Great choice. Being born in Kuala Lumpur, I am naturally biased. But I have lived in Melbourne, Hong Kong and China (in 1999-2000), have travelled extensively to USA every 2 years, mainly to the West Coast. Also been to Europe many times. In my 'mature' years now, I have come to really appreciate the good life that Malaysia has to offer. The weather with no major natural disasters, the infrastructure, the cultural diversity and the respect for each culture, the kindness and warmth of its people and most importantly, the FOOD! And so affordable, compared to most major cities. Welcome to Malaysia.
@@chrissieng8146 that's awesome to hear. Based on my research people have nothing but good things to say about Malaysia. But very few people in the U.S. know anything about it. I'm ready surprised by that.
Im Malaysian living now in Italy. You made a wise choice. 53 years in Malaysia and I can tell you in a heartbeat its one of the best country to live in.
I was born in Malaysia, grew up in Australia, lived in several other countries including Switzerland & Italy where my wife was born. We recently visited KL for the first time in 24 years and fell in love with it. I plan on spending more time over there and exploring places like Penang, Cameron Highlands later this year to see we’d like to spend our retirement there. I’ve heard lots of stories about San Francisco in recent years. Good luck and all the best.
😂 another reason is they scared to write ✍️ report. Unless it’s the last resort, Malaysian policemen will not pull out their guns or fire any bullet by all means necessary🤣
I am Malaysian, married to an American and living in the Midwest since 2008. I am in the process of getting rid of our belongings, sell the house here, then move back to Malaysia.
@@zaf2643 Malaysia is my idea of living. I like the Midwest in the U.S. too, but it’s costing too much! I could practically live in Melaka my kampung on simply the cost of the health insurance or property tax I paid here in the U.S.
@@zaf2643 the cost of living is way too high and the quality of life is too low for that price. Also life in America is not as great as it seems. Even in SF I feel like we're decades behind in terms of technology and infrastructure. It's pretty sad honestly
Good decision. I came from Switzerland and my parents moved to Singapore years ago. Their standard of living elevated significantly as Singapore is so much more affordable than Zurich. And KL ,Singapore's neighbour, is no exception. It's in many ways similar to Singapore and the cost of living is lower than Singapore. Great choice !
@@edukid1984 Yes, unfortunately😢. I live in Tokyo and I bought 2 houses here (in Tokyo and Nagano). I cannot even buy 1 house in Zurich with the same amount of money I spent to buy 2 houses here !
Singapore cost of living is VERY high. Otherwise, it is the best country in the World. Very very safe, clean and efficient. World class transport and very cheap.. probably cheaper than Malaysia.
You'll feel right at home once you've got your bearings on Kuala Lumpur or Malaysia as a whole. Remember, all you have to do is ask the locals if you need assistance. Welcome to the city that never sleeps!😂😊
@@nickloong lol it's funny because I grew up in NYC but I didn't know the meaning of a city that doesn't sleep until I lived in Asia. NYC is asleep by 4 AM. 😂
Left SF a year ago for Asia. After seeing the degradation of SF over the past 40 years, I wasn’t going to witness more decline. I’m a location independent Asian slow traveler. It’s the best decision. Recently I’ve been to China, HK, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, all over Vietnam and the Philippines. Slow traveling isn’t tourist traveli. I’m a cultural explorer and make deep connections wherever I go. I learn every day. I grow as a person every day. I meet so many interesting people. I volunteer every where I go. I’m so much healthier being around happy people compared to contentiousness in US. Financial freedom is a huge plus with a higher cost of living at 1/5 to 1/4 the cost. Congratulations to you for leaving SF
Wow you were ahead of the game! I think more and more people will come to the same realization soon. The cost of living is way too high here and we're not getting what we're paying for. I like the idea of slow traveling. What is your opinion of KL compared to the other places you've been?
KL is a great place for all the reasons you stated. I like Vietnam (Da Nang, Da Lat (weather like SF), Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Hoi An, Baguio in the Philippines (weather like SF), Bangkok and Chiang Mai, Hong Kong, Zhuhai, Giangzhou, Shanghai, Japan, Taiwan. You picked a top destination. I think it’s the best choice for a soft landing. Having a great airport with easy access to Asia is wonderful. Your children will benefit from your insight to live away from the financially stressful SF. I don’t feel the stress in SE Asia I witness in SF. With guns illegal is great compared to the violence of SF. I found people to be friendly and helpful in KL. Congratulations! Great choice. There’s a channel, Vagabond Awake who has lived in and researched the top cities to live in SE Asia. Although his focus is retire for cheap, he has very useful information. Best to you and your family
Good luck guys! Our family of four just returned home to the Toronto area after spending 1 month travelling around Malaysia. My father, who is within 12 months of retirement also joined us for the final 3weeks. Bottom line, we all throughly enjoyed Malaysia. We have been looking at it for a few years online but this trip pretty much confirmed what we thought. It was great! No place is perfect and neither is Malaysia, it all depends on what you’re looking for. The main things we didn’t enjoy are the lack of proper sidewalks in most cities. This made walking around a big inconvenience and unsafe in some parts. Secondly, the garbage is everywhere outside of klcc, and maybe a few other high end neighbourhoods. Most disappointing was the amount of garbage in the oceans and beaches. Lastly, the final hurdle for us were the public bidets! lol That was somewhat of a challenge for us and we just had to accept there’s a solid chance the bathroom is soaked and/or you are getting splashed from the stall next door. Hahaha Having said all that, we are still very keen on exploring a move to Malaysia. The place is stunning everywhere you look, the people are warm, welcoming, and very honest. The food scene is unreal! Even for us vegans, we found amazing food everywhere in the country.
@@riolatonaturals3149 wow thanks for the detailed account of your trip. I had not heard of those issues yet but it's good to know. I love walking so I hope to find good walkable areas in KL. We already use bidets here so hopefully that won't be a problem. 😂 Good to know about the positives too. We're visiting for the first time in Sept and I can't wait to eat all the food!
I admit sea trash is an issue particularly in borneo sabah. This is due to the huge number of water villages with no waste management. This will destroy the ecosystem eg corals, marine life. Hand bidet is mainly for Muslims who do not use toilet paper. But most malls, grocers have a big roll near hand basins. We just collect that first. But the disadvantage of hand bidet is the toilet is wet. Unlike in Japan, they use seat bidet but this require maintenance and high cost. Seat bidet is only for western toilets. Asia has squat toilets.
Wet floors in public toilets is a cultural thing as Malays use water to clean themselves instead of toilet paper. So you might also notice a lack of toilet paper in many public restrooms. Malaysia and The US are both very car dependent nations so lack of sidewalks and traffic jams are pretty commonplace.
Good move....former longtime SF'er myself now in M'sia. i see potential in good social group adventure type enterprises, esp. in KL. Good luck and Selamat Datang!
I am sure u n family will fall in love with M’sia ! Embrace the culture n diversity ! Just bear in mind , Kuala Lumpur is humid unlike the weather in SF !
Welcome to Malaysia. My mom is from Ojai, California, and moved to Malaysia in 1974 😅 I'd be glad to help you settle down here ✌🏼 All the best in your move to MY!
Hi Andy, I am Alan. I was born in Malaysia but have lived an expat life around Western countries. Now, I am back in Malaysia and so glad I am back here for many reasons. My daughter goes to an International School here and it costs me on an average of about USD 5000 a year. Malaysia offers a high standard of living at a lower cost. You will love it here. If you need any advice, be sure to reach out. It's always good to get some good local advise, which will save you time and costs. Take good care and Welcome to Malaysia!
Thanks Alan! It would be great to meet local people once we land there. Yes the cost of education was a big factor in our decision to move. Do you live in or near KL?
You have made a great choice, you will meet many US people (if you wish) and yes, you're between the powerhouse poles of East Asia, India and the Middle East. It will be so much easier to rediscover your birthplace, just as Malaysians are reinvigorating their historic links to their ancestral provinces. Best wishes in Kuala Lumpur, a lovely comfortable city.
@@user-ne8yi1io4h thank you! I would like to meet some expats, but my goal is to integrate into the local communities. And yes, I'm looking forward to exploring more of Asia especially China.
@@Huanga1 If you integrate into the local community, you'll be deeply emotional when you try to leave because the people are so nice. Just make sure you meet the right people, as there are always some who aren't as friendly.
@@relaxchil5796 yes I can see that. When I lived in Manila it was super hard to leave because of all the close friendships I made while living there. I imagine it'll be similar in KL as well
I ❤ when you mention affordable rather than cheap. Yeah we are not cheap but we are reasonable so to speaks . Thx for the fair reviews and btw WELCOME TO MALAYSIA!!
Great choice Andy!!! Wishing you & your family all the best in Malaysia. May the road ahead in Malaysia be filled with endless joy, contentment, new opportunities & great success!🎉😊
Hey, we are in the same boat! SF native who has his MM2H and just closed on a seaside condo in Penang. One thing you did not go into is how are you planning on staying in Malaysia long term without a visa? The max a tourist can stay is 90 days at one time. KL is nice but way too busy for my retirement tastes and besides we still own our home in SF. We plan to split time between SF and Penang. Good luck!
My English neighbour has been doing the visa run to Singapore and Thailand for decades. He's even on social benefits from England which is illegal but I think the government should reconsider the rules as it goes better with lower exchange instead of back home.
