I am malaysian. Bangkok is a good place too. If you thinking to settle down in 1 place, there is no need to think hard. We are a neighbouring country. You can travel to both country easily.
don't tell me ure okay with this. living here in KL on a taxpayer subsidized cost of living but doing business in singapore. ridiculous. offshore citizen, take your dollar elsewhere if you're not going to invest properly in KL.
I am from Singapore, I say both BKK & KL are nice cities, given the chance, I will stay 5 months in KL and then visit BKK for a month to enjoy the best of both city.
One year ago I visited Bangkok, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, spent four nights in each city. I loved all of them but was particularly impressed with KL, so much so in fact that I'm hoping to spend several months there over the winter this year.
@sitinur fatihah but according price consumer index, msia is still cheap actually plus Ringgit now also cheap, the tourist can buy more so it is grand paradise from now on! KL is hilly city even KL Tower also located on the 'real' tropical forest hill, the atmosphere is totally different with bkk.
Kuala Lumpur is like this perfectly balanced city that is just nice for you to settle in with your family, but also without forgoing the good parts of the city life. It's like KL still have that charm of a nostalgic, old town rich with culture and history, but also with modernity at every junction. It's the perfect marriage between the traditional and the modern world, with generous green patches of nature in between. Just make sure you respect the local culture, people and norms here, and don't get stuck inside the rush hours, then you'll enjoy your stay here.
KL is my all-time favourite city that I have visited and Bangkok is my 3rd favourite - I have visited many cities but BKK and KL are in my top 3. My top 3 cities visited are KL, Singapore and Bangkok...even Jakarta is good too. Bangkok has a lot of buzz, very chaotic in a good way and is a fantastic tourist city with so much to do but KL wins for many reasons for me and I'm planning to retire there
@@OffshoreCitizen Hmmm I have visited a lot of cities so here is a list of cities that I have been to but not sure some of them are places for retirement: Istanbul, Cairo, Dubai, Jakarta, Rome, Barcelona, Manila, Lisbon, Barcelona, Madrid, Valletta, Athens, New York, Doha, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Shanghai....and oh yes cannot forget London (I'm from the UK - maybe not the best city to retire though)
I would use the territorial tax arrangements and live long-term in Malaysia - when MM2H restarts. Reasons... nice, friendly people generally, English is widely spoken, wonderful food, a good level of infrastructure (roads, internet, malls, etc.), international hub - KL, some nice beaches, good value for money, interesting architecture, Georgetown Penang UNESCO world heritage site, Borneo forests, and nature. Alcohol is heavily taxed but I'm not a heavy drinker...often! NB: They seem to like polite British people - which greatly adds to our decision. Like you said Bangkok good place to visit but perhaps not the best to live long-term.
i'm malaysian, since i've worked in hospitality and customer service in kl... yes, i was always in awe when the british open their mouths, especially the elderlies. their choices of words and phrases, sometimes with witty jokes very pleasant and warm for me. one more thing, they never acted like a boss. with a little help to them, they would reply with a great appreciation. no...i've never asked for the fantastic words, but that's how the british courtesy i would say. we are not flawless, but courtesy would help a lot for both locals and expats.
HIGH SKY I know I very much appreciate good service and a smile! When traveling to other countries I see myself as an honoured guest and act like I’m in someone’s home. Thank you.
I love Bangkok but would prefer to settle down in KL, KL like you said is more organized and we aint gona stay young forever, party scene gets old after a few years. You also didnt mention the fact that english is widely spoken in KL and KL has better culinary scene than Bangkok in my opinion, more diverse and multi cultural with the Malay, Indian and Chinese.
The food scene is more diverse in KL but there are higher end options in Bangkok I find so depends what you're after. And yes the language is a big advantage of KL.
@@MichaelRosmer for me personally, im pretty simple .. chillis, tgi fridays, nandos kinda guy, not much into high end stuff. I dont need a plethora of high end joints. I usually go back and forth between KL and Bangkok. They are both great cities and close together only a short flight over. Another plus point for KL for me is the calmer, peaceful manner .. less rowdy, far less on prostitution in your face and more affluent tourists than long term backpackers. KL is more strict with illegal drugs n all, traffic also less hectic. Bangkok is a great sibling city.
