is 13000 MYR is sufficient for a family of 4 to live in Malaysia

Its been 5 years since the original post in here and prices have gone up a lot since then.

How I view all these posts together is that when kids are involved, salary needs go to the moon. The idea of 13K or 16K is OK for a couple even in 2020, but 4 kids, no way. That said, YES, there are local families with nine kids and 4K salary and they survive but the required sacrifices needed for that is something the average expat would never agree to. Really, live in a little hut with a leaking tin roof? Be my guest....

Life isnt a math formula but generally speaking, in Sept 2020 for an average, decent expat life in Malaysia on 13-16K:
1. Ok, good, fine, not bad at all for single person
2. Ok, no big problems, a few sacrifices for a couple
3. Impossible with a total of 6 in the family

What 20 years here has taught me:
1. Money goes way too fast, like a dam bursting out of your pocket
2. Every single person here has their hand out for cash. Just to wake up in the morning in Malaysia costs about RM300

Location means something but only to a point. Yes, in some ways Penang or Ipoh is cheaper than KL but the country is slowly merging into one price. Center of KL is by far the top price where you need 35-40K but even if a person opted for Ipoh now, in a few years you may not see the point.

20 years ago, a person didnt have to suffer to be here but I was willing to. It was a fun and relaxed place full of promise. Today, I cant see the point to suffer anything to be here. For what? If transferred here on a Super Salary, its fantastic for a few years. But to move here for a relatively low paying job, there isnt enough here to sacrifice anything for. Its not Eden.

So Malaysia on $4.6k/mo. (minus 10% for uncle sam) pension  USD a month isn't a good retirement plan? For a family of 3. I was looking at Setia Ecohill outside KL. Rent was about $500 a month. About $5k per year Tenby international school. It's right near the development. Nice new new SemiD 2 floors. Furnished are more than unfurnished. Unfurnished $350/mo. Also have the big rec center swimming pool, sauna, bike paths, lakes, gym, parks, play ground. 24 hr security gated community.
All $USD I'd like to see if this is feasible? Any comments are welcome. I am also considering Kuching. Sarawak schools are even cheaper over there. But not sure about quality. I like the ecohill layout along with the recreation center. I am sure I missed some things. We will buy a car and some type of motor scooter. Furniture or furnished undecided. We would rent for a year before we decide where to reside permanently if we wanted to buy a condo. Which I think is a bad idea.

Rent    $500
School    $400
Hospitilization    200 $2400/yr top level Tokio Marine? May change that to something else?
Wifi 100MB    $31
Elect.    $100
Water    $5
Food    $600
Vacation savings    $500
Car Insurance    $100
Gas    80
Cleaner 4hr/wk    $90
Dental     $40
Meds/Vitamins    $50
Cell Phone    $60
Sling TV+NFLX    $59
Rec Center $45
            TOTAL       $ 2860

4.6k USD after tax is 19,100 RM after tax or approx 24,000 RM per month (tax comp and fx rate as variables but lets say this) quoted salary. For a family of 3 if school fees paid is very different to 13,000 rm per month (again taking this as pretax).

I would normally say any expat job without school fees or insurance paid isn't a proper job, but as we are in a pandemic recession I understand being less fussy. Your school fees don't allow for all the extras and huge joining fee.  And car cost? Leasing and buying is very expensive in Malaysia. A car can easily eat up 500 USD a month in Malaysia. But overall if you don't drink and are a family person you would save on that salary.

Again circumstances count. If you are giving up a secure job at home on similar salary then maybe not a good idea. Every one has different personal situations and really is a very personal decision! (Don't forget the higher risk of job loss in Malaysia now and anti foreigner stance of the government).

Hi Nemo,
Not going there for work. I am retired and planned on doing the MM2H.
I buy a $15000 car it's going to cost $500 a month to operate it? I don't spend half that in the USA. $20/month for gas and insurance.
After my US taxes it's about $4100 USD. I thought Malaysia was cheaper to live than the USA? It seemed to be when we were there. We just used grab car. Air fare was very inexpensive. We ate out most of the time. We had a an Airbnb condo with a kitchen. We did cook at home some days as we met my wife family there. It was easier for us to meet them there since they are from China. We like Asia so it is a very affordable to explore Asia from there. I'd like to hear from others what the real costs are.

By 500 usd I meant the cost of ownership, ever heard of depreciation?  15k USD isn't big money for a car in Malaysia. They are super taxed.

On MM2H you will have enough, assuming you are not on holiday when they close the country again in yet another wave of Covid19.

Cheap? Heard that rumour. Vs New York yes. Bs somewhere like Pensacola NO! (Just happen to have stayed there a while) indeed with some items Malaysian is super expensive, cars, branded clothes and housing. USA wins on all those outside of New York.

Thanks for your input. Don’t know how Malaysians can live in such low income. Avg wage is $12k a year and minimum wage is $1200MR a month.
Taxes once you pay for the car what taxes are there? I used grab car many times at the money we paid for trips was extremely cheap. Don’t see how they could charge so little and make any money. I gave cash tips to the driver and they would look at me like I was nuts. They said don’t need. Usually about the same as the fare.

I know what depreciation is why I wouldn’t buy a new car ever again. I don’t include that in operational expenses. Ever hear of interest and dividends. Those will cover the cost of living In Malaysia. I don’t plan on touchIng that ever.
So Malaysia is only cheaper than NYC.  That’s totally disingenuous.
How absurd.

Numbeo is pretty interesting cost comparison. Malaysia comes in about 50% less than my city in the USA. And that was with a
Much higher rent than I plan on paying in MY.

Averages you quoted are bollox!

I know 15 years ago average salary in Selangor was 7,000 rm per month. Many Malaysians I know as managers complained 12k a month was too low to live a middle class lifestyle. Local teachers after 10 years service work half a day and get 6,500 rm per month and then make another 5-7k a month in tuition to make ends meet. They also get subsidized loans, mortgages and cheap land to buy.

Most earnings are "unrecorded" and inequality is rife. Orang Asli in Borneo dont earn much!