Malaysia a better country for retirement. Why not sinkapore?

[winnipegjets]

Steven Patrick
The Star/Asia News Network
Thursday, Jan 09, 2014

KUALA LUMPUR - Vive Le Malaise! Kuala Lumpur expatriates are giving the thumbs-up to InternationalLiving.com's annual Global Retirement Index 2014, which ranked Malaysia as the third best country to retire in, after Ecuador and Panama.

Affordability is a big pull factor. Malaysia gives most foreigners a real bang for their buck.

The site stated that a couple could live on US$1,700 (S$2,159) a month in a luxury seaview apartment. Another US$400 a month could get them a full-time, live-in maid.

St Chaire Catlow, 34, from the Caribbean, who moved here seven years ago with her English businessman husband, agreed.

"The standard of living here is good. Our cost of living in proportion to our income is low and that's a big plus," she said.

InternationalLiving.com stated that Malaysian meals cost as low as US$3.

"Food is great and cheap. The best part is the variety," said Stuart Yeomans, 29, a financial consultant from Britain, who has been here for six years.

"I regularly go for great sushi and Malay, Indian, Chinese, Middle Eastern and European food!"

Craig Donald, 57, who has been living here for 12 years, said it was easy to fit in with the locals, despite having a thick Scottish accent.

The survey ranked 24 countries based on expatriate opinions.

InternationalLiving.com also stated that Penang and Kuala Lumpur had "excellent hospitals" and English-speaking physicians.

Yeomans concurred that the healthcare options here were brilliant.

"I would choose Gleneagles or Prince Court over hospitals in the UK any day of the week," he said.

According to the website, starting a business in Malaysia is relatively hassle-free as there are many expatriates running cafés, yoga studios, restaurants and schools here.

It highlighted the Malaysia My Second Home programme for non-Malaysians to stay in the country on a social visit pass for 10 years.

 

[eErotica69]

Singapore is a city stated whereas Malaysia has big citie and also smaller town and smaller cities whereby the pace of life is slower for retirement.

So comparing Singapore to Malaysia is not an apple to apple comparison.

 

[hokkien]

Malaysia meal as low as 3us dollar?Our nasi campur at 2.5 sing lagi mura kor

 

[chootchiew]

Anyone that comes to sinkieland for retirement needs to get their mind check before approval.

 

[escher]

Smear of shit on sole of shoe LKY and his PAP maggots cockroaches demanded they be paid to fuck and screw you of any notions of retiring
You are to work until you die in Stinkapore for the greater glory of those PAP leeches

After that, your organs to be harvested with the money going to PAP maggots cockroaches

 

[eErotica69]

Smear of shit on sole of shoe LKY and his PAP maggots cockroaches demanded they be paid to fuck and screw you of any notions of retiring
You are to work until you die in Stinkapore for the greater glory of those PAP leeches

After that, your organs to be harvested with the money going to PAP maggots cockroaches

What you said sound damn harsh, but I must agree on the part about working till drop dead. Sadly, I am prepared to work till 70 (assuming if I do not mati earlier).

Even your good old pal is still working as an MP at this ripe old age... ha ha ha

 

[eErotica69]

Anyone that comes to sinkieland for retirement needs to get their mind check before approval.

True. If got choice, limpei retire in Thailand.

 

[zeddy]

At first I was hesitant when my GM asked me last year whether I was interested in being based in North Eastern Malaysia together with 4 other Sinkie Colleagues.. He told me to try out first.. Then me and my 4 colleagues went there last November and in fact I'm enjoying my working life here..

Had a holiday break and returned back to Sinkie Land for Christmas and New Year.. Spent around 2 weeks at home before returning back to Malaysia only this noon..

Cheap food, cheap ciggies, low cost of living, friendly local folks.. Initially I had my fears as a Sinkie Chinese living and working for some time in a state where Islam is the main religion.. But all doubts were erased when few local Malay workers in our base bought few bottles of Anchor Beer to welcome me..

My wife and the wives of the rest of my S'porean colleagues are happy too here mixing with the other expat wives from UK, Malaysia, Norway..

Who knows, maybe I will buy a house and will just retire here one day..

 

[cheesecake]

At first I was hesitant when my GM asked me last year whether I was interested in being based in North Eastern Malaysia together with 4 other Sinkie Colleagues.. He told me to try out first.. Then me and my 4 colleagues went there last November and in fact I'm enjoying my working life here..

