Cost of living in the United States vs Malaysia | California vs Kuala Lumpur

[@OneJuanWon]

As-salaam 'alykum from a Northern California native (not in the bay area, but close). The cost of living here is staggering, in fact, only the state of Hawaii is more expensive than the golden state. Comparing current energy costs: here gasoline is at or above $5/gallon. In Malaysia it seems to be around $1.65/gallon. Then there's PG&E, they recently increased rates for electricity and natural gas and more hikes are planned (I live alone and spend $350+/month for a single level house that's just over 1000 sq/ft). The cost of energy drives up prices for everything, and that's one of several reasons for the exodus of residents. I'll be retiring in a few years and Malaysia is on my short list of places to consider. Thank you for this helpful information😁

[@sairathemusafir]

Glad you’re looking to retire in Malaysia! Retiring in California is kind of a pipe dream, and part of the reason we left. Best of luck!

[@nikhassan7713]

The reason of cheaper price/gas in Malaysia is due to it highly subsidized by the government for Malaysian vehicles and it considered one of the cheapest in the world. The government also subsidized a list of controlled goods included; cooking oil, rice, sugar, wheat, chicken, fertilizer etc. These non-Malaysians or who are not living in Malaysia are not allowed to purchase petrol/gas/diesel and controlled items with subsidized price except they are on right visa eg. MM2H but not for tourists.

[@OliveDreams]

I love your content and thank you so much for doing the work that you do. I currently live in Canada and plan on visiting this summer inshAllah. I will be staying in KL month for a month and then my parents will join me in August to visit for a few weeks. I’m very interested in the whole process of renting/ making that transition. I just started wearing the hijab a few months ago and so I’m really honestly looking forward to living in a Muslim majority country iA I am particularly interested in the aspect of building a good Muslim community/network of friends. I know that moving can often be very isolating as I’ve lived in the West my whole life and our family has a very large social circle here.

[@vwchan841]

Hey, I have to meet up with you one day! We literally have a lot in common. I am born and raised in San Francisco and own a rental property in Fremont! And, I have my mm2h visa and plan to move there in a year or two in early retirement. I would prefer Penang though as opposed to KL which is very much like SF. Keep up the great videos!!!!

[@sairathemusafir]

Wow, we do have a lot in common! Good luck with the move to Malaysia; I def want to check out Penang sometime as well!

[@vwchan841]

@@sairathemusafir To me, Penang is slightly less crazy than KL. Ok, you have been to Oahu I am sure? Well, I consider Penang to be a mini Oahu that is cheaper and with better food.

[@goodguyaus]

OMG, getting SO much insight from both sides of the Atlantic from the two Sairas! 🙏🏻 Thank you, (Cali) Saira!

[@sairathemusafir]

Very happy to help!

[@xiaomashitu]

thanks for sharing cost of living in Malaysia

[@shashah5438]

Assalammualaikum ! Malaysian here. Your estimate of USD 1500-2000 is extremely comfortable living in Malaysia.

[@sairathemusafir]

Thanks, I agree! Love the quality of life in your beautiful country 🥰

[@ashtriana1]

But if you went to the suburbs, it do not have to be too far about 15minutes away, the rent can be from usd450 to usd3000 (and this is for gated compound terrace house)

[@naima378]

Sooo informative! Thank you! Here in California, even 2 people income in a single family household is a struggle!! People really are moving away from here. Your videos are helping us all so muchh. Thank you!!

[@sairathemusafir]

You are so welcome!

[@everythingentertaining7290]

Aoa Saira, thank you for coming up with this information. I really really appreciate as this was very important to me. I live in the SF Bay Area too and I often think about moving to KL after visiting once last year and loving it. I want to practice Islam more and that’s my main reason. However, I do have an autistic child and as I mentioned in one of your other videos, that I’d love to know how’s the special education system in KL as compared to CA? My sole decision of moving to KL from Cali will depend on this one thing as my kid has wonderful teachers and support system in the U.S. that I don’t wanna give it up when I can afford it. Thanks so much once again! I’d also appreciate if anyone in the comments would like to share their experience of special education in Malaysia.

[@sairathemusafir]

Wasalam and thank you for watching! I did ask about support and education for autistic students in KL, so far haven’t had any replies but I’ll keep trying and research myself as well. Based just on my own experience, there was one time the mall below our apartment did a whole informational festival for people with special needs or disabilities, so I know the community and resources are there iA!

[@whoshere767]

everythingentertaining7290: Do google autism support malaysia and you'll see a list of centres that cater to special needs children. Most of them include phone numbers or emails. Many would be based in KL or in the state of Selangor, where KL is located within. I, personally, know of a good centre in the city of Seremban, which is about an hours' drive south from KL. It's called The Play Project which is run by a Danish lady and her team. I hope this info helps and wishing you and your family the best of life always.