@@AidanZO305 but Malaysian and its government is infamous harsh on gender and sexuality minority. That's why most people prefer bangkok to kl, unless they are Muslim themselves
Malaysia is a muslim friendly country in the world. No one can denied that. Can find halal food (not only halal but delicious too) almost everywhere, easy to find mosque/musolla, water is everywhere for washroom and ablution etc. And at the same time it's not too strict (religiously), you still can have fun and good times there and see cultural diversity where you can see mosques, churches and temples were built side by side and the preachers can openly preach their own religion without any problems and all the races live peacefully amongst each other (no races riot). Where could you find these kind of thing anywhere in the world? 🤷 That's why you can see muslims (and non muslims also) tourist/migrants worldwide love this country. 😁
@@MichaelRosmer Hi Michael your review of KL has been impeccable ! Thanks for the great and helpful contents you share on your channel....keep the great work up! Many thanks mate
I lived in KL for three years (2015-2018) and I tend to be a bit bias when you compare KL to other cities since I love KL. But I do agree with everything you say. KL has less to offer compared to Bangkok but if I would choose a city to live in I would definitely pick KL. Thanks for a great video :).
Another point you may consider which is very important is heathcare. In case of something happen to your health while you are traveling, Kuala Lumpur is among the best quality heathcare with reasonable cost for expat and easily accessible
Living in Kuala Lumpur is like a peace of mind, it may be boring and nothing much to do but its ok..it is like living in an Australian city, not too hectic, not too big, not too many people, wider roads, lots of garden and lakes. If you have family then you will love this place, but if you young expat, young couple or adventurous person than definitely Bangkok is for you..
Living in Australian city? What a joke. I'm from KL and I've been to Melbourne and Sydney. KL and any Australian city is totally different. Australian cities are developed, more neat and clean, well organized, they have beautiful gardens and beach in the city. Sorry dear you cannot compare developed cities with developing cities like Kuala Lumpur. You may compare KL with Jakarta, Hanoi, Bangkok, Manila.
@@peacevkw I think you are correct it is not comparable to Australian cities..KL is more like American cities, it sometimes gridlocked like Los Angeles, got petty crimes like in Chicago, slums like Detroit, multicultural like NY, and those gleaming skycrapers TRX tower, KLCC, KL Tower all looks like Las Vegas..not perfect but OK !
Hell yeah.. I vote for my neighbor country I ❤ Bangkok, KL & Singapore I wish High Speed Rail project could extend to Bangkok & Singapore for more convenient of peoples in this 3 countries..
BKK is the best city on the planet for overall everything. With that said I haven't spent enough time in KL to hedge it against BKK. My memories from KL is that the city has a strong vibe of weird. The city just felt weird to me... I like weird, so I will return to KL eventually. Thanks for your video.
@@MichaelRosmer The people... The way of life and the cultural vibes that breath all over Thailand in general. The ease of getting around makes it inspiring to get lost... The price tags... The food... The smiles and conversations with pretty much any local... The motorbike taxi rides and discovering that BKK is the city that never sleeps. NYC doesn't come close to the electricity of Bangkok. If you don't believe it just look at the wiring above your head when you're walking along any Soi. Thanks for your question Michael. Be well.
@@joelee4210 You sound so jealous people can do what they want to do for travel they choose what they want to do nothing wrong. BKK got many things to enjoy not just night life.
@@joelee4210 We have so many temples, cultural heritage places, Royal Palaces, 2 forest parks, best cinemas in the world, amazing shoppings both hi-end and local markets etc. And only one thing you believe we beat you is SEX?
Thailand is a freedom country and full of entertainment, beautiful women, many food options, beautiful beaches, not strictly religious, the majority are very good when meeting and much more
In Bangkok, the first thing that hits you is the smell of sewage, everywhere. Price Discrimination is in your face everywhere, entry to venues like a zoo or parks X for locals and 2X for foreigners. They call Thailand the land of smiles, maybe in small towns and villages, not in Bangkok; the locals there don't want to have anything to do with you if they're not selling you a product or a service, they look at you as a necessary evil. Kuala Lumpur is cleaner, friendlier, cheaper, more honest, better food, and English speakers are almost everywhere.
I love Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. Both are super great with so many unique characters. I am Malaysian. Both city so great, hustle-bustle & food street of Bangkok and organized calm greenery KL..
I'm Thais and live in Bangkok. What I want to say is Bangkok simply look the same as Singapore and KL for its vertical scene, but for its horizontal scene, I still have no idea.
Very familiar with both.For me I would choose KL. The location is central , any point in South eas asia is under 2 hour flying served by excellent budget airlines.
@@MichaelRosmer sorry it is under 3 hours not 2 hours. I think a lot depend on vaccination roll out. If 70% of the population can be vaccinated by end of 2021 there is a good chance the budget airlines can recover..any delay I am not so sure
KL is better, of course! More cosmopolitan, modern and English is widely spoken. Bangkok is vibrant and exciting, but it’s also dirtier, messier and more chaotic.
