My $900 Rental in English-Speaking Asia - Expat Living in Malaysia
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 มี.ค. 2024
- Did you know there's a tropical island in Southeast Asia where the locals speak English, and you can live in luxury for less than $2,000 a month?
It's a place where people of many cultures live together in harmony. Where British, Indian, and Chinese influences blend with the local culture to create something new and unique.
This is Penang, in Malaysia.
IL's Malaysia Correspondent Keith Hockton has been living here since early 2010.
00:59 Why I Moved to Malaysia
18:28 My Home in Penang, Malaysia
20:38 A Tour of Penang, Malaysia
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*Disclaimer: portions of this video contain footage recorded in 2019.
#malaysia #penang #southeastasia
I'm from the USA on MM2H for the past 11 years been here 29 years. Bought a place in Bangsar.
U r lucky that u were on MM2H past 11 years, as of now there r many changes on MM2H and its quite strict bcos i hve foreign friends who are interested on MM2H and they told me about it, thats why i know about the latest..u made a good moves..hope u are enjoying ur happy life here in Msia...btw I m Malaysian..🥰
@@zarajazz I renewed last year no problem 😉 good thing we got in many years ago.
Malaysia is a good place to live but very hard to get citizenship.. feel very sorry to those that chose Malaysia for the past 10-20 years, especially to those consider Malaysia as their home.
@darkreeze not if you have a name like Abdul,Mohammad and Razak. But if you're a McAllister,Gray,Tan,Chong,Samy or Kandiah it may take a while even a lifetime.
Happy for you 👍
14 years - wow!
We are an Aussie couple and what we are going to do is long term travel in Asia staying for 3 months in each country to experience the different cultures, but keep our properties in Oz as rentals and also they become increasing assets for if and when we ever decide to sell any of them.
Full time travel in now just around the corner..
great vid mate!
I enjoyed watching this. Keith is methodical, covers a lot of materials and gives us an excellent lay of the land. He's personable, no loud noise, just tells & shows us. Well done!
"You have a great face for a radio" 😂 that was clever plot twist but I have to admit that you have a great calming voice for a radio host and certainly podcast.
Love Penang! We like to winter in Malaysia. Was just there a couple weeks ago. Funny that you featured a few hotels that we stayed at over the years. Campbell House, E&O, etc. This time we spent our time in 3 hotels to live in different areas. Eastin in Queensbay, JEN by the Komtar tower, and Courtyard closer to Gurney. I want to retire in Malaysia, but the wife won't live outside the US.😢
Come, 3 months a year, if it is a choice😂😂😂
I must say that's a pretty good introduction to Georgetown in Penang. As a Malaysian, I can see how this will entice more visitors to come.
Well done video - looks like I will need to visit this place. In less than a month I'll be in KL for about a week, my very first visit to Malaysia. Super excited, its been on the bucket list for a while. I get the feeling I'll be making a return trip (hopefully sooner than later). Cheers from the US 👍
Welcome to Malaysia! Hope you will have a wonderful experience visiting Malaysia. If you need anything just ask any locals, we are happy to help any way we can :D
Great video. You are incredibly articulate. Thank you
I was there in January and I thought that the Infinity condo building looked really nice, on the beach and on the bus line. I prefer it to KL.
I am a Penangnite, and your love towards my hometown, I am touched by it. Thank you.
Very informative footages, thanks for sharing..
Great video, good information. We are visiting in April/May and will visit some of the sites that you recommended. Thank you!
Tq for promoting Penang, Malaysia.
penang the love that i cant explain been in usa for almost 6 years now never had chance to go back i hope as soon as possible
I am amazed you are on the beach with a huge Apt.. And the beach is stunning. OK I am jealous. Wow.😊
Great Video. I’m making an exploratory trip to Malaysia 2025!! Thanks for sharing your experience.
welcome back
That’s awesome!
Loved your video
Great video.
My wife and I are considering living in Italy for the experience. Although it looks amazing, every aspect of this looks to be difficult :)
Your video gave us room to consider Malaysia as our home base instead.
Can you recommend any resources to connect with for:
1. Obtaining a MM2H
2. Consulting to understand tax obligations
3. Anything else we should know.
Thank you.
What a blessed country - enjoyed this video a lot :-)
Glad you are enjoying your stay 👍
I am a Malaysian but British citizen. After fifty odd years my mother tongue language became difficult.. well done you guys I hope you all enjoy your stay..❤
When you coming home for good? Malaysians will miss you.
@@ronlombok1677
Ah thank you, we have been back recently to visit my brother and family.