Being SF native you must have done a great deal of the research to buy a condo in Penang and holding MM2H, kudos to you! I live in the SF Bay Area for over 30 years who also bought a condo in Malaysia but in JB. I was offered an MM2H visa back in 2018 when I bought the condo but didn't think it was needed (now that I think back, it won't hurt to have one). My wife and I would travel to Malaysia every year around Thanksgiving time and stay until after the CNY. I love the torrential rains and sounds of crackling thunderstorms in December, especially when looking out into the open water facing Singapore from my patio. We would drive up north to KL, Malacca, Penang and other cities every time when we are there. Back then we couldn't decide to buy either in Penang, KL or JB, but the close proximity to Singapore and the convenience of Changi airport tips the scale; it's really pleasant to fly in and out of SFO to Changi; the 16 hours flight allows me to catch up on the latest movies and try to beat Magnus Calsen in chess game. I'm treating my Malaysian condo as a long term vacation home where my friends and families can also enjoy. My wife is planning the trip again, this time we will travel to several other countries before landing in JB, can't wait.
@@rich1766 OMG, we really do think alike! We are booked to be going to JB and Penang in late Dec thru Jan. My wife is orig from JB. I actually got the mm2h right before the pandemic and kudos to my awesome agent Alter Domus in Penang they were able to reactivate my app due to lockout. The Penang place is my retirement gift to myself. My wife may want to buy in JB to be close to family. Maybe we see you there!
We're looking at the MM2H path as well. Chances are we'll buy a property in KL as our main residence. We're going to visit Penang in Oct and I can't wait!
Great choice, Malaysia is a cosmopolitan country, people are allowed to practise their own religion without fear or fervour. There is much safety here and definitely in terms of healthcare, it has the best of the best! My 2 kids moved to Australia and I can say, health care in Australia is nothing compared to Malaysia. To see a Specialist in Australia, you have to make an appointment and it could take days, weeks or even months before you can see the Specialist! Best decision you and your wife have made! My China godson secured his MM2H in 2019 and has bought a lovely 3-bedroom condo in Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur
@Huanga1 .... my youngest son is also staying at Mont Kiara.... I can introduce you to him and your wife can also make friends with my DIL.... they all speak English, as their mother tongue (?)
Good choice bro, Welcome to Malaysia ! In Malaysia..by default your kids will grow up with 3 languages not 2 : Malay, Chinese & English. If you can speak Malay..with little adjustment to can also speak Bahasa Indonesia.
@@Huanga1 Mainstream Malay is pleasant to listen to and easy to learn. It's written in Romanized alphabets and the syllables are pronounced similarly as one would in English or American. It's the intonation and vocabulary that you'll have to work on. Suggest you listen to Malay radio channels and watch Malay tv shows and this will help greatly to bring you up to speed. You'll be speaking like a Malay in no time and this will endear you to the locals.
I grew up in Sarawak and have worked or studied in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Australia, where I currently reside. I am now thinking of returning to my hometown in Sarawak in my retirement. Yes, food is a big deal. More importantly, childhood friends and relatives.
I would suggest that you consider living in Desa ParkCity (DPC) besides other expat areas like Bangsar and Mont Kiara. DPC stands out for its well planned township comprising a dog friendly park, private hospital, international school, and abundance of retail and F&B shops. Although there is no intra city train station at your doorstep, you can still park and ride. The nearest station is about 5 mins drive away from DPC. Alternatively you may take a feeder bus to the station with half hourly frequency .
I am a Malaysian. Yes, I totally agreed. DPC, Mont kiara, Bangsar, Damansara and should include Bandar Sunway for its own well planned township, good amenities, public transport, private schools and colleges/university, eateries, etcs.
Good luck on your move and channel (I've watched, liked, subscribed, and commented). I was in the same boat as you. I moved out of the US and have been able to pay off my debts. You'll love it in Malaysia. I don't live there but have visited. I was really impressed by the multiculturalism, safety, low cost of living, and modernization. Plus, you will be able to easily explore different cultures in surrounding countries.
You made the right choice. I’m a Malaysian currently reside in US since 1988. I’m planning to retire in Malaysia too after reaching retirement age. Everything is at least 4x cheaper
Welcome to Malaysia. You won’t regret once you step foot in Malaysia. We are so used & pampered with the affordability, accessibility & convenience of getting all sorts of diversified foods in Malaysia ranging from local Malays, Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Middle East & westerns. Among the Chinese foods, we have the northern, southern, Hk, Taiwan, Hainan, Hakka, Hokkien etc Thus, whenever I travel overseas, I would appreciate Malaysia even more & I find nowhere is comparable to Malaysia when come to this. And you too have raised many reasons for moving to Malaysia & I can’t agree more with you on all the facts you highlighted. Wish you a happy stay & wonderful experience in Malaysia.
You are making a great decision to move to Malaysia at the right time. Malaysia's economy status is on the rise with recent announcements of $billions investments by major tech corporations from the US and China. Along with that also the rise of social status and standard of living, which could very well rival some of the largest cities in the world. Yet it remains as one of the friendliest country for westerners and everyone to move to or visit. I would have done the same move 20 years ago if my job allowed. Having been born in Malaysia I grew up speaking all three languages (Mandarin, Bahasa Malaysia and English), whereas my three kids grew up in the SF Bay Area could only speak English fluently. Despite the long flight and costly journey, I managed to bring (or send) all of them back to visit Malaysia (and Japan where my better half is from) almost every year until after their high schools. Which resulted them all grown up with strong multi culture and language influence which benefited their career and adult life. Malaysia has a lot more to offer other than being English friendly and affordable, the unique Malaysian cuisine (especially the seafoods) with influences from Chinese, Malay and Indian, the outgoing personality of Malaysians and their willingness to help foreigners, the hard working culture where complaints are at the minimal, the ease of finding people speaking Mandarin, Bahasa Malaysia or Tamil so you can practice and can always back it up with English, the abundance of beautiful beaches and tropical forests, the unique tropical fruits (if you are not a durian fan yet, don't worry you will be soon), the tropic weathers (I miss the sunny sky after a torrential downpour), and the close proximity to other Asian countries where you will find just as unique as Malaysia. Here are several things for you to think about: 1. Visa, a US citizen will be given only 90 days of free social visit visa, which is not meant for multiple entries (risking denied re entry), should consider long term visa like MM2H, 2. there are many nice cities to choose from other than KL, with each offer a unique experience and benefits (e.g. Johor Bahru with it's close proximity to Singapore), 3. The rise of Ringgits and influx of foreigners, which means things will become more expensive, 4. The weather, can you stand the heat and humidity year round? 5. The infrastructure and other challenges like traffic congestion due to bad planning, trash everywhere due to lack of reinforcement, open sewer systems that smell and no sidewalk. For me, the benefits far outweigh the shortcomings and I can't wait for my next trip.
Thanks for the advice and tips. We are planning to get the MM2H visa and I will make a follow-up video about that. I think it'll be an amazing opportunity for our family to grow up in a new culture.
I used to live in SF for a period of 14 years. I moved out to turkey and have had bad experience. Im considering relicating to Malaysia, but really, what going on in SF?! So much crimes and large businesses are closing down. Love ur video. Keep up updating us with your relocation. Best wishes 🎉
Good luck. I retired from the Berkeley/El Cerrito area to Bangkok, Thailand in 2017. I have visited Kuala Lumpur and Kuching, Borneo. Malaysia is a very interesting place and KL is a very modern city. Safety - I had my car broken into 3x in the Bay Area, once in the Union Square area. You won't have that fear in SE Asia The other benefit is culture. SE Asian culture is non-confrontational and people are very nice and civil towards each other. It is really a noticeable change from the US. Removing myself from the current American culture has been a huge relief.
Hi Andy, There are some places I'd recommend as great places in KL to stay. 1) Desa Park city 2) Mont Kiara. 3) Bangsar. 4) Damansara. You may Google or find information on TH-cam in all these places. We Malaysians will always welcome you and loved ones with open arms.
@@Huanga1 I used to be living in LA and it sucks, now I am living in Canada but have a 2nd home in KL's Bukit Jalil area, a fast-growing suburb south of KL downtown, with a big new modern mall and many good public and private schools, hospitals nearby, mulitple highways close by to go to anywhere in KL. The cost of condo or rental is reasonable, check out this area. Avoid downtown KL, everytime you want to call a Grab (uber), takes 20 minutes at least, then traffic jam for the next 10 minutes to get out downtown area, no good.
@@Huanga1Mont Kiara and surrounding areas are foreigners' favorite, but certain areas might be affected by the future MRT3 line construction. You better do some study on the property vs MRT3. Without this MRT3 line, you need your own vehicle to go around. Do not limit your choice to these MK areas. There are other KL fringe areas worth studying.
I applaud you for leaving your comfort zone! Can always try out a few countries before deciding which one suits you best. And nothing is stopping you from having a home in more than one country
I am a Chinese Malaysian that grew up in America since young but have gone back to Malaysia every year or so to see immediate family. After a brief stint working in Kuala Lumpur I moved back to the Bay Area for my now wife who went to Stuyvesant. I hope to partially retire in Malaysia. Good luck on your move and look forward to seeing your adventures.
Way to go. We are planing to apply retirement visa based in Sarawak MM2 H program. The cost of living and quality of life are much favorable than in Southern California, USA. Health care system , dental and vision care are much affordable even without health care insurance. We can’t wait.
Good choice, Huang. You have thought out carefully the reasons to move to Malaysia and they are valid and fair. I was born and raised in Penang, spent my productive years in Borneo, and now happily retired in the suburbs of KL. Life is good here. All the best to you and your family.
I saw an article that you were featured in shortly after MM2H conditions were announced. From this video, it seems that requirement to buy a property for MM2H fits with your family situation. We were waiting for MM2H since April but have now changed course to S-MM2H because buying a property is a no-go for us. Good luck with your move!
Thanks! We're also considering the S-MM2H as well. I saw that the requirement for time spent in Sarawak is pretty low and doable with a couple of short stays each year. And it's more practical in terms of costs. Where in Sarawak are you considering moving to? I like Miri and would love to visit on a future trip.
Sabah is just door. It has all the adventures that you are looking. It also has a similar programme as S-MM2H which has attracted a lot of families from China and Korea.
