Moving from the UK to KL - Help !

Hi liverpoolfc.

Sorry I can't help with any solid advice or experience. We're also moving to KL on a similar time scale. I could have more or less wrote your post! Similar budget, area, school considerations and concerns. The 'holiday camp click' comment made me chuckle.

Also on our school list is Nexus which I noted offers discounts for second child and  yearly lump sum payment (don't know if that would be any good to you).

We're going over to look round KL at start of November. Been on holiday a couple of times before and loved it but moving there is a whole new adventure.

We're not new to the expat thing (been doing it for over 10 years). I'd say the kids will surprise you with how well they adapt. International schools (on the whole) are welcoming places and children integrate quickly. Fingers crossed now I've said that!

Good luck with your move, who knows our paths may cross.

You haven't been offered my job have you ? he he

Thanks for connecting. In a strange way it makes us feel a little more comfortable knowing someone else is as anxious as we are  !

I heard about Nexus but not sure about it's rep, we're going WC 9th Nov, me for two and my wife for a week so we're meeting about 6/7 schools and surrounding areas.

If you're happy to do so private message me your email as it seems a shame we couldn't exchange ideas and suggestions to help each other along the way in our adventures.

What industry are you in ?

Hello liverpoolfc

I invite you to browse through threads in our Cost of living in Kuala Lumpur section of the forum to gather as much info as possible.

Regards
Kenjee

Hi this is the reason i always say dont come with kids unless your company pay school fees. That was normal once.

After allowing for education (dont forget if you stay kids will be overseas students for uni so fees 22k per year and no student loans) and medical - in uk free health care is worth a lot when older - most people take a big pay CUT when they come to malaysia.

I will crunch the numbers one day but best guess need to double salary in malaysia vs uk to stay at same level of living standards.

Uni fees in the uk are £9k per year min and our tax rate at the higher rate inc national insurance is 51% so the uk is massively expensive. What im trying to bank is not just the cash (which helps) but its the life experience that we as a family will have. That is difficult to put into monetary terms.

this offer certainly isnt double what im paid now but its an Its improvement on my current salary overall.

Uni fees are 9k if resident. 22k if not (depends some of the ex polies are cheaper etc)!!!!!!! Student has to be resident in uk for 3 years prior to uni. So you are screwed regarding the oldest one if you make the move. The extra costs alone will make your move financially a disaster. And you have to pay in cash. No student loans.

That is the price of being overseas.

And when you return to uk you are not entitled to free care on the nhs for 6 months. That is to stop people with serious and expensive illnesses from going home to get treatment eg cancer.


Always research the consequences of a move before doing it!!!! Or get paid 4 times as much. All the non financial benefits are nice but dont live in dreamland. KL is expensive to live in and in uk the extra tax you as a family get a lot back.

never thought about that !! great info from you which i highly appreciate you sharing with me.

the plan then is we give it until he's done his GCSE's and if our circumstances are the same then we come back to the UK and he goes to Uni at 19.. or i do a crap job and i'm sent back anyway

This move is about an experience for me professionally and a life experience for the family. This isnt entirely a dosh decision...

What i knew, basically u have to pay tax Around 10,000 above per month based on your gross salary

Cost of fuel & toll estimation around 1000 per month only depend on what kind of car you are using . Insurance & roadtax u  need to pay once a year around 3-4k depend on type of car

Yes I understand all the non financial reasons but do note on a more serious expat forum we have people asking if their 16,000 rm per month accommodation allowance is enough (plus placement at any international school) plus high salary. That is a proper expat package.

You could consider UK boarding school for the oldest.

Fees and living costs equate to about 600,000 rm for a degree. Paid in cash. Do.prepare for that. 200k per year is a lot.

For other readers, especially Brits, moving to Malaysia with kids and no fees paid from Malaysia can be extremely expensive mistake. Brits especially get a lot of benefits via free education and free health care.

At the min you should get UK salary converted to RM plus school fees paid plus at least 3k accom allowance.

Single.people it's far easier and young free and single 28 year old male (especially one a little nerdy and no gf    ) then 80% of UK salary enough.

And do note that 40% of Malaysians want to settle in the UK. For good reasons !

thanks again.

Does anyone have any knowledge abiut my tax question ?

liverpoolfc wrote:

Uni fees in the uk are £9k per year min and our tax rate at the higher rate inc national insurance is 51% so the uk is massively expensive. What im trying to bank is not just the cash (which helps) but its the life experience that we as a family will have. That is difficult to put into monetary terms.

this offer certainly isnt double what im paid now but its an Its improvement on my current salary overall.

Hi LiverpoolFC, You'll never walk alone hehe, I'm Liverpool FC as well mate.

It just came across in my view about your topic. Interesting.

In UK 51% Tax, oh yeah I experienced that when I was in UK, frankly speaking, working in UK as single dad is not worth it LoL.

1) Btw, in Malaysia the Tax for Non-Resident Individual is not that high. For the year 2014 it cost you 26% but This year 2015 it been reduced to 25%. Most probably after been calculated with your salary included all the overhead expenses approx around RM5K but not more then RM9K and it pay by deduction from your payroll monthly - Monthly Tax Deduction (MTD) or 1001 options to pay. It's your call. Further info: http://www.hasil.gov.my/goindex.php?kum … amp;sequ=7

You are non-resident under Malaysian tax law if you stay less than 182 days in Malaysia in a year, regardless of your citizenship or nationality.