There's a snack that's deep fried which is a combination of steamed sticky rice, yam and sweet potato slices known as Chien Tnee Kueh. They're usually sold at street side banana fritters stalls. Try asking locals for the exact location. Some of the few less known snacks available in Penang are sugared nutmeg and pickled papaya slices sold at Chowrasta market.
Yes Sir, thank you for your kind words about Msia. For those who are not live here sometimes they not really know what they've said. As we are part of our country we also complaint of something. Nothing is perfect. There are pro & con in this life. That' s the fact. Be kind and respect each other. 😊
nice apartment and great island
I guess Malaysia is more like a hidden gem. Well there's a saying to know Malaysia is to love Malaysia!
What about it’s politics and religious/racial problems?
love your content ...like watching a TV show
South east Asia is the place to be NOW.
Why do you say that?
I get why you referenced the Portuguese and British when you mentioned that Malacca's and Penang's histories tracing back to those days but hmm, I just think you should mention how much further in history they were pre-colonial days.
Agree. Also you can’t “discover” (Raffles) a place if there are already inhabitants
@neutroyaz I just wrote the same thing.
“Sticky note” stepping stones to an amazing adventure! Thanks for sharing.
Hi! This has been very informative! We would ideally like to relocate permanently to Malaysia from the UK. Primarily it's because the UK public services are terrible. So my questions are, how easy is it to set up a business in Malaysia? How good is the secondary (high school) education system? Why did you choose your current location instead of KL? Thank you. Mev 😊
The easiest place on earth to set up doing business is still Singapore❤ U can google & from many sources that the world has been ranking singapore as the easiest place to do business for so many decades alrdy, u can literally get paperwork done within a day!!❤❤Singapore is well known for its efficiency & best infrastrature(is ranked no.1 in the world).
Singapore is also vy diverse country with multi races & vy expat friendly! Out of 6 million populations, almost HALF population living in Singapore are foreigners(incl over 1 mil malaysians working & studying in SG cos SG has 6 times HIGHER salary than Msia)❤❤
Malaysia however is the opposite of Singapore, their work style is known to be in vy slow pace & u have to go through much red tapes & bureaucracy to get the documents approved!!😢
Anyone who grew up in asia knows that malaysia always take forever to get things on time or earlier. Even their trains system only finally built 30yrs later after Singapore😅
FYI, KL malaysia is the same situation. KL was just a flat land in 1990s when Singapore already became developed country in early 1990s. KL only began to start having buildings in early 2000s which is alrdy considered a slow start to have tallest building in mid 2000. Singapore alrdy had tallest building in 1980s, haha but since singapore has alrdy became developed status, we care more to focus on nurturing its internal "software" such as human development rather than on the physical "hardware" of the country such as having tallest buildings🤭 Anyone who's observant on the world issues knows that only developing cities care about tallest buildings eg Dubai, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines etc😅😆
For educational system, singapore also been ranked the best in ASIA (not just in southeast asia) & the only asia country in world top 10. Singapore students been topped in the world no.1 ranking for reading, math & science. Many southeast asians (esp malaysians & indonesians) been flocking to send their kids to study in Singapore for the last 4-5 decades too. U can check on the educational system in the world ranking too. Thats why singapore often topped as world's most intelligent country🇸🇬🇸🇬
Cool
*Malaysia is the centre of South East Asean, centres eazy low cost to go abroad likes go to Thailand Vietnam, Indonesia Philippines & Other's*
Very nice apartment u hv ❤
Have you been to Petaling Jaya, just beside KL?
Don't forget Sabah and Serawak seafood, also their stunning nature.
Wonderful video! Thanks so much for the information. A couple of questions: How did you go about finding a quality rental? Are there good realtors or relocation specialists in Penang? Also, regarding healthcare, how costly are doctors visits and medication? I saw another video stating that expats with pre-existing medical problems are excluded from getting insurance.
I plan to retire in Penang when I retire in 4 years. What are the current requirements for MM2H for US citizens?
I think you may have overlooked to mention the Penang Hill and its surrounding area in the centre of the island. Anyway I am glad to hear all the good things about this tiny place which we locals took for granted.
As digital normad, how do you deal with time zones differences when working with team members in another country like between America amd Malaysia?
In the 60s and 70s Tg Bungah is like Australia . Most RAAF personnel stay there.
Would you know an agent who can help me find a 3 month short term rental?
what is his condo complex called ? anyone knows?
Sir, I hope that you give thanks and praise to God for all His goodness towards you.