@@wilsnh9148 yup that's a good alternative. I also saw that there will be a ton of foreign investment in those areas so it could be an exciting time to live there.
@@Huanga1 I highly recommend SM2H both for Sarawak and Sabah. Sarawak especially is the best run province in Malaysia. might not be as developed but people are way more chill, happier, and no religious/race bigotry compared to the peninsula.. Read up on the premiere of Sarawak and his vission for the province in the coming years. other states have political distraction, not in Sarawak which is why they run so smoothly with great economic plans ahead. It's the place you want to be. and consider too Indonesia new capital moving to Borneo in 2030 and it's impact on the whole island.
The first thing to prioritize when moving to Malaysia is a driving license, seriously though, it is hard to get around major cities in Malaysia by foot, most people drive, even if it's just a 5 minute journey. Plus it can make exploring the country a whole lot easier because there's no need to book a guide.
Idk if the regulations have changed, but my US driving license years ago was valid and legal for use in malaysia until its expiry, which was on my next birthday then. Ofc after that I needed to apply for malaysian driving license, but I only had to register and pay for the minimum hours of driving lessons, but for which I only attended one 1 hour class on the theory/regulations and skipped all the practical driving lessons on the road. Just had to make sure I passed the ensuing tests ofc, which wasn't any harder than what americans were tested on (in US you're even tested to reverse in a straight line smoothly for, I can't remember, maybe about 50 or 100m)
@@booaks2980 that's good to know. I'm debating if we should ship our car to Malaysia since I saw that taxes are high on vehicles. I'll have to calculate the costs for both and then decide. I'm very much looking forward to driving around the country to explore with the family. 😃
@@Huanga1 Note: In Malaysia, cars are right-hand drive and Malaysians drive on the left. To void the high cost of owning a new car in Malaysia, consider a good used-one to obviate the high duty. Reputable used-car dealers are aplenty.
@@iaam8141 I'm not planning to buy a new car no way. I'm wondering if it's feasible to ship my car here to Malaysia. But then the driver's side is on the left...
Don't worry so much with some of negative reviews. You will be fine in Malaysia. Its a very attractive country. Explore & visit all the states. They have their own uniqueness. Bare in mind, monsoon season starts from Oct to Jan.
Welcome to Malaysia. We hope, you will find our country safe and comfortable. Do enjoy the view and if you have time, do explore the beauty and fauna of of our lands. Cheers
Hi you have chosen a good country to live in Malaysia.. we have many International schools in kuala Lumpur and Selangor Penang etc .. food is delicious with a rm60-80 can serve a quite fair meal for a family of 4 obviously not dining at hotels as there are many cafeterias with extra if rm20 to top up say rm100-120 will Serve better more dishes n choice for a family of 4.. Asians especially in Malaysia we have few culture a and more families Oriented meaning we do have family gatherings like chinese New year Hari Raya Deepavali n Christmas we all celebrate together n its fun..welcome over ..
@@marielim1519 thank you! Food costs was a big consideration for us. We just went to a simple seafood restaurant and spent over $100 on a meal. It was nice but why is it so expensive?!
Best choice to move to KL, we also looked around where to move to but at last we selected KL People r nice n friendly and well diversified culture. You live there you will find happiness and safety
As a Malaysian, I do hope we are more woke. At least the government will stop discriminating against the minority race, and let us help each other, and build a more inclusive society. Think about it guys, the most woke political party in Malaysia is DAP, and quite many people hate it. Yeah, we are indeed not a very woke country.
@@rewer yup I think there's a good level of woke where all people are respected. But SF is a bit too woke where everything is a trigger and everything offends someone else... Which actually leads to less acceptance of others and less tolerance, if that makes sense
@@rewer Be careful what you wish for, friend. Woke in the name of "inclusiveness" is a deception deployed by the satanic-leaning cult to corrupt culture, moral, spirituality, society and the nuclear family. Look at what America (and most western countries) has become today. (This wokeness began subtly way, way back and it was in San Francisco!). Now they've reached a point that they cannot even differentiate between a male and a female, man or woman. This is madness. The work of the devil. The opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will not be the last of 'turning everything good upside down.'
Malaysia is somewhat woke but not too obvious because it's still a Muslim country. HitsFM the top English radio channel is quite woke. They don't say they are but the things they promote and endorse are noticeably woke contents from USA. I'd like it to stay this way because the Muslim community in Msia can be really rowdy if they are charged up
Get your international license from AAA before leaving for Malaysia. It is valid for a year and you can validate as many countries as you wish as long as those countries are in Commonwealth. Best part , its convenience. Also, it only cost about USD$45 including photos
I can only tell you not to make this decision solely on cost. You will have a different set of problems in Malaysia, where in the long run, it may or may not be an issue. Fitting into MY culture may be tough especially coming from the US. While CA is expensive (I know as I live here) but no where in the world I have lived compares to the Bay Area. I wish you the best of luck and success. There is no right or wrong decision but you may want to stay there for a few months before deciding on a permanent move. Cheers.
@@EdwardChewcontact thanks. We know it won't be perfect but for us it's more the adventure and a new challenge. Also if it doesn't work out we can always move somewhere else or back to the Bay. 😃
KL is increasingly westernized and matyring city with a westernized city centres with nearby local enclaves ..but venture to the satellite cities and suburbs there are plenty of local life to experience.
@@Huanga1My suggestion is to just choose an area of your choice first based on your children's school and daily needs, that will make it easier for your family's daily commute. Later when you get to know your surrounding areas better, than you can make a better decision for your family. If you opt to stay in areas around Kuala Lumpur, places like Mont Kiara, Desa Park City, Bangsar, Damansara Heights etc. has a lot of expats, while places like Kepong, Cheras, Puchong, Setapak etc are mostly locals.
@@Huanga1 I've a cousin who's a lawyer in San Diego, CA which used to be a great place in the early 80's but right now, it truly sucks. Times have changed and a lot of people including American born are completing on relocation. That's how bad it is now. 😢😢😢
im a malaysian who got my degree in frisco back in the mid 80s. am now back in malaysia.. u'll miss the clean air and Mediterranean weather in frisco tho... and tommy's joynt and versuvious bar.. my 2 kids are bi lingual... there's chinese schools here there's an international school where the embassy kids go and may be good for ur kids to get to know them and network... get a mandrin tutor for chinese language
@@JustinTanKH haha Tommy's Joint and Cafe Vesuvio are both still open. I love both places too. 👍 I still plan to visit CA fairly often. I still have family here and nearby. So maybe once a year? We're thinking private school as well. Do you think they'll need Chinese tutors even if they learn in school? I plan to speak Mandarin with them at home.
@@Huanga1some of private schools have subject of mandarin course. 西馬新版本的mm2h 孩子不能在公立華小求學了，但東馬沙巴是可以的。My opinion speaking mandarin in Penang island more widely than in KL.
@@Huanga1 You have! Doesn't [Translate to English] appear below the foreign text on your YT channel? If it doesn't, you can always select the text and right-click to select 'Translate selection to English.'
I love Malaysia. My wife and I talk about moving there often. I worry about the heat (omg it’s so hot there and I live in Las Vegas) and uprooting my son who’s 13 and has good friends
@@Huanga1 Yes. He visited and he seems to really enjoy traveling. I’ve asked him a few times and get a vague response. Then I get overwhelmed with everything if I think I’m serious. I don’t want to sell our home (got in at great timing and very low interest rate) but don’t want to manage it from the other side of the world.
I am malaysian lived 7 years in australia. At first i was thinking to return back to Australia but after a year i decided to settle down in malaysia. Life is relax in malaysia compare to australia. Monthly just need 1.5-2k ringgit to lived. Compare to australia. So i can relax and calmer also can lived in luxury condo environment 😂😂😂😂
@@Huanga1 exactly is quality of life Clear mind and happy no stress. Just u need to earned in USD. Less stress. Living like in hotel 😂 in luxury facilities condo.
To all the foreigners who wish to move to Malaysia, please respect the notion of Ketuanan Melayu in Malaysia. This is Tanah Melayu and Malays are called Prince of the Soil (Bumiputera).
2000 USD for rent is way to high, unless you want to live in super posh area. An average good condo is around 500 usd. 1000 usd can take you very far in rental.
Lol, 2000 USD won't even get you a studio here in SF. I think our likely budget will be between $1000-$1500 since we'll need a 3 br and want to be close to downtown and an MRT station.
@@Huanga1just 500usd will do. Luxury condo 😂 that is what I like in Malaysia. It's for a month.no need exceed that this. Wasting. The balance is for food and transportation expenses. Can saving some more money. If U earn around 1k USD.
@@Huanga1 in order to do that u need to figure out to earn in usd. Don’t sell your property in states u need to rent it. Or make it Airbnb or something that u can generate in Usd. . Then go for investment.
@@lealemon4856 I'm planning to keep my company here in SF which will generate income in USD for us. And my wife will hopefully be able to work remotely
@@chinaberg yes that will be a future video. It will likely be the MM2H visa which should allow us to live in Malaysia with some financial requirements. Luckily the threshold is not too high at the lowest level, which I believe is a 5 year visa.
Basically there are 3 mm2h in Malaysia. 1. Sabah mm2h - borneo 2. Sarawak mm2h - borneo 3. Peninsula mm2h - expensive for most travellers. Main aim is for high net worth applicants.
Interesting video! I was born and raised in Malaysia, now living in SoCal for 35 years. I travel to Malaysia twice a year to visit my elderly parents. It has the best food in the world, hands down! Everything is cheap. I get my dental work done when I travel back. I agree with everything you said but you did not mention about the weather! I must say, weather there is pretty brutal! I suppose you will get used to it over time. My stay is usually 3-4 weeks and just when I am starting to get used to it, I have to travel back! I hope your family will love Malaysia! Good luck!