@@MichaelRosmer yeah...I used to stay in Saudi n Bangladesh for working n I travel a lot. But I don't know,i don't prefer to live in middle east country with super skyscraper things plus I don't like "hand made" things like Singapore. Honestly Bangkok n Manila is the best place for entertainment...now I'm working in KL but to me my hometown still the best n it just 2 hours from KL. I'm from Malacca.
@@MichaelRosmer I'm hoping one day,u can visit Malaysia... Malaysia have a lot of things to offer and u must visit this one particular place,the only one; before u back home. Please visit our hidden gem, Perhentian Island a.k.a Maldives Malaysia...such a beautiful place.
What you said summarized it perfectly: Do business in Singapore, party in Bangkok, live in KL. Short trips to that triangle of cities. Also, food and grocery shopping is way, way better than what you get in the West, I agree. So much more selection, brands from all over the world, better produce, meats, seafood, markets etc. I live in NYC and our groceries are total garbage compared to the rest of the world, particularly compared to the large Asian cities and London and Paris.
Of course Malaysia is better. Bangkok is so hot. Malaysia is multi racial, you get to try different races kind of food. Most people can speak English. It's in between Thailand and Singapore. You want to go to Thailand it is near. You want to go to Singapore it is near.
Definitely Bangkok as the Expenditure will be much lesser than KL. In Thailand a bowl of noodles can be as low as 40baht ( which is Rm5.50) In KL it's very hard to find that kind of price. Also the things and trends in Bangkok is more updated and on trend when compared to Kuala Lumpur. Things like clothing, food, cars and electronics are more cheaper when compared to Malaysia. I'll choose Thailand everyday.
Great vid Michael! I'm highly considering visiting Thailand and Malaysia and am researching which are the best cities to visit as a vegan. Chiang Mai keeps showing up along with KL and Bangkok. Do you know when KL plans on opening up again? And what are your thoughts about HCMC Vietnam?
I don't have as much experience with Vietnam whereas I've spent extensive time in Malaysia and Bangkok and visited multiple times. Vietnam is definitely improving faster and I've got friends and clients who have lived there for years, for my taste it's not quite ready yet.
@@MichaelRosmer Yes lots of ppl have mentioned Bali is great for vegans also. I figured CM would be cheaper and better options for food but idk I'm doing my research
Malaysian here - I dont think we are opening up anytime soon unfortunately. I would say maybe March 2022 when we are done vaccinating 80% of the population.
Recently it was reported that Chiangmai and BKK were badly polluted, more than 200,000 people were suffocated, sick and hospitalised.. Chiangmai, most polluted in the world which ranking #1 and BKK ranking #10 #Too bad for outdoor activities and touring (plus other deseases including covid19..)
Maybe you should also do a comparison between cities, towns and islands in Thailand vs Malaysia. 1. Hua Hin vs Ipoh. (towns near the capitals) 2. Phuket vs Penang (historical towns on islands) 3. Hat Yai vs Alor Setar (far south vs far north) 4. Koh Samui vs Langkawi (island vs island) 5.Ayutthaya vs Melaka (historical towns) 5. Chiang Mai vs Johor Bahru. (far North vs far South)
Hey thanks for the suggestions! Unfortunately we still haven’t been to some of these places so can’t share any opinions yet. When we vist we could certainly talk about them too! 😎
I moved from Vancouver to BKK for 6 years in a very nice condo. It is never dull in BKK. Now I live in a small beach town in the South of Thailand. BKK is great but you need to find a neighborhood that is perfect for you because going from one side of the city to the other side is not easy. I have never been to KL
Bangkok, hands down. Better for tourists. Better food. Better nightlife. Friendly people. I could not wait to get the taste of nasi goreng out of my mouth when I left Kuala Lumpur.
Slightly off-topic.. Malaysia (and KL) feel very user-friendly overall ...after 6 months to a year, you'll want to leave as fast as your legs can carry you.. Boredom, unfriendly/insular locals, expensive alcohol, pretentious/lame nightlife..to name a few
Malaysia have lot variety food any country malay food western ,middle east, india ,turkish,japanese or even mexico food have here in malaysia..but english is freindly spoken in malaysia...but bonus if u can speak malay..in malaysia...
Excellent video content - Would like to learn about Labuan holding companies, director visas, cost and ongoing running costs. Is banking / wealth management safe in Labuan?
As with anything there's a spectrum. The beauty in Malaysia is they are dominated by the Singapore banks, which are some of the safest in the world. I wouldn't keep much of any money in the local currency
I live in KL and agree on most things you're saying about both cities. Visa's aren't easy in Malaysia, I can tell you. 60K USD for that premium Thai visa doesn't like a great deal to me. Lots of money for a few perks?
Different culture different needs. Malaysian behaviours mostly based on to meet islam requirement. for example, if a kind of is do not Halal ( muslim food) , you will difficult or almost impossible to find. Here in Malaysia mostly safe.