WRONG!!! Your old “friend” that told you that you had a face for radio is probably a SPECTRE operative. Alert the media and EON productions…we have discovered the new James Bond! Great audition video! I hope to visit Penang later this year. Do most of your expat friends have health insurance or do they pay out-of-pocket? Could you please reply with the name of your beach club so that I can visit their website? Thank you for the very informative video. I look forward to more. Also do you have a link to your publications?
A basic private health insurance plan for expats in Malaysia can range between RM100 to RM500 (approx. $22 and $113) per month. However, insurance costs vary depending on several important factors, such as age, coverage level, insurance duration, provider, policy, and health status.
Its called Penang Swimming Club in Tanjung Bungah.
You have choose the correct place to live....
Why? Do you think it's the best place for an expat in SE Asia?
South east Asia is now being flooded by westerners: safe, clean, affordable, beautiful scenery, and nice people.
welcome expats to live in malaysia =)
Visited KL, Penang & Langkawi last year. Loved Malaysia. Now researching whether Malaysia would be a good base in SEA for myself and wife for semi-retirement purposes while at the same time our two children studying there at undergraduate level. Already had excellent experience with healthcare there, but none though with education. Would USM on Penang island be decent choice for International students? Any advice welcome.
You could stay in Penang and your kids can stay in KL for undergraduate university?
@@heythave Thanks for your comment. Certainly looks like more options are available in KL.
USM is a good University.
@@silversurfer6758Malaysia has got plenty of highly-rated universities, both public and private. Some are even within the top-100 ranking globally. As for the private unis, plenty UK/AU and China-based universities have also opened their Malaysia branch here, so your children can still get UK/AU degrees with possible Malaysia-rate fees. Hope this info helps
@@silversurfer6758 Monash University and University of Nottingham are not far from KL. Harriot-Watt University in Putrajaya
I know I'll get neg comments for this but I wish when you talk about history you would include more about the folks previous to Western arrival, everything you link back to someone British or an explorer...waht was happening before that? It seems like a lovely country and Nomad Capitalist constantly touts it virtues.
Quality of life and modern convenjence in Malaysia esp its cities has reached western level..so its not easy to fit in for people from the West or first world countries. The diversity of its housing also make it affordable.
26:09
Could you let us know the exact location of that hardware store? Thank you
It’s along Chulia Street, opposite Mugshot cafe n Rainforest bakery
What’s up with the video quality?
Thank you Lord Jesus for the gift of life and blessings to me and my family £18,500 weekly profit Our lord Jesus have lifted up my Life!!!🙏❤️❤️
I'm 37 and have been looking for ways to be successful, please how??
Every one of my prayer requests is about to manifest in the Name of Jesus I receive and connect with this message in Jesus' mighty Name Amen🔥🙏
After enduring many struggles, I am now filled with gratitude for owning a new home. My family is happy, and everything is finally falling into place.
I have been searching for ways to achieve success. Can you please guide me on how to do so?
Sure, the investment-advisor that guides me is..
Are the prices you're quoting USD or AUD? (or any other dollars for that matter?)
He mentioned dollars...guess he’s quoting USD or even Aussie$. Else, he wud hv quoted RM (Ringgit Malaysia)....
@@josephinewailingchan8976
That was what she asked.
He moved from Australia so my guess would be Aus dollars, but since the title just says $900 I would like to know also. @@josephinewailingchan8976
Great place for a foreigner to retire due to relative higher income overseas. As a Malaysian it is better to go overseas to work due to better incomes and opportunities
Correct. But when retired comeback home.
After watching this video I became very interested. I will be 63 in Jan and was thinking of retiring there and living the life you seem to enjoy in Penang. I used to live in KL in 2008/2009 working with a USA company and working with Maybank so I know what it's like there. Now I am a bit despondant because after reading more about the MM2H conditions, I believe that my partner and I must be married. My partner is Thai and we BOTH have citizenship in Australia but we have never married and have been living together since 2008. Also my stepdaughter is 27 and also living us in Melbourne and I would love to take her with us, however I have read that I can only bring extended family if they are not married and under 21.
Another deal breaker seems to be that you need an income of over 40,000 RM a month. !
Anyway can you confirm that what I have written is correct ? I my partner and I were starting to get excited about returning to Malaysia but this has really undermined eagerness to move
Great Video btw. thanks for the info :)
MM2H is on hold now as the MYS govt is re evaluating the scheme to make it more attractive.
The RM 40,000 was one of the complaints which went up from RM 10000 which is why applications decreased by 90%.
Wait and see what happens as govt are due to reissue revised figures including the monthly income required.
I myself are interested in this as well. Good luck !
@@jami7772 Thanks for your reply :)
Interesting... many Malaysians make do with paying USD250 a month rentals... less the amenities...