[@zaki-pq1ps]

www.propertyguru.com.my/bm/panduan-hartanah/8-sekolah-pendidikan-autisme-di-malaysia-38107 Try look here, Govt of Malaysia also provide schooling for special kids but that maybe only for malaysian

[@enchesoyaregaliaatriadelig5951]

Surely there is a special need school for a special kids but mostly run by a private entity. The cost is quite expensive if you a local n making money in RM. But I don't know if the school meets your requirements / curriculum standard. All I know is most of the people with good income have no problems with it.

[@defgabc07]

USD1,500 is very comfortable if living in KL for a family of four. But it depends on how much you spend and location.

[@sairathemusafir]

I agree! It’s such an affordable place for expats 🙏

[@AhmadAshrinAbdulJalil]

Agree.. But it might be a bit more if you add school (international) cost for the 2 kids... I believe USD 2k per month might be more realistic for a family of 4..

[@TheAilmam]

The blessing I rarely be grateful of. All praise to God

[@DemoNinja79]

Glad to know you left Malaysia. You have been over-promoting this place as paradise for expats to settle here because of the favorable exchange rates. The locals who are struggling dont like that so much

[@ThuanLam-w8g]

Thank you so much for this informative video. I am going to retire soon and Malaysia is a beautiful country to visit....😊

[@sairathemusafir]

You're welcome! I hope you enjoy visiting Malaysia :) I just made another video of places to see in KL, if you're looking for recommendations.

[@asrie1234]

*Welcome to Malaysia truly Asia good food, people beautiful beach, skyscrapers & others, Msian likes to lepak Restaurant Mamak drink Teh Tarik, Likes to joining Malaysian, Welcome 🇲🇾💙🧡♥️💙🇲🇾*

[@shaziaalam101]

All KZbinrs seems to post about living in Kuala Lumpur city center in a condo lifestyle. What about living in a house outskirts of Kuala Lampur? What is the cost like and housing and amenities???

[@kamrulz659]

In msia to live in the landed properties as most msia middle class do is to hv a budget of about rm500-600k for semi detached 2 storey houses n rm300k-400k 2 storey terrace houses, pretty the same price thruout msia n a bit higher if the location is in the klang valley where kl is located.the terrace could fetch up to rm700k n above n semi detached would be as nearly as rm1 mil.

[@khairulshahid]

i live in the Selangor state, about 30min drive from KL, u can check out PJ, USJ, Shah Alam to name a few. Most area have various public transport and job opportunity plenty. This is what we spend as local on mid class area. So for expat, your might want to adjust accordingly. Landed intermediate double story terrace house 4 room, 3 toilet, unfurnish, u can get rental around $500/mo. If you are on AC all the time, electricity bills about $80/mo. Water bill about $15/mo. Sewage $20/year. Municipal tax about $80/year. Land tax about $30/year. Sometime got gated area, security fee about $20/month. Internet fiber 100Mbps $18/mo Groceries, go for Lotus (prev known as Tesco) or Giant hypermarket. You can get better deals at Econsave, NSK or similar. Cheaper than what mention by Saira. Some areas got wet markets. To add to Saira video, health u can go to Gov hospital. Ours similar to NHS. Specialist about $20 per visit. $500 for having a baby. Dental, few dollars. But gov, u have to wait a bit. Equipment wise top tier. I experience myself couple of times. Healthcare not a problem, u wont get broke. If take this path, i suggest get a car. Used Perodua Myvi King about $7k. Cheap to maintain, its a reskin Toyota. Its an investment, coz u can get around to get better deals around town. Gas about $0.70/liter

[@teddywestside4252]

Rental in the suburbs if you prefer comfortable double storey house should cost you around rm 2000-5000 ( gated and guarded) so around 500-100 usd

[@kokchoongtan2456]

Try calculate the before tax income for expenses in both cities e.g. if the tax you were paying is 25% in Fremont, you need to earn USD 8840 to spend this USD 6630.

[@sairathemusafir]

Great point!! State taxes in CA are bonkers

[@mfaisalm]

Thank you for such a great video - good analysis and comparison of two cities. I request if you can also factor in kids education cost in Malaysia in your next video. Thank you so much!

[@sairathemusafir]

You’re most welcome! I can’t speak to the private education cost since we don’t have our kids enrolled in school. But I can share our homeschooling costs and experience 👍

[@salqubeq5203]

Good video but you should do an apples to apples comparison. Malaysia you are showing a high end apartment & comparing with low end in Freemont?

[@salqubeq5203]

Your final cost in MY around $1500 is correct for 4 & maybe $1000 for singles

[@syedimam3615]

Valuable info, nice presentation!

[@sairathemusafir]

Thanks for watching!