Hi Andy, welcome to Malaysia, I hope you've been to Malaysia before just to get the feel of things. I used to live in SF for 10 years in the 90s, and then moved back to KL. Just a reminder, KL may be 'nice', but careful not to get too idealistic of the perceived situation here 😉. There are still aspects of SF which I still missed (aside from the unpleasant things we hears about).
I'm sure there will be plenty we'll miss about SF. We lived during some of the best years here during the tech boom. But sadly that's over now and things aren't looking great. We're going on a 2 week trip to explore Singapore, KL, and Penang in September. I'm hoping that we'll find an area in KL that we'll love and relocate to. Where in Malaysia are you based?
@@Huanga1 I'm originally from KL, and I moved back to KL in 1996. But now I'm semi retired, just before COVID, I've moved to a farm just outside KL (about 45min drive). I lived in SF from the late 80s to the 90s, I thought it was the best city in the world back then 😁
Depending on your living budget, Mont Kiara has a nice expat community, and there's 2 international schools in the area, it could even be a walking distance to the place you choose to live.
@@arivfotomoto3642 wow I wish I had seen the Bay Area back in the 90s. Yes based on my research Mont Kiara looks like an ideal place for our family. I will spend some time there exploring when I visit. Thanks!
I think you have a wrong expectation on Malaysia regarding on the public transport and traffic. Even at 2024, Klang Valley still inconvenient if you are rely on public transport, ask yourself how you gonna travel from your house to the MRT station? You might as well rely on ride sharing such as Grab.
@@rewer thanks for the feedback. I'm hoping to live somewhere very close to a train station. I'm a big fan of trains so I would take them as much as I can. I hear that Grab is fairly cheap so that's always a good back up. We're hoping to have a car in KL as well since we have the 2 kids. What's disappointing about SF is that public transportation is terrible and doesn't even cover the entire city. Which then means Ubers are very expensive and parking is a nightmare and unsafe in some areas. I honestly think KL will be an upgrade compared to SF.
@@Huanga1u have to order grab to go to train station unless u live in a walking distance to the station (even then u need to make sure whether u can walk there or not bcos not every road is walkable here lol) , Malaysia is still building its public transportation , now the gov is building train transportation to go to the East side of the country which has amazing beaches (Pahang , Terengganu etc) Maybe it will be finished in 2026 , for now people go to the East by car , bus or plane
I returned to Malaysia to live in 1996, enjoyed my stay there with my Children. You and your family would love it there. I brought up my children there and they had many friends. Go there, look around, start a new business there and you will never look back. I am bias cos I am a Malaysian.
@@chiniechinchen haha I doubt we would happy with the quality of life there. We're still big city people and enjoy great food and lots of fun activities besides nature
Great choice. Being born in Kuala Lumpur, I am naturally biased. But I have lived in Melbourne, Hong Kong and China (in 1999-2000), have travelled extensively to USA every 2 years, mainly to the West Coast. Also been to Europe many times. In my 'mature' years now, I have come to really appreciate the good life that Malaysia has to offer. The weather with no major natural disasters, the infrastructure, the cultural diversity and the respect for each culture, the kindness and warmth of its people and most importantly, the FOOD! And so affordable, compared to most major cities.
Welcome to Malaysia.
Home sweet home, dude; I'm back home after 20 years in the States. 😂😂😂😂😂
@@chrissieng8146 that's awesome to hear. Based on my research people have nothing but good things to say about Malaysia. But very few people in the U.S. know anything about it. I'm ready surprised by that.
@@brianliew5901 where in the states were you? And where are you now in Malaysia?
@@Huanga1 I was born in Malaysia and lived and worked in the States for 20 years. Right now living in Ipoh where the famous Michelle Yeoh hailed from.
@@brianliew5901 I love her movies. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is one of my all time favorite movies.
Im Malaysian living now in Italy. You made a wise choice. 53 years in Malaysia and I can tell you in a heartbeat its one of the best country to live in.
@@MokaandChai woohoo! Can't wait to start our lives there. 😃
@@Huanga1 😊😊
My cousin lives in NZ for almost 20 years and she really can't wait to go back to Malaysia. Malaysia is cheaper but safer.
@@BersihMalaysiaku is NZ becoming unsafe? Didn't know that
I was born in Malaysia, grew up in Australia, lived in several other countries including Switzerland & Italy where my wife was born. We recently visited KL for the first time in 24 years and fell in love with it. I plan on spending more time over there and exploring places like Penang, Cameron Highlands later this year to see we’d like to spend our retirement there.
I’ve heard lots of stories about San Francisco in recent years. Good luck and all the best.
@@WhatWhoWhere11 thank you! I can't wait to visit KL in Oct. 😃
What a perfect time ! my husband and i are planning to move to Malaysia too. Great information , thank you for your video
@@desyyo987 wow awesome! Where are you based? And what's your timeline?
good luck
Almost all malaysian police officer retired without using a single bullet in their duty time.. Means how safe malaysia is..
I never thought that way, thanks for this insight into our country
😂 another reason is they scared to write ✍️ report. Unless it’s the last resort, Malaysian policemen will not pull out their guns or fire any bullet by all means necessary🤣
Safe? This is not true. Everyone has a different experience.
@@LisaLisa-mo2tg wow that's amazing. I would love to live without the fear of shootings
@@gabriellin1352 which I believe should be the way to police. Their duty is to protect and serve, not arrest and shoot.
I am Malaysian, married to an American and living in the Midwest since 2008. I am in the process of getting rid of our belongings, sell the house here, then move back to Malaysia.
Why? Everyone in malaysia said Malaysia is “ doom “ & they wants to leave the country🤣📏📏
@@zaf2643 Malaysia is my idea of living. I like the Midwest in the U.S. too, but it’s costing too much! I could practically live in Melaka my kampung on simply the cost of the health insurance or property tax I paid here in the U.S.
Balik kg cepatttt hahaha
@@zaf2643 the cost of living is way too high and the quality of life is too low for that price. Also life in America is not as great as it seems. Even in SF I feel like we're decades behind in terms of technology and infrastructure. It's pretty sad honestly
@@lees7340 agreed. We could pay for all expenses in KL for the 4 of us just with the cost of daycare for 1 kid here!
Good decision. I came from Switzerland and my parents moved to Singapore years ago. Their standard of living elevated significantly as Singapore is so much more affordable than Zurich. And KL ,Singapore's neighbour, is no exception. It's in many ways similar to Singapore and the cost of living is lower than Singapore. Great choice !
Thanks! We're hoping for the same increase in standards of living and lower costs
Wow Zurich must be REALLY expensive for ur parents to find Singapore affordable LOL
@@edukid1984 Yes, unfortunately😢. I live in Tokyo and I bought 2 houses here (in Tokyo and Nagano). I cannot even buy 1 house in Zurich with the same amount of money I spent to buy 2 houses here !
@@edukid1984 yup my thoughts exactly
Singapore cost of living is VERY high. Otherwise, it is the best country in the World.
Very very safe, clean and efficient. World class transport and very cheap.. probably cheaper than Malaysia.
You'll feel right at home once you've got your bearings on Kuala Lumpur or Malaysia as a whole. Remember, all you have to do is ask the locals if you need assistance. Welcome to the city that never sleeps!😂😊
@@nickloong lol it's funny because I grew up in NYC but I didn't know the meaning of a city that doesn't sleep until I lived in Asia. NYC is asleep by 4 AM. 😂
Left SF a year ago for Asia. After seeing the degradation of SF over the past 40 years, I wasn’t going to witness more decline. I’m a location independent Asian slow traveler. It’s the best decision. Recently I’ve been to China, HK, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, all over Vietnam and the Philippines. Slow traveling isn’t tourist traveli. I’m a cultural explorer and make deep connections wherever I go. I learn every day. I grow as a person every day. I meet so many interesting people. I volunteer every where I go. I’m so much healthier being around happy people compared to contentiousness in US. Financial freedom is a huge plus with a higher cost of living at 1/5 to 1/4 the cost. Congratulations to you for leaving SF
Wow you were ahead of the game! I think more and more people will come to the same realization soon. The cost of living is way too high here and we're not getting what we're paying for.
I like the idea of slow traveling. What is your opinion of KL compared to the other places you've been?
KL is a great place for all the reasons you stated. I like Vietnam (Da Nang, Da Lat (weather like SF), Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Hoi An, Baguio in the Philippines (weather like SF), Bangkok and Chiang Mai, Hong Kong, Zhuhai, Giangzhou, Shanghai, Japan, Taiwan. You picked a top destination. I think it’s the best choice for a soft landing. Having a great airport with easy access to Asia is wonderful. Your children will benefit from your insight to live away from the financially stressful SF. I don’t feel the stress in SE Asia I witness in SF. With guns illegal is great compared to the violence of SF. I found people to be friendly and helpful in KL. Congratulations! Great choice. There’s a channel, Vagabond Awake who has lived in and researched the top cities to live in SE Asia. Although his focus is retire for cheap, he has very useful information. Best to you and your family
@@koufax174 thanks! Really appreciate the advice and feedback. 😃🙏
Can I suggest that you watch Andrew Taylor, an American expat living in Kuala Lumpur
Done
Welcome to Malaysia 🎉
@@xiaomashitu thank you! ♥️
Good luck guys! Our family of four just returned home to the Toronto area after spending 1 month travelling around Malaysia. My father, who is within 12 months of retirement also joined us for the final 3weeks. Bottom line, we all throughly enjoyed Malaysia. We have been looking at it for a few years online but this trip pretty much confirmed what we thought. It was great! No place is perfect and neither is Malaysia, it all depends on what you’re looking for. The main things we didn’t enjoy are the lack of proper sidewalks in most cities. This made walking around a big inconvenience and unsafe in some parts. Secondly, the garbage is everywhere outside of klcc, and maybe a few other high end neighbourhoods. Most disappointing was the amount of garbage in the oceans and beaches. Lastly, the final hurdle for us were the public bidets! lol That was somewhat of a challenge for us and we just had to accept there’s a solid chance the bathroom is soaked and/or you are getting splashed from the stall next door. Hahaha
Having said all that, we are still very keen on exploring a move to Malaysia. The place is stunning everywhere you look, the people are warm, welcoming, and very honest. The food scene is unreal! Even for us vegans, we found amazing food everywhere in the country.