You can get everything you need for 250 a month. I think many foreigners just don't realize this and overpay
There are also Indians and Indian temples, restdurants and shops.
You mean ‘bestdurian’?
How much is total including electricity etc.. all in monthly
The electricity bill in Malaysia are roughly about 50~100 USD if you use aircond. Internet bill is about 30~40 USD, Water bill maybe just 10~20 USD. Malaysia have no winter, so, no need for heating.
@@humanity2914 Same numbers I'm seeing here in the Philippines
@@Re3iRtH depend on how they consume but Malaysian electricity is heavily subsidized. The electricity tariff here just 1/4 of philipines and the Gasoline cost only 1/3 of philipines.
Thanks for the info.
what do people do with a huge floor area of 600 square meters condo??
skateboard
@@mell7702lol
Have your daily runs in the apartment?
Found that odd too. Like a museum or warehouse lounge
You mention maids room. Do you have a maid? How much is that per month?
Also, what is a comfortable income to live there assuming $900 rent and your lifestyle
If you relocate to Malaysia and presumably become a tax resident, do they tax passive income from outside Malaysia?
It depends on a few factors, but generally you can legally be exempt from income from outside Malaysia.
Yes, they do 😢 since 2023, but no-one is declaring it yet.
@@peterg3365
Thanks. So they have become a residential rather than territorial tax system
@bornfree8487 At the moment tax will only be charged on foreign income remitted to Malaysia. This may change in 2026.
It will soon be $1200-$1500 after the owners watch this video, thanks International Living for exposing this secret to the world.
At times, he looked like Robert De Niro.....
Why aren’t there people swimming and enjoying the beach? That’s so odd. Is it polluted? Is there a lot of sharks?
Yes, raw sewage as I recall. It's not processed at all, the whole island's waste is pumped out into the strait.
@@briancopestick9998
Ew 🤢… thank you for the reply. Such a shame.
That stretch of beach is more secluded and cut off from other stretches by an old sewage drain. All new buildings have modern sewage processing facilities however and do not discharge them into the sea.
Not all coastlibe in SEA are clear and hqve corale due to mangrive and mud flats at estuarines...the best beached are at the east coast which are 3-5 hours drive away from major cities so not difficult to go for weekend getaways.
@@hijazzains
I wasn’t inquiring about “all” coastlines, just this beach. And I never assumed or made a statement that all coastlines in SEA should be clear… they SHOULD however not be dumping sewage in the ocean.
Have you been to Sabah?
Hey do you need a job offer or minimum capital money to get mm2h?
MM2H is currently suspended
Hi Kieth what is the best way to contact you?
All one needs is money!
I wonder what the medical situation is for all these expats retiring there ?
I detect a bit of Hokkien there...
Visa cost now???????
MM2H still closed?
Stamford Raffles didn’t discover Singapore… There was locals living there even before British plundered and colonised part of South East Asia…
900 a month isn't even that big of a discount. He's getting fleeced.
How do you deal with the heat?
We never stay directly in the heat. That's why we always driving not walking. Always take cover. Stay inside, early morning n bit later of afternoon can go outside, quite nice weather. Evening n night is perfect!
We Malaysians never go out in the sun. We use brollies when walking (yes) if we have to, stay inside and aircond. And do our sports or gym in the evenings or early mornings
@tanticitogal I've seen loads of Malaysians walking around in the middle of the day outside. They eat at the hawker stalls, which are not air conditioned.
@@ET740you’ll get used to it after about a month. My husband used to be drenched, after a month it got better. However he will still burn. Luckily my mixed kids dont burn, just get tanned
@cececonnie5509 No, I'm afraid not. I lived in Japan for 8 & a half years & every Summer was as hot & humid as the last. I was built specifically for the cold!
Malaysia sounds great except...........it's hot and humid.
Some people prefer it to cold and freezing.
@@heythave - It's VERY hot and humid, all year. No break. That is the biggest drawback of Malaysia for me.
@@buzzselous3757 I know. I was just there a month ago.
@@heythave That's a shame. I moved to the Lake Tahoe to escape the Deep South heat and don't mind the cold winters, BUT I do mind only having four warm months. Spring is still chilly and much of the fall is too. Uggh
@@SenorJuan2023I'm in SF and escape to SE Asia in the winter. Love the warmth and humidity. Was just in Penang for 2 weeks last month. Then 2 weeks moving south through Taiping, Ipoh, KL, Putrajaya. Love the culture, people, and the fabulous food.