Michael, how do you think KL’s affordability fares in next couple/few years? It seems Malaysian govt wants to position KL as another Singapore/Tokyo/Seoul with MM2H visa changes, so maybe it’s a matter of whether revised program is a success? Or do you have different opinion about this?
I’m planning on moving to Bangkok in the near future HOWEVER I KNOW American citizens who want to move to Thailand need to put $30,000 in a Thai bank🙄🙄😭😭it’s the way it is and you can’t get out of it‼️, BUT IM WONDERING if I move to KL DO THEY require Americans or anybody to put a certain amount of money in their bank like Bangkok does? Thanks
I want to open a binance account, but my government ID is in the US and a state that does not allow me to open the account. Where in the world can i get a government ID so I can open a crypto account like binance - that only requires a government ID and address ?
It is depend on quality of education and the leaders. Thailand has no interest in education, just party, sex, and drugs. No wonder 40 millions tourist per year. Most profit goes to politicians and the god family. So sad, Thai people a highest suicide in ASEAN.
If you want Sex, drug and booze, club party life, fighting, = Thai Peace, decent friendly people, modern living, beautiful scenery and clean air, great abundance food, diverse culture=Malaysia
Bangkok is always flood when pouring rain. Bad footpath , Very difficult to wave a taxi , Bikers can ride on footpath in both ways, people parked their cars badly on public , Oil price is much expensive than KL , People are not concern about signs and much more. Only one Bangkok better than KL for me is food.
Not really. Malaysian food is more diverse combination of malay, indian, chinese food plus assimilated food. So much variety. Si 9f you go to malaysia, basically you are testing the taste of asia at one place. Lot of tourists said this. The only thing that bangkok is better than kl is nightlife. Thats all
First i want to say that both cities are nice in their own way. But for me as a Westerner, KL is the best city in all southeast Asia to live in considering its development, prices, diversity in everything and greenery.
KL is just in between first and third world like many other cities but I also don't know why I love it too! they have large origin Chinese and Indian in the same place which blend with muslim Melayu.. there's no like other place. It's new world of Asia!
For a healthy life KL is my choice but for enjoyment and short stay Bangkok is the best Both cities has it's own charm and beauty.Overall I would prefer KL.
I vote for Kuala Lumpur. It's clean, safe and offers lots for a lifestyle that I want. I recommend everyone to visit both of these cities and decide for themselves. I personally could never live in Bangkok. It's just too messy and I feel like I couldn't get anything done there. 😀
There’s so many construction going on around Kuala Lumpur. Its so active with new development. No wonder every other year its skyline always changes. NICE KL
not nice.. being in KL city centre is like being in à continuous construction site.. i have not been to bangkok for some time, but just saying kl wud be much better place if the construction just stop for once.. i mean, i can understand a building to be built, but its a neighborhood some sorts.. its like building 4 marina bays.. bbcc, klcc area, bandar malaysia, trx..
Asean Holy Trinity are : Singapore.. better for Job Kuala Lumpur.. better for Stay/Living Bangkok.. better for Party/Vacation these 3 countries should collaborate to make a fastest train crossing the 3 Capital City.. Thailand, Singapore & Malaysia is Top 3 Most Visited Country in Southeast Asia.. i'm sure that would attract more tourists to come if those fastest train really exist..
Very good idea. Imagine the tourism boost. Just like the one in Europe (underground tunnel connection). Ours can have bullet train, like the upcoming Jakarta to Bandung project. At the end, all depends on our government.
As a Thai, I pick KL without a doubt in term of well-organized city. Btw, lots of Malaysians can be seen at any bars in BKK. They drink like there's no tomorrow. Enjoin life! Most welcome to BKK friends..
Thank you for making me realise how lucky i am for living in Malaysia. As Malaysian, we always thinking that our country is the worst among the world and always full with problem in here and there. However, we forgot that there are no perfect country in this word, always have positive and negative side to every each country. Im so glad that our country still live in harmony and growing despite for all of the issues that have been landing recently and not to forget next month its our national day so its time to always loved our country and not complaining all the time for not having the best experience in Malaysia. Love Malaysia 🥰
Some Malaysians like to tell bad things about malaysia, they hv not experienced living elsewhere , they are not grateful enough . They can choose to live elsewhere like , singapore , thailand , vietnam , beijing , hongkong , then eventually they will realize , how bless to be aMalaysians . For example , many Malaysians praise how well singapore hv develop etc etc , but will they choose to live in singapore for good ? This is very sad .
@@abhs1141Totally agree with you. Many people always see grass is greener on the other side but truth is the other side is sometimes full of surprises that can only be seen when one stays there longer than 2 weeks touristic tour.
