to ignore / avoid, not worth much else.

The biggest problem will likely be rental costs. They are still better than many places but will take a hefty toll

tinati

Hello again!

I'd like to thank you all for your answers. I found them very helpful. Breaking down the cost of living gave me a rough idea about MR buying power and expenses we might meet. That helped a lot.
I also went to iproperty as Ajw recommended and found SPACIOUS houses for RM 1800-2500!

So we made our mind and my husband is about to sign on the dotted line! Can't wait to move!

About nasty people... They are everywhere. If someone wants to make silly comments about us not having 2 cars and a driver and stay-in made, so what...
Just let them talk

Thanks again

Tina

bakedbean

All the best with your planning. Life's an adventure

Domino

back in the late 60's Britain had a Royal Navy, who had a base in Singapore.
young seaman posted out there for 18-24m stint, took wife and small child with him. got an amah as one does (or used to anyway), who told him her father had a car he might be interested in, instead of begging a lift or catching a crowded bus. Well, the price was right, the car a beauty, so he bought it.

parked up in the base car park, got called in by an officer to explain why this car was parked next to the officer's battered old mini. guy said it was his and it was a lovely car. officer said Get Rid of It NOW. guy refused, was disciplined under the RN system for disobeying an order and repatriated with wife and child almost instantly. car was sold very discreetly.

so if your amah wants to sell you a Rolls Royce in good condition, just remember that there is always petty jealousy everywhere.

I had to put up with jealousy and sniffy attitude at work a couple of years ago when I bought a (second hand) Jag X Type, down to the comment "how can he afford that?" by someone who didnt realise they were standing next to my OH, and complaints about the parking space I used.

be yourself and be happy, secure in the fact you don't have to live with them


kr

bakedbean

Ha ha. Good story Domino. You're a bit far from home (Granada, East Anglia) over here in the Far East section, but most welcome

I think Tinati's got it right though... you get strange people everywhere and in all walks of life. When we were living in Thailand and we got to know a German couple and the guy summed it up just perfectly in his wonderful broken English. He said Everyvare you hev ze good guys and everyvare you hev ze a$$holes

So so true.

Domino

5 years out in the FE on grey painted war canoes

still have an affinity for the place, since I retired I have been able spend some time visiting the BE forums, it all brings back memories.

hate flying and my very first trip at barely 17 was London to Singapore on a Caledonian Airways prop driven trooping flight. got stuck at Ankara when after refuelling etc pilot drove port wheels a couple of feet over the taxiway white line - that denoted the end of the hardcore under, and wheel sank into marshland. ISTR 10 hours sitting airside doing my head in with absolutely no money and nothing to spend it on.

by the way, although I didnt know the guy personally, I knew a couple who did and the story is true. being 17 I couldnt understand any of it at the time, it took a couple of years seconded to the RAF and working 5 floors under MOD to really understand the jealousy that surrounds the us and them boundaries.

kr

Both Worlds

Tina I hope you dont mind me jumping in on this thread but I have an idea:
OK I am doing around the world best places to retire and Malaysia could be possible. If you can supply your expenses then I will post my costs here in the UK and the island of Tenerife- to compare if thats OK-
1. gas
2. Electricity
3. Council tax or rates
4. house insurance
5. water costs
6. food
7. car tax/disc
8. internet broadband + phone
9. car insurance
10.petrol

If you can think of anything else thats needs costing-such as prescriptions and health for instance.

Both Worlds

Sorry I have just found this post-OH well I have probably added something? Maybe not looking at it!!

Both Worlds

Is food costs really £90.81 for a family of 4 per week.