I would like to recommend to you a channel by the name of "Andrew Taylor". He is an American expat who retires in Malaysia. He is here under the MM2H (Malaysia My 2nd Home) program. He has lives here for 9 year plus. In his channel, he tells you his cost of living in Malaysia per month and anything you want to know about Malaysia.
This guy has it figured out! I have been to cautious, afraid to drop everything and retire overseas. I feel like he is knocking down all of my excuses one by one. Everything you said about being priced out of your own country is exactly how I have felt.
I'm US citizen by birth and only 6 month in the States as a baby, been in Malaysia most of my time. For me the price in Malaysia especially food has increase but for people of the west it's cheap and very affordable.
Because of the higher income, the cost of living gets naturally higher. These foreign retirees find it too expensive to live in their home country. That's why they move to countries the cost of living is cheaper. On the other hand, they push up the local prices in a long run. That's how things work in the world around us.
Also human traficking monister sivakumar brought in 1 million poor bangladesh. Now june 30 thousand poor workers pleading to be let in. Also 1 million chinese and indian tourists until may 2024! All these tourists and poor workers will compete for rice and chickens as they need to eat too. So food price góng to go up further. Not enough rice but gov being more humans..shame.
I am grateful as a malaysia citizen we just pay rm1 at goverment hospital or clinic for treatement including medicine.. this is even cover for diabetic, high blood preassure colestrol.. no need insurance unless u want to get health care at private hospital or other insurance benefit. Me as goverment servant (teacher) i paid 0.. if anyone got into car accident or injured just call the ambulance and they treat u first.. instead of asking about insurance or any money... Way to go KKM
If you are an expatriate living within MYR5,000.00 per month, residing in a smaller town, let's say Taiping, for example, you'll be living comfortably. If you live in the east coast region, the living cost is significantly lower but with access to generally good living facilities.
I feel the same about the west, I guess that's why when I travel to south east Asia I see lots of retired or pensioner's living there. I can't blame them, so one day I'll join them
I attended colleges in the US in the 80’s and life was good back then even with our USD260 per month living allowances. We could afford to enjoy life as good as normal Americans - buying foods, sports, travel, etc. I guess it’s not the same anymore. It was a dream place to go and live. From what I can observe, overall quality of life is decaying in the US now.
You have one of the best channel like this! I have a permanent injury from work 25 years ago in Australia.I will never drive again because I have a traumatic brain injury. Australia like most western first world countries has gone down. The cost is just ridiculous. Also many people are just not happy and stressed out. You give me so many great ideas and make things possible for anyone. Looking forward to keep watching.
I'm older than you and I have realized that I should not be driving much longer. It's good to hear somebody else talk about the benefits of not having to own a car.
Had a few friends who worked 40 years at their job. To retire, finally, and then pass away a year or two later. Not this guy. I am out to Laos very soon.
This is one of the most valuable channels I recently found on RU-vid. Please keep going and make great videos with great content. I'm 57 Years old, living in Germany and in 3 years I'll retire and I'm planing to retire during Winter time in South east Asia. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you make money with your channel. It's really good what you're doing.
Malaysia is a wonderful.place blessed with wonderful people and land...as expat diversity is huge and tolerance is on anothet level.wish we as expat that spend how lives here can get PR...may Allah help us inshallah ameen
Aloha ! 💛KL is a great city. You have a much better life now, so many grand and gorgeous places👍...if i could, i would leave my home and be a travel nomad as you do. But i can`t until now, at least i have two month holiday every year, then i feel exactly what you say, i get more life quality and more for my money, and i feel free and happier. Good content, thanks for the nice walk, i love parks🍀😊🙏
welcome to Malaysia. Malaysia is a harmonious country for foreign tourists who want to start investment or life in Malaysia. And Malaysia is a country that is close and easy to enter Singapore or Thailand by land. I hope you are happy living in Malaysia with various cultures. and various traditional Malaysian foods.🫰🥳🏞️🇲🇾
You're right that it's "work till you drop" in America. Sad but true. It's great to see a better way to live demonstrated the way you do in your travels. Always enjoyable!
More Americans need to see that retiring overseas is a wonderful option. The cost of living is so affordable. Food, healthcare, no car! I grew up in HI and moved to SF after UH. I go back to HI often as all my family are still there. My wife and I go to Malaysia a lot. I love it there. Go to the Philippines, a much easier visa, and being from HI, you'll be familiar with the culture there. Like Malaysia they all speak your language.