@@riolatonaturals3149 wow thanks for the detailed account of your trip. I had not heard of those issues yet but it's good to know. I love walking so I hope to find good walkable areas in KL. We already use bidets here so hopefully that won't be a problem. 😂
Good to know about the positives too. We're visiting for the first time in Sept and I can't wait to eat all the food!
I admit sea trash is an issue particularly in borneo sabah. This is due to the huge number of water villages with no waste management. This will destroy the ecosystem eg corals, marine life.
Hand bidet is mainly for Muslims who do not use toilet paper. But most malls, grocers have a big roll near hand basins. We just collect that first. But the disadvantage of hand bidet is the toilet is wet. Unlike in Japan, they use seat bidet but this require maintenance and high cost. Seat bidet is only for western toilets. Asia has squat toilets.
@@keangwooichoo6138 huh that's good to know. I use a seat bidet which is really convenient. I'm sure I'll get used to whatever is used in Malaysia
@@Huanga1 Asians consider squat toilets as more hygienic. There are thousands who sat on a seat.
Wet floors in public toilets is a cultural thing as Malays use water to clean themselves instead of toilet paper. So you might also notice a lack of toilet paper in many public restrooms.
Malaysia and The US are both very car dependent nations so lack of sidewalks and traffic jams are pretty commonplace.
Good move....former longtime SF'er myself now in M'sia. i see potential in good social group adventure type enterprises, esp. in KL. Good luck and Selamat Datang!
Thanks! How did you make new friends when you first arrived in Malaysia?
I am sure u n family will fall in love with M’sia ! Embrace the culture n diversity ! Just bear in mind , Kuala Lumpur is humid unlike the weather in SF !
Yes I sincerely hope so too. It'll take us a while to get use to the heat and humidity but I think we'll be okay.
Welcome to the under-rated Malaysia 🇲🇾🌺👍
@@decTac I totally agree! But I feel like it's not going to be under rated for much longer 😃
@@decTac I prefer to keep Malaysia under-rated.
Welcome to Malaysia. My mom is from Ojai, California, and moved to Malaysia in 1974 😅 I'd be glad to help you settle down here ✌🏼 All the best in your move to MY!
@@danielzain8477 thank you! I'm sure your mom is glad she made the move!
Hi Andy, I am Alan. I was born in Malaysia but have lived an expat life around Western countries. Now, I am back in Malaysia and so glad I am back here for many reasons. My daughter goes to an International School here and it costs me on an average of about USD 5000 a year. Malaysia offers a high standard of living at a lower cost. You will love it here. If you need any advice, be sure to reach out. It's always good to get some good local advise, which will save you time and costs. Take good care and Welcome to Malaysia!
Thanks Alan! It would be great to meet local people once we land there. Yes the cost of education was a big factor in our decision to move. Do you live in or near KL?
That case, Malaysia is ideal for you. The cost of living is not high
What school is that, very affordable amongst the international schools in malaysian
@@steventay5834 yup looking forward to actually saving some money!
@@cececonnie5509 do you mean the $5000 a year school? Is that considered cheap?
Just so you know, KLCC is still the world's tallest "'Twin tower" building in the world.
@@ianlingam281 I hadn't considered that but yes you are correct! 👍
You have made a great choice, you will meet many US people (if you wish) and yes, you're between the powerhouse poles of East Asia, India and the Middle East. It will be so much easier to rediscover your birthplace, just as Malaysians are reinvigorating their historic links to their ancestral provinces. Best wishes in Kuala Lumpur, a lovely comfortable city.
@@user-ne8yi1io4h thank you! I would like to meet some expats, but my goal is to integrate into the local communities. And yes, I'm looking forward to exploring more of Asia especially China.
@@Huanga1 If you integrate into the local community, you'll be deeply emotional when you try to leave because the people are so nice. Just make sure you meet the right people, as there are always some who aren't as friendly.
@@relaxchil5796 yes I can see that. When I lived in Manila it was super hard to leave because of all the close friendships I made while living there. I imagine it'll be similar in KL as well
I ❤ when you mention affordable rather than cheap. Yeah we are not cheap but we are reasonable so to speaks . Thx for the fair reviews and btw WELCOME TO MALAYSIA!!
@@gdarren7 thank you! ♥️ Yes Malaysia offers amazing value!
Great choice Andy!!! Wishing you & your family all the best in Malaysia. May the road ahead in Malaysia be filled with endless joy, contentment, new opportunities & great success!🎉😊
Thanks! 😃
You're welcome!@@Huanga1
Hey, we are in the same boat! SF native who has his MM2H and just closed on a seaside condo in Penang. One thing you did not go into is how are you planning on staying in Malaysia long term without a visa? The max a tourist can stay is 90 days at one time. KL is nice but way too busy for my retirement tastes and besides we still own our home in SF. We plan to split time between SF and Penang. Good luck!
My English neighbour has been doing the visa run to Singapore and Thailand for decades. He's even on social benefits from England which is illegal but I think the government should reconsider the rules as it goes better with lower exchange instead of back home.
Being SF native you must have done a great deal of the research to buy a condo in Penang and holding MM2H, kudos to you! I live in the SF Bay Area for over 30 years who also bought a condo in Malaysia but in JB. I was offered an MM2H visa back in 2018 when I bought the condo but didn't think it was needed (now that I think back, it won't hurt to have one). My wife and I would travel to Malaysia every year around Thanksgiving time and stay until after the CNY. I love the torrential rains and sounds of crackling thunderstorms in December, especially when looking out into the open water facing Singapore from my patio. We would drive up north to KL, Malacca, Penang and other cities every time when we are there. Back then we couldn't decide to buy either in Penang, KL or JB, but the close proximity to Singapore and the convenience of Changi airport tips the scale; it's really pleasant to fly in and out of SFO to Changi; the 16 hours flight allows me to catch up on the latest movies and try to beat Magnus Calsen in chess game. I'm treating my Malaysian condo as a long term vacation home where my friends and families can also enjoy. My wife is planning the trip again, this time we will travel to several other countries before landing in JB, can't wait.
@@rich1766 OMG, we really do think alike! We are booked to be going to JB and Penang in late Dec thru Jan. My wife is orig from JB. I actually got the mm2h right before the pandemic and kudos to my awesome agent Alter Domus in Penang they were able to reactivate my app due to lockout. The Penang place is my retirement gift to myself. My wife may want to buy in JB to be close to family. Maybe we see you there!
We're looking at the MM2H path as well. Chances are we'll buy a property in KL as our main residence. We're going to visit Penang in Oct and I can't wait!
You could still get the MM2H now right? I hadn't considered JB as an option but maybe it'll be a good one for my parents.
Great choice, Malaysia is a cosmopolitan country, people are allowed to practise their own religion without fear or fervour. There is much safety here and definitely in terms of healthcare, it has the best of the best!
My 2 kids moved to Australia and I can say, health care in Australia is nothing compared to Malaysia. To see a Specialist in Australia, you have to make an appointment and it could take days, weeks or even months before you can see the Specialist!
Best decision you and your wife have made!
My China godson secured his MM2H in 2019 and has bought a lovely 3-bedroom condo in Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur
Wow nice. We're looking at Mont Kiara as well, and a 3 bedroom. Do you know which building he's in and if he likes it?
@@Huanga1 ... he bought the condo at Pavillion Hilltop Mont Kiara
@@jannieabdullah7837 I'll look into it. Thanks!
@Huanga1 .... my youngest son is also staying at Mont Kiara.... I can introduce you to him and your wife can also make friends with my DIL.... they all speak English, as their mother tongue (?)
@@Huanga1 my China grandson studies at the British International School....
Andy...moving back to Malaysia is a greatest and wisest decision you have made for Aliesha and yourself !!!
@@cathychan2814 thanks! It'll be our first time in Malaysia 😃
Good choice bro, Welcome to Malaysia !
In Malaysia..by default your kids will grow up with 3 languages not 2 : Malay, Chinese & English.
If you can speak Malay..with little adjustment to can also speak Bahasa Indonesia.
@@chiangea3495 even better! How difficult is Malay to learn? I'm wondering if my wife and I should try to learn it too
@@Huanga1 Malay's language is a breeze to learn. No tenses, no gender nouns and pronouns (unlike French), no prepositions etc etc.
@@Huanga1 Mainstream Malay is pleasant to listen to and easy to learn. It's written in Romanized alphabets and the syllables are pronounced similarly as one would in English or American. It's the intonation and vocabulary that you'll have to work on. Suggest you listen to Malay radio channels and watch Malay tv shows and this will help greatly to bring you up to speed. You'll be speaking like a Malay in no time and this will endear you to the locals.
@@azabujuban-hito8085 okay that's good to know. I'll give it my best shot 😃
@@iaam8141 haha another excuse to watch TV! 👍
I grew up in Sarawak and have worked or studied in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Australia, where I currently reside. I am now thinking of returning to my hometown in Sarawak in my retirement. Yes, food is a big deal. More importantly, childhood friends and relatives.
@@lucyng-pellicioli916 where on Sarawak would you move back to? We plan on exploring Sarawak on our next trip
I would suggest that you consider living in Desa ParkCity (DPC) besides other expat areas like Bangsar and Mont Kiara. DPC stands out for its well planned township comprising a dog friendly park, private hospital, international school, and abundance of retail and F&B shops. Although there is no intra city train station at your doorstep, you can still park and ride. The nearest station is about 5 mins drive away from DPC. Alternatively you may take a feeder bus to the station with half hourly frequency .