[@AhmadFauzi-zl8bx]

Studied in the Vallejo area long time ago. Love Bay Area.

[@Insearchofjustice]

We will be right there

[@hanah002]

Please let me know about the schooling in Malaysia and its cost for US kids.

[@sairathemusafir]

I homeschool my kids, but I can look into this. I know there are MANY amazing international schools in Malaysia

[@sanafatima6935]

Very informative! Thank you! I think it’s time to get out of California 😉

[@sairathemusafir]

Thanks so much!! I do love California, but I don't love the CA price tag.

[@DemoNinja79]

Dont bring your liberal views here. Leave it in Cali.

[@Astray7]

Oh Wow San Francisco is expensive even for someone living in UK. What area in KL did you decide to stay? And Thanks for the video, I was waiting for it. ❤

[@sairathemusafir]

We have stayed in Eastern KL, near Cheras but still just 10 mins from downtown. And then we stayed in South Bangsar (our favorite short-term rental apartment is there!) and we have loved both places.

[@155stw]

Yes, Sf Bay Area in some cases is more expensive than London. Mt. View 2 bed apt is $4000-5000, Palo Alto $6000+ . For London, Canary wharf,Hammersmith is $3000. Kensington more like $4000. I love Hammersmith. I lived in close to Ravenscourt Park for a short while. Ery good transport and tons of halal food. London isn’t cheap at all, but I feel the SF Bay Area is on another level. For Malaysia I’ve only lived in Subang Jaya. Not too bad and the LRT goes all the way to KLCC.

[@Astray7]

@@155stw I live in the centre of England, so much cheaper here than London, but in recent years the rent n house prices have gone ridiculously up n also inflation of everything else. But alhumdulillah from will of Allah we are doing ok.

[@mhq1982]

I think digital nomad visa is valid for 1 year only , what are the options after that ? also , you didnt talk about school fees . can you please talk about it as well ?

[@sairathemusafir]

Since I homeschool my kids, I haven't looked into school fees. However, I have heard that some private schools charge around $3000 USD/year per student. You can renew the digital nomad visa for one more year after the first year.

[@mhq1982]

@@sairathemusafir Thanks for the response. So the maximum duration allowed is 2 years on digital nomad visa ?

[@sairathemusafir]

@@mhq1982 That's right!

[@MJB0110]

Salaam Saira, which area(s) would you recommend in the KL area where there are Moslem Expats like yourself? Tia

[@sairathemusafir]

Not sure about a concentration of Muslim expats (Brickfields and Masjid Jamek have a large South Asian Muslim population). But I really liked South Bangsar and the Midvalley City areas!

[@MJB0110]

@@sairathemusafir thx for your prompt reply sis. I’ve contacted the Malaysian embassy in the UK by email enquiring about the new MM2H visa. Will see if they reply.

[@kamrulz659]

​@@sairathemusafirBangsar n the Mid valley area are those places popular since in the 80's😊

[@sairathemusafir]

@@kamrulz659 Really? That's interesting! Loads of new development in South Bangsar, and our favorite flat is there. We also love the easy access to Gardens/Midvalley Mall, plus not too far to downtown.

[@muubie]

Do you feel Malaysia is safe? How would you rate its safety for a solo female traveler?

[@sairathemusafir]

Very safe!!! I would not hesitate to go as a solo female traveler myself. Obviously have to take common sense precautions anywhere you go, but I felt way safer than even walking around some large cities in the US

[@eliakimjosephsophia4542]

The old Buddhist buildings are wonderful.

[@sameesiddiqui9987]

California is definitely nice, but the costs have become quite outrageous. Social and economic requirements are nothing like how they were 40 years ago. Time to keep moving.

[@kuu-g6l]

hi i am from san jose .what you do in kl ,if you dont mind .i was there in september last year but got sick and came back.

[@sairathemusafir]

San Jose, woo hoo! My husband is a writer, so he can work remotely.

[@rimzalia1362]

I think Andrew Taylor channel gives better estimate

[@pures1n]

she compared it to an airbnb, not an actual rental. so her estimate makes sense for someone who does not have airbnb. airbnbs probably make double their income if you rent it for 30 days+ than the original price they pay to the bank

[@naziabegum100]

Hi please can you name some of the all inclusive appartments that you mentioned in this video. Also what are the websites that you can use to find these apartments

[@MojoZ20]

but yeah...im pretty sure the weather around the bay area is so good tho

[@sairathemusafir]

That's true! Bay Area weather is gorgeous, but other parts of Cali have REALLY hot summers and then wild fires 🥵

[@Victor_James68]

The audio is quite low.