Another great video! Very insightful. Hope you're having a good & joyful day in Kuala Lumpur! Life is too short to not take a chance. May you find contentment & peace wherever you go. Safe travels. Take good care.😊
I figure I would need 30k per year to pay for medical, property, and car insurance currently if I did not work and stayed in the US. This does not count any other living expenses. And I make nice money, but after a variety of deductions, I barely get half of my pay. And if I stayed here, I'd also probably be alone for the rest of my life. The whole thing is a waste of one's life. I plan to put the house up for sale next spring and GTFO.
same here. Our property taxes have gone crazy. I am in Washington State. There is not one tax the Gov doesnt love. Between the crime, homeless and high cost of living, we are out. Heading to Laos, my wifes home country. Looking for peace and relaxation and a low cost of living. Tired of being taxed to death. I just noticed on my garbage bill, I get taxed on that. Taxing your garbage. Come on, enough is enough.
Thank you- next time, instead of a can of cola, try "teh halia" or ginger tea- if you don't want ginger milk tea (standard), just say, teh halia kosong- then it's just ginger tea- and always say, "kurang manis" for the less sugar variant, or tanpa gula (any drink)- if you want your drink, sugar free. Godspeed. I hope you enjoy every moment of your stay in KL 🌺
Another one spot on. I’m in the insurance industry and what is being charged is almost insane. Plus all the other daily expenses going up by more than 10% makes it tough. That’s just another reason why we are looking forward to retirement in SEA.
Thks. I was born in sabah malaysia and am retired in toronto canada. You are so correct to the fact that in the west the cost is the main reason retirees might have to relocate to low cost high quality country.
I have a property back in the US that I go back to check up on. When I go back, as soon as my toes touch US soil, my cost per day is about $250-$300/day....in Europe, we're doing it for about $100-$200/ day....but when we're in Southeast Asia, specifically Da Nang, Vietnam, our family of 3 live and enjoy for about $80/ day. It's a huge difference so we geoarbitrage 6 to 9 months, (sometimes 11 months) out of the year.
V. good presentation of the reasoning behind your choice to leave. On youtube you can find many others from the West have made that same decision @ at least researching the idea. We welcome all of you good people.
And, for all the reasons ( and a few more ) you did mention, I am retiring early, leaving NYC and planning slow travel , primary in South East Asia , and then South/East Europe , plus Georgia , and maybe south/ central america. Great video as usual.
The car is the worst! I have a paid off car, but still it's too much. Just got new tires, paid 6 months insurance, alignment with "special parts" needed, smog, registration and new drivers permit. Cha ching! Someday soon i need to punt it.
I actually hate the idea of owning a car now. It use to be something that seemed like you had to have…..no where I lived was walkable. Now I focus on living in places that are walkable with good public transport. I love that you pointed that out.
Good to hear you out. Man of reality. At the moment, Malaysia is good choice to live out your reality, being able to live out your life the way you want, healthily and happy. Earn abroad and spend wisely where it is real. Your life is all about you to begin with.👍
Thank you for sharing much appreciated. We will be going to Thailand in November. Looking forward to that at the same time. Nervous love all your video. Keep posted. We will keep watching and stay safe.😘
Malaysia is accessible from Thailand either by air (90 minutes flight), by car or bus if you love to be adventurous or rail (check out the sleeper train). 90 days free visa for visitors of many countries.
Another very strong Vlog from you... and you are right. I aim to retire and go within 3 years when I am close to 60.... I recently sold a property that I now rent back at $2390 AUD per month for an ultra modern townhouse... nearly blew me away. I pay around $1000 for my car a month and again a very nice car however that is before running costs etc. I am fortunate to be on my own these days and cannot wait for the next 3 years to close out... In the meantime I have regular trips when I can across SEA. I am lucky to be in a position to retire soon, many cannot or are less fortunate. Love your work and " Live the life you love."
Absolutely on point. Subscriber since you started. Working thru the process to make the move from the States to Thailand. Great country, amazing people. Hope to see you there.
Every year my auto insurance costs went up - skyrocketed in fact. Every year my auto license and registration costs went up. Every year my employer insurance costs went up so much that roughly half of the last 5 years. I opted to have no insurance to save the thousands that the coverage would have cost. I was *fortunate* not to have a bad illness during those 5 years. However, I had hernia surgery a couple years before that - also w/o insurance. I paid cash and negotiated many costs, but it still set me back over 6 grand. I was able to pay 1,200 usd for one service where they told me simply, "If you had insurance, we would bill them 20,000, they would take half a year and knock it down to 3,000 - and you would probably be on the hook for 2,000 of that 3,000 via a deductible." They preferred 1,200 cash in hand up front, rather than to wait for the insurance company to drag their feet on any payment. Nothing in The States was getting less expensive, nor will it get less expensive ever again. It's RIDONKULOUS! America is dying, and it is happening really fast.
Oh my That surgery bill That is painful to have to pay I wish I knew the answer I can only say, let’s get the majority or healthcare done in the lower cost Asian countries I appreciate this comment, thank you
Everything you just said is 100% true, and it’s getting worse, I’m watching this video as I’m unpacking a small bag of groceries I just paid $2.36 for one organic tomato 🤦🏻 one!!!!!