Good to know! I'll add that to our list of places to visit in Oct.
Agreed. Desa Park City is a nice township that you can consider.
DPC is most foreigner and expat friendly township area in KL, Mont kiara is my second choice area in KL.
I am a Malaysian. Yes, I totally agreed. DPC, Mont kiara, Bangsar, Damansara and should include Bandar Sunway for its own well planned township, good amenities, public transport, private schools and colleges/university, eateries, etcs.
@@terrycst1 that seems to be the consensus 👍
Good luck on your move and channel (I've watched, liked, subscribed, and commented). I was in the same boat as you. I moved out of the US and have been able to pay off my debts. You'll love it in Malaysia. I don't live there but have visited. I was really impressed by the multiculturalism, safety, low cost of living, and modernization. Plus, you will be able to easily explore different cultures in surrounding countries.
@@artfulinspirations thank you so much! Where did you end up moving to?
@@Huanga1 Cambodia, as I've mentioned in another comment. Malaysia is a much more developed country and better environment for starting a business.
You made the right choice. I’m a Malaysian currently reside in US since 1988. I’m planning to retire in Malaysia too after reaching retirement age. Everything is at least 4x cheaper
@@kean272 yup. It's nice that you have that option and it's easy
Welcome to Malaysia. You won’t regret once you step foot in Malaysia. We are so used & pampered with the affordability, accessibility & convenience of getting all sorts of diversified foods in Malaysia ranging from local Malays, Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Middle East & westerns. Among the Chinese foods, we have the northern, southern, Hk, Taiwan, Hainan, Hakka, Hokkien etc Thus, whenever I travel overseas, I would appreciate Malaysia even more & I find nowhere is comparable to Malaysia when come to this. And you too have raised many reasons for moving to Malaysia & I can’t agree more with you on all the facts you highlighted. Wish you a happy stay & wonderful experience in Malaysia.
@@vincentko554 thank you! I feel like Malaysia is a hidden gem and more people will find out soon
Looking forward to welcoming you & your family to Kuala Lumpur!!!
@@user-rp9we7kp9k thank you! ♥️
Welcome to Malaysia......Hope your visit in September be a good one.
@@mumtazahmustajab9870 based on how welcoming people have been in the comments I'm sure it'll be a great time!
You are making a great decision to move to Malaysia at the right time. Malaysia's economy status is on the rise with recent announcements of $billions investments by major tech corporations from the US and China. Along with that also the rise of social status and standard of living, which could very well rival some of the largest cities in the world. Yet it remains as one of the friendliest country for westerners and everyone to move to or visit. I would have done the same move 20 years ago if my job allowed. Having been born in Malaysia I grew up speaking all three languages (Mandarin, Bahasa Malaysia and English), whereas my three kids grew up in the SF Bay Area could only speak English fluently. Despite the long flight and costly journey, I managed to bring (or send) all of them back to visit Malaysia (and Japan where my better half is from) almost every year until after their high schools. Which resulted them all grown up with strong multi culture and language influence which benefited their career and adult life. Malaysia has a lot more to offer other than being English friendly and affordable, the unique Malaysian cuisine (especially the seafoods) with influences from Chinese, Malay and Indian, the outgoing personality of Malaysians and their willingness to help foreigners, the hard working culture where complaints are at the minimal, the ease of finding people speaking Mandarin, Bahasa Malaysia or Tamil so you can practice and can always back it up with English, the abundance of beautiful beaches and tropical forests, the unique tropical fruits (if you are not a durian fan yet, don't worry you will be soon), the tropic weathers (I miss the sunny sky after a torrential downpour), and the close proximity to other Asian countries where you will find just as unique as Malaysia. Here are several things for you to think about: 1. Visa, a US citizen will be given only 90 days of free social visit visa, which is not meant for multiple entries (risking denied re entry), should consider long term visa like MM2H, 2. there are many nice cities to choose from other than KL, with each offer a unique experience and benefits (e.g. Johor Bahru with it's close proximity to Singapore), 3. The rise of Ringgits and influx of foreigners, which means things will become more expensive, 4. The weather, can you stand the heat and humidity year round? 5. The infrastructure and other challenges like traffic congestion due to bad planning, trash everywhere due to lack of reinforcement, open sewer systems that smell and no sidewalk. For me, the benefits far outweigh the shortcomings and I can't wait for my next trip.
Thanks for the advice and tips. We are planning to get the MM2H visa and I will make a follow-up video about that. I think it'll be an amazing opportunity for our family to grow up in a new culture.
I used to live in SF for a period of 14 years. I moved out to turkey and have had bad experience. Im considering relicating to Malaysia, but really, what going on in SF?! So much crimes and large businesses are closing down. Love ur video. Keep up updating us with your relocation. Best wishes 🎉
@@MohammadEgypt-dz4br thank you! I will definitely follow up with more updates on our journey! ♥️
Good luck. I retired from the Berkeley/El Cerrito area to Bangkok, Thailand in 2017. I have visited Kuala Lumpur and Kuching, Borneo. Malaysia is a very interesting place and KL is a very modern city.
Safety - I had my car broken into 3x in the Bay Area, once in the Union Square area. You won't have that fear in SE Asia
The other benefit is culture. SE Asian culture is non-confrontational and people are very nice and civil towards each other. It is really a noticeable change from the US. Removing myself from the current American culture has been a huge relief.
@@martypoll that's good to hear. What made you decide to settle in Thailand instead of other countries?
@@Huanga1 I had a friend retire here before me.
Welcome to Malaysia! A very good choice, a strategic one. Enjoy your stay here in Malaysia. Hope you and family decide to settle in Malaysia for good.
@@roszynon thank you! ♥️
Hi Andy, There are some places I'd recommend as great places in KL to stay. 1) Desa Park city 2) Mont Kiara. 3) Bangsar. 4) Damansara. You may Google or find information on TH-cam in all these places. We Malaysians will always welcome you and loved ones with open arms.
@@maxwellsvlog6218 thank you very much! I'll do more research on those areas. I could do a follow up video on what I find out.
@@Huanga1 I used to be living in LA and it sucks, now I am living in Canada but have a 2nd home in KL's Bukit Jalil area, a fast-growing suburb south of KL downtown, with a big new modern mall and many good public and private schools, hospitals nearby, mulitple highways close by to go to anywhere in KL. The cost of condo or rental is reasonable, check out this area. Avoid downtown KL, everytime you want to call a Grab (uber), takes 20 minutes at least, then traffic jam for the next 10 minutes to get out downtown area, no good.
@@travelnews1765 yes I'm thinking of living outside KLCC. Other viewers have mentioned Mont Kiara which is high on our list
@@Huanga1Mont Kiara and surrounding areas are foreigners' favorite, but certain areas might be affected by the future MRT3 line construction. You better do some study on the property vs MRT3. Without this MRT3 line, you need your own vehicle to go around. Do not limit your choice to these MK areas. There are other KL fringe areas worth studying.
欢迎来到马来西亚！好好享受这里的美食和四季如夏的赤道气候！
@@boboboleelee I can't wait! Thank you ♥️
I applaud you for leaving your comfort zone! Can always try out a few countries before deciding which one suits you best. And nothing is stopping you from having a home in more than one country
@@khoo5199 so true! I would love to live in Australia part time and be close to the inlaws. So many other places to explore too
I am a Chinese Malaysian that grew up in America since young but have gone back to Malaysia every year or so to see immediate family. After a brief stint working in Kuala Lumpur I moved back to the Bay Area for my now wife who went to Stuyvesant. I hope to partially retire in Malaysia. Good luck on your move and look forward to seeing your adventures.
@@juliansiaw6586 wow fun coincidence. Would you split your time between Malaysia and the Bay?
Way to go. We are planing to apply retirement visa based in Sarawak MM2 H program. The cost of living and quality of life are much favorable than in Southern California, USA. Health care system , dental and vision care are much affordable even without health care insurance. We can’t wait.
@@DorieKong woohoo good for you! 👍
Welcome to Sarawak.❤
Wow. I am san Francisco too. I have been to Malaysia few time and love it. Good to hear your perspective.
@@wt8151 that's great! Would love to hear your perspective on Malaysia. 🙏
Welcome to Malaysia 🇲🇾 ❤ Truely Asia 🌍
@@PutralanVlog6669 thank you! ♥️
Good choice, Huang. You have thought out carefully the reasons to move to Malaysia and they are valid and fair. I was born and raised in Penang, spent my productive years in Borneo, and now happily retired in the suburbs of KL. Life is good here. All the best to you and your family.
@@kcloh4002 thank you! What city do you like the best in Borneo?
I saw an article that you were featured in shortly after MM2H conditions were announced. From this video, it seems that requirement to buy a property for MM2H fits with your family situation. We were waiting for MM2H since April but have now changed course to S-MM2H because buying a property is a no-go for us. Good luck with your move!
Thanks! We're also considering the S-MM2H as well. I saw that the requirement for time spent in Sarawak is pretty low and doable with a couple of short stays each year. And it's more practical in terms of costs.
Where in Sarawak are you considering moving to? I like Miri and would love to visit on a future trip.
Sabah is just door. It has all the adventures that you are looking. It also has a similar programme as S-MM2H which has attracted a lot of families from China and Korea.
@@wilsnh9148 yup that's a good alternative. I also saw that there will be a ton of foreign investment in those areas so it could be an exciting time to live there.