Had a holiday break and returned back to Sinkie Land for Christmas and New Year.. Spent around 2 weeks at home before returning back to Malaysia only this noon..

Cheap food, cheap ciggies, low cost of living, friendly local folks.. Initially I had my fears as a Sinkie Chinese living and working for some time in a state where Islam is the main religion.. But all doubts were erased when few local Malay workers in our base bought few bottles of Anchor Beer to welcome me..

My wife and the wives of the rest of my S'porean colleagues are happy too here mixing with the other expat wives from UK, Malaysia, Norway..

Who knows, maybe I will buy a house and will just retire here one day..

Johor and Penang is livable for now but KL is as bad as Jakarta or Manila. If you stay away from KL you will be quite comfortable.

 

[zeddy]

Malaysia meal as low as 3us dollar?Our nasi campur at 2.5 sing lagi mura kor

In Malaysia where I'm based now, there are many roadside stalls by the seaside selling seafood..

For less than RM 100, you can have a big Grouper, Red Snapper, Tiger Prawns, a big plate of prawn fritters, lala, sambal kangkong..

In Newton Circus, those CB Kias will skin us alive with their seafood prices..

 

[laksaboy]

When you retire, you want nature, greenery, few people and a slower pace of life. Most importantly, you want a fairly low cost of living that stretches your retirement funds.

Why the hell would anyone want to, if given a choice, retire in Sinkieland? What honestly is there to look forward to? Golf courses? Even the elite retirees are more often than not playing in Malaysian golf courses. Taichi lessons at a community centre? Karaoke sessions early in the morning? The two casinos? Mahjong?

There is nothing in Singapore. It is just a bland, sterile, overcrowded urban shithole. Where you attempt to make plenty of money when young, so you can fuck off and enjoy in your twilight years.

 

[zeddy]

Johor and Penang is livable for now but KL is as bad as Jakarta or Manila. If you stay away from KL you will be quite comfortable.

KL is becoming more expensive.. The further the states, the more cheaper things are.. I'm surprised to know of another S'porean working in the same base as me but from a different company..Thanks to his wife's family connections ( wife is a Chinese Malaysian Citizen but PR in S'pore ) the couple bought a lovely double storey house for less than RM 900,000..

 

[whoami]

Initially I had my fears as a Sinkie Chinese living and working for some time in a state where Islam is the main religion.. But all doubts were erased when few local Malay workers in our base bought few bottles of Anchor Beer to welcome me..

I tot u were referring to S.Arabia.

 

[chonburifc]

True. If got choice, limpei retire in Thailand.

You gotta be kidding! limpeh here for last 8 years and can say Sinking land is much better than LOS.

 

[eErotica69]

You gotta be kidding! limpeh here for last 8 years and can say Sinking land is much better than LOS.

Bro, why did you say so? Do you live in Chonburi Province or Bkk?

I was thinking of retiring in Chiangmai. I speak Thai and can go around without using much English.

 

[zeddy]

I tot u were referring to S.Arabia.

Hell No!!!

I won't go even if my company increase my pay to go to S Arabia..

 

[I_Hate_Pappies]

Bro, why did you say so? Do you live in Chonburi Province or Bkk?

I was thinking of retiring in Chiangmai. I speak Thai and can go around without using much English.

He supports Chonburi Football Club. :o

 

[Cestbon]

Singapore is a city stated whereas Malaysia has big citie and also smaller town and smaller cities whereby the pace of life is slower for retirement.

So comparing Singapore to Malaysia is not an apple to apple comparison.

So we compare city to city (KL and SG) Now exchange rate SG$1 = RM2.57
In KL prata Kosong RM1 to RM1.2 only.
Chicken rice RM4~RM5
Petrol 95 RM2.1
Car on average Toyota Vios/Honda City RM80K++
Car road tax 1600cc RM200/year.


So on average KL price cost of living is half( food and transport)
But for branded good eg. LV/ Prada about 10%~20% cheaper than SG.

 

[Tongkatali]

Not sure about matland but sinkieland definitely too expensive to retire in.

 

[Leepotism]

The irony in Singapore is that sinkies cannot retire yet there's a retirement fund in your CPF account.