[@shamfazrul9775]

Salam sis,why dont you go somewhere else for few days and come back again here for another 3 months,just like what SOLO TRAVEL LOGS has been doing all this while

[@sairathemusafir]

That much moving is a bit more challenging with a family + kids, plus there's always the change your visit visa will be denied at the airport, yikes! But otherwise, I would love to spend 3-6 months a year in Malaysia!

[@MaserAz]

Going from west to east and from a developed country to developing country ,aren’t you lowering the standards of living ? Why have you not thought of opening a business and living in Bay Area if you have been living in Bay Area are for long ? I also see some influencers trying to paint rosy picture of Kl, have you evaluated the cons like traffic , pollution , safety etc ? Will you not miss out on the quality of life in Bay Area ?

[@sairathemusafir]

I'm gonna give you a short answer: no, I don't miss the Bay Area. I miss my family and friends, but KL is a far better quality of life than the Bay, period.

[@kamrulz659]

As far as im concerned as a Msian we dont feel any shortcomings in our country.life is good no pollution n the safety is second to none as compared to a developed nation😊

[@sairathemusafir]

@@kamrulz659 Agreed! I consider life in most parts of Kuala Lumpur to be BETTER than so-called "developed" Western nations. Anyone who has walked down the streets of SF, NYC or Chicago will tell you the situation is horrible and getting worse over there.

[@AG-ff6yw]

How is studies ? For kids

[@sairathemusafir]

We privately homeschool our kids, since we move to a new country every couple of months. But I've heard that some excellent international schools in KL are around $3000-$5000 USD tuition per year.

[@aishx]

Add 'international schooling' fee per kid/per month for those who intend to send their kid(s) to one 😅

[@sairathemusafir]

Good point! I homeschool my kids myself, so that's something I didn't consider!

[@hrsbg]

There was no need to compare to an outrageous HHCOL place like the Bay Area

[@mdhzwn]

ni adik beradi saira hayati ke. . . nama samaa 😅

[@azizahabdullah1143]

Saira the musafir dari US, saira hayati dari UK. Mungkin mereka keturunan pakistan kot.

[@basedmuslimbooks]

Sister, do you and your husband work remotely (earning USD?). Or did you manage to find jobs / start a business that caters $2000 in KL? If no, Could you talk about opportunities there job-wise? Was it an easy transitioning job in Cali and job in KL? Did you have to change jobs?

[@businesshomeschooling]

I'm not so sure about Malaysia for now - only because my research suggests that most of it will be under water within the next 30 to 50 years

[@nikhassan7713]

I think you were confused with Indonesia mostly Jakarta that is sinking now hence they moved their capital city to Borneo (Kalimantan). Malaysia is a different country and safe country from natural disaster compared to neighbouring countries eg Indonesia, Philippines.

[@businesshomeschooling]

@@nikhassan7713 look it up - flooding is a long-standing issue for Malaysia, and experts are predicting that this region will likely be amongst the first to be underwater as sea levels continue to rise. Do some of your own research and comment back here. I'm personally very keen for Malaysia to work out for us but this is an issue that requires attention in my opinion. Many thanks

[@paulinelee8915]

Also Bangkok which in danger of being submerged in the future. Definately not KL. Flash floods do happen during the monsoon months❤

[@kamrulz659]

Haha, i never heard such information about Msia.But the news about jakarta is sinking is real.Thats why the gov. of Indonesia is moving to the island of Borneo to escape such calamity😊😊😊

[@DemoNinja79]

Please dont come here. Were fine without you.

[@mjiqbal810]

That's why there are so many homeless people in Bay area and CA

[@sairathemusafir]

Yep, it makes me really sad. SF didn’t look like this when I was growing up in the 90’s.

[@madleneustice3850]

*promosm* 🍀

[@yayie2235]

No audio?

[@syedmasood1962]

The audio is working for me.

[@sairathemusafir]

Sorry to hear that, I've checked in multiple places and it's working.

[@muhdkamilmohdbaki7054]

@@sairathemusafir The audio is barely audible on the right channel but crystal clear on the left channel on my headphone, at the start of the video before the 2:20 mark and the second time after 8:29 mark. The audio is fine during the middle section of the video. But sometimes it is a problem that is only affects some users while other users are fine, I mean the audio quality of KZbin video.

[@cac1504]

First world Vs 3rd World. No need to compare.

[@ReynoldTay-u6v]

Have you been to KL? Third world? Hehe you will be surprised it feels the other way round, except for maybe NYC, Chicago and maybe a few other bigger cities in the states. Go check out

[@sairathemusafir]

Sorry, but I beg to differ...Malaysia is not the "3rd world." I've seen what the past few years has done to "1st world" countries, and cities like San Francisco, LA, NYC, Chicago...it's kind of a nightmare out there AND expensive. But to each their own :)

[@DemoNinja79]

Third world is like Haiti.

[@syedidrus90]

600USD a month on groceries...wow that is a lot for a KL standard