All 3 mm2h has a property clause. Just the amount is different. The peninsula one is expensive
@@Huanga1 I highly recommend SM2H both for Sarawak and Sabah. Sarawak especially is the best run province in Malaysia. might not be as developed but people are way more chill, happier, and no religious/race bigotry compared to the peninsula.. Read up on the premiere of Sarawak and his vission for the province in the coming years. other states have political distraction, not in Sarawak which is why they run so smoothly with great economic plans ahead. It's the place you want to be. and consider too Indonesia new capital moving to Borneo in 2030 and it's impact on the whole island.
Thanks for the insightful breakdown of your reasons!
The first thing to prioritize when moving to Malaysia is a driving license, seriously though, it is hard to get around major cities in Malaysia by foot, most people drive, even if it's just a 5 minute journey. Plus it can make exploring the country a whole lot easier because there's no need to book a guide.
Idk if the regulations have changed, but my US driving license years ago was valid and legal for use in malaysia until its expiry, which was on my next birthday then. Ofc after that I needed to apply for malaysian driving license, but I only had to register and pay for the minimum hours of driving lessons, but for which I only attended one 1 hour class on the theory/regulations and skipped all the practical driving lessons on the road. Just had to make sure I passed the ensuing tests ofc, which wasn't any harder than what americans were tested on (in US you're even tested to reverse in a straight line smoothly for, I can't remember, maybe about 50 or 100m)
@@booaks2980 that's good to know. I'm debating if we should ship our car to Malaysia since I saw that taxes are high on vehicles. I'll have to calculate the costs for both and then decide.
I'm very much looking forward to driving around the country to explore with the family. 😃
@@jonmath4182 thanks for the tip. My license is good until 2027 so I have a few years. 😃
@@Huanga1 Note: In Malaysia, cars are right-hand drive and Malaysians drive on the left. To void the high cost of owning a new car in Malaysia, consider a good used-one to obviate the high duty. Reputable used-car dealers are aplenty.
@@iaam8141 I'm not planning to buy a new car no way. I'm wondering if it's feasible to ship my car here to Malaysia. But then the driver's side is on the left...
I agree with you, Malaysia is the dream place to visit
@@khmerspirit3351 can't wait to see it in person in a few weeks!
The fundamentals of Malaysia is great even though the politics isn’t. You can make it work for you.
Politics sucks always using race and religion
I plan on staying far away from politics... =D
Looking forward to seeing your new life in Malaysia 🇲🇾..👍👍👍
@@ericl9409 thanks! ♥️
As malaysian welcome you here , all infos you present here , currently this region moving fast.
@@khangems I see great potential in Malaysia and the rest of SEA as well. Very exciting times ahead.
Good luck to Andy and his wife.
All the best.
@@genevievetoo9914 thank you! ♥️
Yes malaysia is a travel hub like dubai, bangkok, singapore. Australia and china are not far away.
Don't worry so much with some of negative reviews. You will be fine in Malaysia. Its a very attractive country. Explore & visit all the states. They have their own uniqueness. Bare in mind, monsoon season starts from Oct to Jan.
@@hafizihazis4028 thanks! I'm looking forward to exploring the beautiful country. 😃
I think you are welcome warmly into Malaysian society. I am from Penang would be retiring back there with my hubby ❤
Based on the comments alone I feel like Malaysians are super welcoming. Where are you now?
@@Huanga1 we are still in England..next year March we would be back.
@@candicetneh1620 cool. Just a month before we arrive in KL
@@Huanga1 hopefully things will be smooth and sorted for you. Perhaps we could keep in touch and meet.😃
@@candicetneh1620 yes that would be cool. 👍
Welcome to Malaysia Andy & Aleisha....Selamat Datang
Malaysia is beautiful👍 Welcome to Malaysia🥳
@@jessiefernandez9371 it is! Thank you
Welcome to Malaysia soon. You will definitely enjoy our diversity of people and cultures 😊
Thank you! ♥️
Welcome to malaysia bro...hope you both have a pleasant journey
@@azirul0623 thank you! ♥️
Welcome to Malaysia. We hope, you will find our country safe and comfortable. Do enjoy the view and if you have time, do explore the beauty and fauna of of our lands. Cheers
@@maxsoon1097 thank you! ♥️
Welcome to Malaysia !
@@aloysiuslew888 thank you! ♥️
we welcome you and family here in Malaysia! God bless you in this journey of transformation for your family!
@@hokkienmee8888 thank you! ♥️
Oh how I missed being in beloved Malaysia ❤
You are always welcome ❤
Where do you live now?
I'm sure you and your family will love the lifestyle in KL. All the best Andy 😁🇲🇾
@@KrystianandVenus me too.. Thanks! ♥️
Hi you have chosen a good country to live in Malaysia.. we have many International schools in kuala Lumpur and Selangor Penang etc .. food is delicious with a rm60-80 can serve a quite fair meal for a family of 4 obviously not dining at hotels as there are many cafeterias with extra if rm20 to top up say rm100-120 will Serve better more dishes n choice for a family of 4.. Asians especially in Malaysia we have few culture a and more families Oriented meaning we do have family gatherings like chinese New year Hari Raya Deepavali n Christmas we all celebrate together n its fun..welcome over ..
@@marielim1519 thank you! Food costs was a big consideration for us. We just went to a simple seafood restaurant and spent over $100 on a meal. It was nice but why is it so expensive?!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and decisions. Greatly appreciated....
@@simonho999 thanks!
🔥👍Welcome you & your family to M'sia❤🌺🇲🇾
@@UKYin0369 thank you! I didn't know that M'sia could be used as a shorthand. 👍
Best choice to move to KL, we also looked around where to move to but at last we selected KL People r nice n friendly and well diversified culture. You live there you will find happiness and safety
Good to know! Where did you move from?
Most Important we are not Woke
As a Malaysian, I do hope we are more woke. At least the government will stop discriminating against the minority race, and let us help each other, and build a more inclusive society. Think about it guys, the most woke political party in Malaysia is DAP, and quite many people hate it. Yeah, we are indeed not a very woke country.
@@whateverrrrrr123 haha I can do with a bit less wokism than SF.
@@rewer yup I think there's a good level of woke where all people are respected. But SF is a bit too woke where everything is a trigger and everything offends someone else... Which actually leads to less acceptance of others and less tolerance, if that makes sense
@@rewer Be careful what you wish for, friend. Woke in the name of "inclusiveness" is a deception deployed by the satanic-leaning cult to corrupt culture, moral, spirituality, society and the nuclear family. Look at what America (and most western countries) has become today. (This wokeness began subtly way, way back and it was in San Francisco!). Now they've reached a point that they cannot even differentiate between a male and a female, man or woman. This is madness. The work of the devil. The opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will not be the last of 'turning everything good upside down.'
Malaysia is somewhat woke but not too obvious because it's still a Muslim country. HitsFM the top English radio channel is quite woke. They don't say they are but the things they promote and endorse are noticeably woke contents from USA. I'd like it to stay this way because the Muslim community in Msia can be really rowdy if they are charged up
Get your international license from AAA before leaving for Malaysia. It is valid for a year and you can validate as many countries as you wish as long as those countries are in Commonwealth. Best part , its convenience. Also, it only cost about USD$45 including photos
@@kean272 good idea! 👍
As a Local VC, we invested in 1 biotech company and I have a few more I m looking at.
@@arii1987 wow that's great! We would love to connect with people in biotech in the region. Do you mind if I send you an email?
I can only tell you not to make this decision solely on cost. You will have a different set of problems in Malaysia, where in the long run, it may or may not be an issue. Fitting into MY culture may be tough especially coming from the US. While CA is expensive (I know as I live here) but no where in the world I have lived compares to the Bay Area. I wish you the best of luck and success. There is no right or wrong decision but you may want to stay there for a few months before deciding on a permanent move. Cheers.
@@EdwardChewcontact thanks. We know it won't be perfect but for us it's more the adventure and a new challenge. Also if it doesn't work out we can always move somewhere else or back to the Bay. 😃
KL is increasingly westernized and matyring city with a westernized city centres with nearby local enclaves ..but venture to the satellite cities and suburbs there are plenty of local life to experience.
KL is hardly Westernized; I can't find mass shootings or rampant homeless zombies around. 😂😂😂😂
@@hijazzains thanks! where around KL do you recommend for more local experiences?
@@brianliew5901 haha yea I'm definitely happy to leave those behind
@@Huanga1My suggestion is to just choose an area of your choice first based on your children's school and daily needs, that will make it easier for your family's daily commute. Later when you get to know your surrounding areas better, than you can make a better decision for your family. If you opt to stay in areas around Kuala Lumpur, places like Mont Kiara, Desa Park City, Bangsar, Damansara Heights etc. has a lot of expats, while places like Kepong, Cheras, Puchong, Setapak etc are mostly locals.
@@Huanga1 I've a cousin who's a lawyer in San Diego, CA which used to be a great place in the early 80's but right now, it truly sucks. Times have changed and a lot of people including American born are completing on relocation. That's how bad it is now. 😢😢😢
Welcome to Malaysia . Hope you and your family enjoy your time here
@@hawhiasoo9351 thank you! ♥️
im a malaysian who got my degree in frisco back in the mid 80s.
am now back in malaysia..
u'll miss the clean air and Mediterranean weather in frisco tho...
and tommy's joynt and versuvious bar..
my 2 kids are bi lingual... there's chinese schools here
there's an international school where the embassy kids go and may be good for ur kids to get to know them and network...
get a mandrin tutor for chinese language
@@JustinTanKH haha Tommy's Joint and Cafe Vesuvio are both still open. I love both places too. 👍
I still plan to visit CA fairly often. I still have family here and nearby. So maybe once a year?
We're thinking private school as well. Do you think they'll need Chinese tutors even if they learn in school? I plan to speak Mandarin with them at home.
oh... vietnamese food here is not as good as in sf, imo..