Ipoh is way cheaper than KL and the best place for retirees. Rental for a fully furnished 4 bedroom house is from RM 1200 to 1500. Almost no jam unless it's peak hours-6.30am and 5.00pm.
For living quiet and very affordable living. Ipoh, Perak is better than KL, Penang, Johor. Delicious affordable food. Housing very affordable rental or purchase. It's crazy happy and peaceful town with everything affordable
But Ipoh tourist spot scattered around the city and not within walking distance..i believe westerners wouldn't opted for Ipoh..they rather choose KL and Penang
Retired expat from the US living jn Thailand six years. Everythjng great here. Prices low, no inflation. Wifes house is paid off. We have two cars. An old Suzuki Truck and 2021 Toyota. Both run great. Cars not too expensive here. Insurance reasonable. My health insurance here $2100/year. Haventt missed the US for a moment.
Malaysia is better, you could buy condo or land housing under your own name. There's a program called The Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) Program. MM2H program is a residency scheme allowing foreigners to live in Malaysia on a long-term visa.
Agreed with housing and car as it is so expensive in Toronto, Canada. Helps a lot if you have paid off the mortgage for a detached house in Toronto (approx: $1.4 Mil (CAD)). Fortunately in Canada, we are covered for health care as the provincial goverment covers most of our health care as well as our companies where we work. -- cover our drugs, dental, massage, etc.. If the company does not cover dental, there is a means tested coverage from the Canadian govt -free- for a canadian family that earns less than $90K (CAD) in YR 2024. Not bad for health care in Canada. Great points for Americans and Canadians. Thank you.
It thrills me to see another of your videos hit my in box. I'm with you, get out with whatever you can salvage while you're well enough to travel independently. It's the travelling lone that bothers me. Do you travel with a partner, enjoy casual liaisons or are you just happy with your own company and don't feel lonely and isolated while away from the States.
I'm so glad u r enjoying Msia, my country! Come down to Seremban, PD & Malacca, your cost would be cut to 1/2 plus minus all the traffic & noice pollutions, not to mention it's a lot greener, where we've waterfalls, beaches & more! 😆
My two ideas for a nice retirement area are the Albanian Riviera or Dalat Vietnam. Both have cool climates not hot and humid every day of the year like Thailand or the Philippines and no strict visa requirements. An American citizen can spend an entire year in Albania with just your U.S. passport upon arrival.
@@mafarnsims1563 Im not sure but it's either 30 or 90 days but you can easily just cross the border into Laos or Cambodia and keep renewing it indefinitely.
Hey bud. I noticed you drink regular soda. Please keep tabs on your A1C level and your daily blood sugar as you get older. If they go up please consider going Keto and eliminating the sugars and carbs. Love your channel.
pro bike riders love their 8 oz. cans of Coke. A little soda in small amounts can give you enough calories and that carbonation we crave when doing exercise, not too harm anything,. JMHO
My cost in malaysia is about 1500 ringgit per month per person. The most it is 2k ringgit. So it is about the same as you if you live in usa (1 to 1). Sometimes i do skip lunch.
Surely U also get a free sauna here. As long u keep walking not a less 2 minutes 😅 But yeah.. Many choosing Malaysia as a "transit" Coz of its geographical. Its middle of 3 hotspots tourists choice. Indonesia, thai and Singapore.
I’ll be moving to Sarawak at the end of this year! I will not be able to enjoy my retirement in US. I was in Kuching in March getting my Visa application in. The SMM2H is way more reasonable since Peninsular Malaysia is not. Malaysia, here I come! 😊
KL life expenses fr us Msian is still expensive as compared to living in Kuching the capital of Sarawak( East Msia- in Borneo isĺand) Life is at a slower pace with more multi cultures as we have many indigenous natives here .
It's really hard trying to figure out where to retire. Thailand? Vietnam? Korea? Malaysia? Where would my dollar go further? I still have 8 years until I retire, but it's always good to think about the future.
Smart move on getting out of there when the kid appeared. You can never be too careful. Imagine what it would look like if you were giving her a candy. No carrying and handing out candies should be in every travellers checklist😂
Then ya gotta work 60 hours a week to pay for apartment that you only sleep in And in usa you have to have a car Just to get to supermarket is miles away Cost of car yearly plates gasoline insurance some states charge property tax on car
I'd like to learn more about how you find reasonably priced accomodation in each of the countries you visit. Do you book them ahead of your arrival, or do you look for places on arrival? Perhaps do a video just on this topic as I'm sure there's a lot to cover.
I can tell you , traveling in Laos, it is easy to find accommodations for anywhere from $7/night to $50/night. No need to plan ahead. Usual vacancies are easy to find.
