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Advice Please

Last activity 23 November 2011 by Nemodot

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tattyb

Hi Folks - 1st time post.  I'm looking for advice.  I am married with 1 child and see moving to KL as a way to improve my quality of life and escape the expensive and boring UK!  I own a house here in the UK, so will at least in the short term be paying fincial commitments in the UK.  I have found a job, which after tax and all my UK commitments will leave me with 7500 RM per month.  The job is in Equine Park about 40 mins from the centre of KL.

I would like to rent a house big enough for me, my wife and child.  The job offers an addtional 4000 RM per month rental allowance.


My wife would not like to work.
We would like to be comforatable financially (be able to aford food, all bills (electricity, phone, internet),  car, holidays, trips home.)

Is all of the above reasonable for 7500 per month, and will the additional 4000 per month cover rent for a decent house?

Thanks on advance for your help!

Rouma

Hi tattyb

Welcome to Expat.com! :)

Have a look at following thread, it has good information regarding cost of living in Malaysia.

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=106975

I hope this link will help you.

Best of luck,
Rouma

Nemodot

Yes and no! The main issue will be school fees - budget 4k a month just for fees, travel, extra fees etc. Then medical, car 1,500 RM a month (or x2 for 2). So easily 6-7k just for 2 cars (you are isolated without them) and fees for school.

However you say after commitments so good in a way - but allow for FX risk. Now 5RM to pound but was 7RM to pound when I was last in KL and so a 1,000 pound committment can go from 5,000 RM to 7,000 RM! So allow for that risk.

Most expat wives end up knitting and shopping (!) or boozing lol. Seriously hard to get a job for a trailing spouse unless she is a Chem or Phys teacher which if so jobs easy (!) or something in dmenad like a doctor. Technically now eaier but most employers are unaware.afraid of changes and in reality it is hard to get a job as a spouse.

I know many will say "so much" but in reality it isn't. It's doable, but you will spend every last RM.

tattyb

Thanks, that was useful.  Any more info grestly appreciated, its a big decision!

MisterStretch

I don't understand the need and expense for two cars.

Unless she's going to go out every day (what a great way to spend even more money), the few times she might need to go out, a taxi is fairly easy to arrange...and your costs drop dramatically.

It can be done, as the above poster said, but you'll spend every last RM you have, and still not get all those little perks and luxuries you want; holidays, trips back to Blighty, etc.

Nemodot

MisterStretch wrote:

I don't understand the need and expense for two cars.

Unless she's going to go out every day (what a great way to spend even more money), the few times she might need to go out, a taxi is fairly easy to arrange...and your costs drop dramatically.

It can be done, as the above poster said, but you'll spend every last RM you have, and still not get all those little perks and luxuries you want; holidays, trips back to Blighty, etc.


I never take taxis in Malaysia. I was nearly killed by one, friends were attacked by one, I get fed up with being offered girls/boys by them, quite a few are druggies and female local friends don't on their own as quite a few are just plain weird! I had to rescue one friend before from some perv

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