@@JustinTanKH haha that's okay. We can just fly to Vietnam for it! 😂
@@Huanga1some of private schools have subject of mandarin course. 西馬新版本的mm2h 孩子不能在公立華小求學了，但東馬沙巴是可以的。My opinion speaking mandarin in Penang island more widely than in KL.
@@MayMay-May oh that's good to know. They'll have to enroll in a school with Mandarin then
Welcome to Malaysia 🇲🇾 🎉🎉🎉
@@jacktan4927 thank you! ♥️
Video-video macam ni memang popular dekat Malaysia.
@@amirulhakim4304 I wish TH-cam had a translator!
@@Huanga1 You have! Doesn't [Translate to English] appear below the foreign text on your YT channel? If it doesn't, you can always select the text and right-click to select 'Translate selection to English.'
@@iaam8141 unfortunately it doesn't work for comments. And I can't copy paste from the app... I'll have to check it on a laptop
@@Huanga1 he said "videos like yours are popular in Malaysia"
@@Huanga1"Videos like this are ready popular in Malaysia."
WELL DONE congratulations. You know you made the right choice
KL is a great place to live.
I agree!
Good chioce, welcome to Malaysia, I born in China and living here for almost 20 years
@@huangxingyan thank you! ♥️
Welcome to Malaysia....
@@TheLucianoLeggio thank you! ♥️
Malaysia especially in KL and Penang, is where you see Asian cultures, food and people unite.
😃🤝✌️😃🇲🇾🤲selamat datang dan hopu u n family gembira hidup d Malaysia...semoga Anda dan keluarga bahagia menjadi sebahagian dari warga Malaysia🤝✌️😃🤲🇲🇾
@@MAERR800 I'll have to learn what that means when we finally make our move!
@@Huanga1selamat datang = welcome
Dan = and
Hopu = hope (spelling error)
U = you in English
I love Malaysia. My wife and I talk about moving there often.
I worry about the heat (omg it’s so hot there and I live in Las Vegas) and uprooting my son who’s 13 and has good friends
@@InvestingWithAdamK that’s tough with a teenage son. Has he visited and what does he think about Malaysia?
@@Huanga1 Yes. He visited and he seems to really enjoy traveling.
I’ve asked him a few times and get a vague response.
Then I get overwhelmed with everything if I think I’m serious. I don’t want to sell our home (got in at great timing and very low interest rate) but don’t want to manage it from the other side of the world.
@@InvestingWithAdamK I suppose you’re in no hurry to move. Maybe wait till he’s in college?
@@Huanga1 Potentially, yes.
Malaysia has great food
@@OLDMANTEA totally looking forward to it!
@@ParisianThinker it’s not, but what’s wrong with palm oil?
I am also thinking of this. I am in east bay and will be making a trip to Malaysia again to meet with some locals for advice and scouting.
Cool. When are you going? I'm going in September. We can share notes. =D
I am malaysian lived 7 years in australia. At first i was thinking to return back to Australia but after a year i decided to settle down in malaysia. Life is relax in malaysia compare to australia. Monthly just need 1.5-2k ringgit to lived. Compare to australia. So i can relax and calmer also can lived in luxury condo environment 😂😂😂😂
@@lealemon4856 that's what I'm thinking. Why pay the crazy prices in the U.S. when life is better in SEA?
@@Huanga1 exactly is quality of life
Clear mind and happy no stress. Just u need to earned in USD. Less stress. Living like in hotel 😂 in luxury facilities condo.
@@lealemon4856 the condos in KL look amazing. Way better than what we can afford here in SF
@@Huanga1 yes exactly. Uptown area U can get 300usd-400usd. 3 bedrooms with condo facilities like in hotel 😂.
@@lealemon4856 that's just crazy. It's $2000 here for a tiny studio in a okay neighborhood
You'll love it here. Good food 24/7. As for safety, you should know better, coming from SF.
@@HopeAndPeace2024 yes and I can't wait to eat everything! 😂
To all the foreigners who wish to move to Malaysia, please respect the notion of Ketuanan Melayu in Malaysia. This is Tanah Melayu and Malays are called Prince of the Soil (Bumiputera).
@@Hitamjoy I'm just learning about the idea. Thanks for sharing
All people are equal. ❤
Remind you that Malaysia consist not only peninsular but borneo too. Not the Prince of the soil!
@@jennylim7637 yup we're looking forward to exploring Borneo as well 😃
You are miserable person
I'm moving to thailand in 2 to 3 weeks! Just sold our house in Las Vegas. 😊
@@JozieY1 nice! Congrats 🥳
2000 USD for rent is way to high, unless you want to live in super posh area. An average good condo is around 500 usd. 1000 usd can take you very far in rental.
Lol, 2000 USD won't even get you a studio here in SF. I think our likely budget will be between $1000-$1500 since we'll need a 3 br and want to be close to downtown and an MRT station.
@@Huanga1just 500usd will do. Luxury condo 😂 that is what I like in Malaysia. It's for a month.no need exceed that this. Wasting. The balance is for food and transportation expenses. Can saving some more money. If U earn around 1k USD.
@@lealemon4856 I'm hoping we can keep a similar level of income but drastically reduce our expenses. Then more for savings and investments
@@Huanga1 in order to do that u need to figure out to earn in usd. Don’t sell your property in states u need to rent it. Or make it Airbnb or something that u can generate in Usd. . Then go for investment.
@@lealemon4856 I'm planning to keep my company here in SF which will generate income in USD for us. And my wife will hopefully be able to work remotely
Welcome to Malaysia. Malaysia is great for young families.
@@ALI66833 I hope so! Thanks. 🙏
Are you going to discuss how you are legally allowed to live in Malaysia?
@@chinaberg yes that will be a future video. It will likely be the MM2H visa which should allow us to live in Malaysia with some financial requirements. Luckily the threshold is not too high at the lowest level, which I believe is a 5 year visa.
@@Huanga1 You know they added a property requirement, right?
@@chinaberg yes I'm aware. It's not a small requirement so it'll take some planning to make it work for us.
Basically there are 3 mm2h in Malaysia.
1. Sabah mm2h - borneo
2. Sarawak mm2h - borneo
3. Peninsula mm2h - expensive for most travellers. Main aim is for high net worth applicants.
@@keangwooichoo6138 I'll have to do more research on this, and make a follow up video about which we're going for
Interesting video! I was born and raised in Malaysia, now living in SoCal for 35 years. I travel to Malaysia twice a year to visit my elderly parents. It has the best food in the world, hands down! Everything is cheap. I get my dental work done when I travel back. I agree with everything you said but you did not mention about the weather! I must say, weather there is pretty brutal! I suppose you will get used to it over time. My stay is usually 3-4 weeks and just when I am starting to get used to it, I have to travel back! I hope your family will love Malaysia! Good luck!
@@meiharris9007 yes I think we'll get used to it after a couple of months. Or at least I hope so!
Hi Andy, welcome to Malaysia, I hope you've been to Malaysia before just to get the feel of things.
I used to live in SF for 10 years in the 90s, and then moved back to KL. Just a reminder, KL may be 'nice', but careful not to get too idealistic of the perceived situation here 😉. There are still aspects of SF which I still missed (aside from the unpleasant things we hears about).
I'm sure there will be plenty we'll miss about SF. We lived during some of the best years here during the tech boom. But sadly that's over now and things aren't looking great.
We're going on a 2 week trip to explore Singapore, KL, and Penang in September. I'm hoping that we'll find an area in KL that we'll love and relocate to. Where in Malaysia are you based?
@@Huanga1 I'm originally from KL, and I moved back to KL in 1996. But now I'm semi retired, just before COVID, I've moved to a farm just outside KL (about 45min drive).
I lived in SF from the late 80s to the 90s, I thought it was the best city in the world back then 😁
Depending on your living budget, Mont Kiara has a nice expat community, and there's 2 international schools in the area, it could even be a walking distance to the place you choose to live.
@@arivfotomoto3642 wow I wish I had seen the Bay Area back in the 90s.
Yes based on my research Mont Kiara looks like an ideal place for our family. I will spend some time there exploring when I visit. Thanks!
Desa Park City is another place you should explore
Welcome to Malaysia!!!🎉🎉🎉
@@3milyc thank you! ♥️
I think you have a wrong expectation on Malaysia regarding on the public transport and traffic. Even at 2024, Klang Valley still inconvenient if you are rely on public transport, ask yourself how you gonna travel from your house to the MRT station? You might as well rely on ride sharing such as Grab.
@@rewer thanks for the feedback. I'm hoping to live somewhere very close to a train station. I'm a big fan of trains so I would take them as much as I can. I hear that Grab is fairly cheap so that's always a good back up. We're hoping to have a car in KL as well since we have the 2 kids.
What's disappointing about SF is that public transportation is terrible and doesn't even cover the entire city. Which then means Ubers are very expensive and parking is a nightmare and unsafe in some areas. I honestly think KL will be an upgrade compared to SF.
@@Huanga1u have to order grab to go to train station unless u live in a walking distance to the station (even then u need to make sure whether u can walk there or not bcos not every road is walkable here lol) , Malaysia is still building its public transportation , now the gov is building train transportation to go to the East side of the country which has amazing beaches (Pahang , Terengganu etc) Maybe it will be finished in 2026 , for now people go to the East by car , bus or plane
@@evviolet8370 thanks for the info. I would love to explore all the great beaches of Malaysia. 😃
I returned to Malaysia to live in 1996, enjoyed my stay there with my Children. You and your family would love it there. I brought up my children there and they had many friends. Go there, look around, start a new business there and you will never look back. I am bias cos I am a Malaysian.
@@yttean98 I'm very much looking forward to it. 😃
Dude just move to montana
@@chiniechinchen haha I doubt we would happy with the quality of life there. We're still big city people and enjoy great food and lots of fun activities besides nature
Welcome. Please become an active contributing member of our society once you get here. All the best
@@SachaNoordin thank you! ♥️