Great question I book about a month ahead so I can prepare for visa application apps and stuff I usually book flight abs three days hotel I’ll check out the hotel in person then decide to stay or search on foot further another one haha
There is a florida native here. His name is andrew taylor. He has a channel like you. He has to live with 2k usd in usa. He could not afford it. So he moved here 9 years ago.
I know man 84 in miami Gets 2300 a month social security He uses that to pay for rent of 2300 A month He is still working ! 😮 Gotta eat pay electricity etc
Not sure if some of the commentors are getting the full message behind your videos sometimes. Some are though...that's good. First, it is a big leap to go from relative security of staying put, in a social and financial sense. You had a dream grounded in travel experience, took a lay of the land and expenses, formulated an exit strategy (savings, asset sales, investments) and you knew the risks and did it anyway. What many of us out here watching you are thinking is "How much do I need to save / have in my 401k or equity in my house ...in order to liquidate, be in cash (investments)....and then make the move?
It’s a good point you make I saw these things : 1. I was working in pain from military injuries and I needed to retire early 2. AI was decimating the IT field so I had to act fast 3. I saw the West declining into insanity and chaos and I wanted out The answer was sell everything, invest it, get out That’s just what I did haha
Great Video! You have touched 3 significant reasons that many people are facing in the west. I am curious how do you do your income taxes from your savings and other assets held in your country while you are living abroad?
Great question On a visitor visa you are safe On an extended visa not so safe, you are subject to laws if you stay over tourist time limits Each country is different but no long visa for me
The great part about doing short term visa in Vietnam is I don't believe they have requirements for a certain income or health insurance unlike Thailand.
You said you wouldn't be able to retire but what you mean is retire early. If you retire at retirement age you would get Medicare and social security to cover expenses. I'm ok with anyone doing what you're doing but I wish it wasn't framed like it's your right to stop working early without saving enough first.
You make important points Save an emergency fund Invest for passive income It takes time and consistency in investing I do not rely on Medicare or social security as I think both will collapse over this decade I built my own retirement including healthcare coverage :-)
i appreciate this video. im 31 F in los angeles and i feel every day im priced out of this country. its good to hear u have the same feelings on accommodations some times i feel like im "giving up" or should "try harder" to afford a 1,800 a month... its legitimately not worth it and considering u gotta sing a contract and if u dont pay you SOL for ever on you rental history? tf outta here
I hear ya So expensive now There are remote jobs now and great jobs overseas I say try them out through your thirties You are young healthy Travel and work
This is scary for anyone who is getting close to retirement. I have thought about what to do when I retire and I see so many people working here in the US well into their seventies and eighties. Especially people who live in big cities and interesting places.
Lovely park, need to go there !! i don't blame you, & i agree what you have said, UK same, work till you drop, etc etc. etc. not healthy, & stressful, yes we've done something similar, reason's similar, came out here last year to Beautiful Malaysia, enjoyed the video, goodluck on your retirement journey, will keep tuning in.
@@RetireandGo it is actually insurance through my wifes employer. The employer pays for it. We are lucky, we are eligible for Medicare coverage, but for younger people the medical insurance situation in America is not looking good.
In your opinion what percentage of Americans choose their job and stay in their job because “they need the healthcare insurance?“ Seems to me that people need the healthcare because of the horrific job that they’ve chosen. Long, stressful hours at the job, minimal time to relax, commute time to and from job, minimal time to shop for, prepare and eat, healthy meals, all because of the stressful job create the need for the healthcare insurance. Rinse and repeat.
Aloha. Nice to watching your video today. As always, very informative. Cam yiu tell me how long you can apply for tourist visa to stay in KL? You’re absolutely right about the cost of living in US after my friar time travel to Southeast Asia. I’m looking forward to explore more SE near future. Be honest with you, I will have a trip coming near future to Italy and I’m not feeling good about the cost that I will spend there for a week. 😂. I had a wonderful time in SE Asia for more than three weeks and not break the bank fiord sure. Good health. Aloha
What app do you use for your Visa.? Interesting.. I didnt know they had an app for that. Great info here. Thanks for providing this important information. Anything to make traveling in foreign countries easier is golden information. Cheers.
@@RetireandGo YOU are doing much more traveling than we will be doing. Pretty much going to Laos, and may venture out from there, a little bit. I found Chris Barth, Ex Pat services in Laos. It looks like we will be able to secure a 12 month Visa. Cheers Mate, Happy and Prosperous Travels.
Try visit us in Borneo if you have not yet. Sarawak and Sabah. You will be mesmerise the wonders of the Cities and Jungles. Going deep into the rural villages. Thanks for sharing and welcome to Malaysia. God Bless. ❤
@@RetireandGo Explor more to Sarawak and Sabah. If you love greenery and thick jungle. There’s no place like our mountains 🏔 and rivers. The life/lives of the native of Sarawak in the highland. Bit to share.