Flying to Kuala Lumpur in 4 days time with £630k in my pocket hoping to buy a nice investment
I suggest wait for MM2H announcement, end of march i think
Well at least I have 90 days holiday access . Just landed in kl Airport seems like a good place
Please stick to nasi lemak and roti canai. Leave the durian for the locals.
Very misleading, Actually a lie. The current MM2H visa reqires a lot more money than most countries pensions pay. In fact you could live in Europe etc for the amount required.
They will be modifying it soon to reduce the costs
Any videos about Malaysia, there will be jealousy and bad comments 😂😂😂
What to you for FUN? I find MY Boring and Bland
I like Thailand bettter...❤
Really? Why do you like Thailand better than Penang? I'm trying to decide between the two. Right now penang seems better because thai immigration is causing trouble for many people doing long stays on the tourist visa
@@Chris-dw6cu I married a Thai Ladyboy . Everything became easy . Penang is boring . No Ladyboys .
It is personal preferences mate😂
Land of Ladyboys and street pleasures, what's there not to like 😂
I often notice that a majority of the Westerners who have decided to take that " leap of faith" moving to South East Asia are people from economic privilege. What is the likelihood of someone like myself who is just coming to one of these south eastern Asian nations with just money sold from my house and a commission based remote job of making a good living?
Yet he doesn't even discuss MM2H requirements for a retirement visa. What's up, International Living? Hiding the bad news?
At the same time your “$900” is jacking up the rent for the locals around you who could NEVER afford something even close to what you have
Bravo 👏
It jacks up prices for everyone. All of SE Asia is getting "gentrified" like this and the end result will be not even most westerners will be able to afford living here.
I'm not a local but I know what local prices are and there's no way I'd ever pay 900 for a condo in a place where a great condo costs 300.
Supply and demand. When more people want to live there the prices go up. When people don’t want them, the prices go down. Free market.
I’m assuming you don’t have any children ?
Ya ur condo apt is incredibly cheap as compared to the ones in Singapore as SG still remains the world's most expensive country for the last 9yrs😂..BUT u forgot that Malaysia average salary has been one of the LOWEST in asia & in the world for last few decades, it's about 6 times LOWER than Singapore. Unlike progressive Singapore, Malaysia salary has been stagnant for so many decades, is still remains at the same level that Sg had in 1980s😅
I've been to penang many times, I think many that who have lived in Singapore in the past before would agree that penang looks like what singapore was like in the 1980s🥰
Enjoyed your video very much....had not known anything about this interesting, old and quaint part of Malaysia!.....charming and beautiful......but you fail to mention that the country has a poor Human Rights record.....which you and other ex-pats really don't care about!...........as a gay man I don't think my partner and I would be welcomed there!.............😢😢
Ay nako sir
Dats not true
Only pilipinos know to speak english in asheea
😂
Malaysia has North Korean vibes with its strict n crazy laws though. Gay whippings, hotel raids, PDA illegal… I’d rather choose freedom, thanks.
Wow really? Didn't know about that. Kinda scary. Where can one read more about that?
@@Chris-dw6cujust google, the laws are clearly stated, I would avoid Malaysia at all costs.
@@90taetaeya Good idea!
Dont be arrogant.
Huh?? Expat?? You are a guest of the Malaysian people. Be humble or you will overstay your welcome.
dont be rude
What's wrong with you? Pls don't bring ur identity crisis here n drag all the Malaysians with u!
He's on a MMH2 program - a long residency stay in Malaysia as a second home.
Which part of the video shows he's not humble?
Yes, don't be rude. Maybe U mom and dad had bad manners inherited by you.
Woooow congratulations, you just moved in to Malayasia and just wondering how you get residents permits ( VISA ) . If you don’t mind please can you explain more details with all regulations. I am from Scandinavian
Malaysia has very generous 90-day visas - I am almost certain Scandinavian residents would qualify for these as well.
You don't need a visa to stay. Just leave every 90 days and return on the visa exemption
@@Chris-dw6cu hi thank you for your response, that’s nice to hear. When you have to leave the country how many days / weeks or months in between before you can return again into the country ? Also just wondering, do they ask you what a purpose that you stay in Malaysia ? So you can stay for 3 months than out, and than in again just keep going like that without limits .
@@bramamortsell83 you can go and come back the very same day. Generally immigration officers will not say anything at all to you. If one starts to question you, ask why you're there just say things like : I love Malaysia, I'm exploring the country and trying to learn more about the culture.
@@Chris-dw6cu Hi again, thanks for quick response. That’s sounds wonderful. I will definitely prepare to visit Malaysia. Thanks again and enjoy Malaysia