Non-resident individual is taxed at a different tax rate on income earned/received from Malaysia.

Such as:-
Business, trade or profession
Employment
Dividends
Rents

You will not be taxable if:-

Employed in Malaysia for less than 60 days

Employed on board a Malaysian ship

Age 55 years old and receiving pension from Malaysian employment

Receiving interest from banks

Receiving tax exempt dividends.

For further info: http://www.hasil.gov.my/goindex.php?lgv=2&chg=1

2) Place to stay: I suggest to stay nearby DAMANSARA PERDANA. Further info https://www.google.com/maps/place/Empir … d352ebc31c OR http://www.propertyguru.com.my/property … dence-5507

3) Schools:-

I selected 2 International Schools which is nearby to your home.

a) https://britishschool.edu.my/

b) http://www.srikdu.edu.my/

Enjoy your stay in Malaysia. Cheers!!

Hi dear, if you are looking for a place which is time and cost convenient for your children to complete their IGCSE studies, you can opt for Home-Schooling centers. Among a few are :

a) Brixsten Academy (www.brixstenacademy.com)
b) Arrow Homeschooling
c) Grace Homeschool

If you need more information on this, you can call me at 0102267185! I would be more glad to help!

Hi there
I agree that you need school fees in the package.

That said, we are Australian and pay a mortgage in Sydney from KL (read - very expensive!) as the rent doesn't cover it. We get half of your monthly salary, but our school fees are paid (my husband works in education which is why!). I do a bit of work but wouldn't amount to more than 20K a year probably. We are 'lucky' in that, while the ringgit has gone down, so has the Australian dollar!

On that amount, which others consider paltry, we live in expat housing - mind you not a big bungalow, just a luxury low rise apartment (!) (Gita Bayu). We have a house in Sydney, so yes, we don't have the outdoor space we are used to...but then we have a swimming pool, tennis court etc. We travel every school holidays - Asia, Europe, Australia (but don't stay in 5 star hotels). We eat out regularly - but not at the most expensive places, we have a local car (the services cost virtually nothing -the labour is around 50RM sadly for those doing it...). I have private pilates classes every week, go out for a few lunches, massage every week...Need I say more?

I find it hard to understand how some say you would struggle on 44K a month. I don't know what kind of lifestyle they have or expect - it's mind boggling. I guess it all depends. However, I do agree that you should just get school fees included - especially as they tend to go up a fair bit every year. That's the one thing I don't have to contend with.

Despite this luxury (!) lifestyle I've described, we will be leaving after 2 years as we don't like exposing our kid to the  air pollution/haze and the prevalence of dengue in KL.

Hi Bindii01

Thanks for your comments. Within that aggregate we have a school/housing allowance i just added it up to a total.

Some of the living expenses are so wildly different, I'll have to aim for somewhere in the middle.

With living expenses, there are a lot of unknowns when it comes to moving overseas and we are a family who aren't particularly extravagant by any means. My company also said they'll help with upfront fees in terms of a payback scheme so the massive upfront costs can be somewhat mitigated....

We are looking at Gita Bayu when we arrive next week...would you recommend it ?
I notice they offer a nice lunch at 21.90RM which isnt too expensive in my book

Thanks

Malaysians struggle on 45k if middle class (higher end - equivalent to senior expats moving to KL)

House 2 million (3 bed out of town - min price these days). 2 cars. 600,000 RM. so say loans of 2.4 million at 3 times salary to be affordable means 800,000 RM per year income required.

Add 2 kids at decent school - so 2x90,000 RM (inc misc fees that really add up!). So 920,000 required so far,

Have to save for Uni edu at 600k per kid - x2 say save over ten years so that is 120,000 per year, So now we need 1,040k per year net.

Maid 2k per month,, food bills etc say 4k per month. round to 70k (net). Medical 10k per year min. So now total 1,120k per year.

Gross say 1,400k (very approx) = 117,000 RM per month required to support that lifestyle.

Look around KL and see all those expensive cars and houses. Many do earn that! 45k doesn't look so grand after tax and after kids fees, buying a house and two cars......

In UK many of the senior expats can afford a similar lifestyle as education free - at Uni student pays via deferred salary deduction so parents don't have to pay much. But housing in London can be a killer but I can still buy a 4 bed house for 350,000 pounds within commuting distance of London.

In USA housing cheaper but Uni more expensive. Overall though from USA same issue - need a decent salary here for senior expats.

What people do is compare middle class salaries at home with lower working class salaries here and go wow! Well not really. Compare like with like!

people near me in Alderley Edge only just manage to live on £40k per week...flabbergasted how they manage to do it.


We're coming to live and educate the kids on 46k PM - we might catch a disease or two..but at least we'll try and have some fun doing it.  Although I take your point about a maid as i'm not sure how we'll cope without one...especially in a 3000 sq ft condo.

Joking aside...the amounts you mention frighten me along with the whole potential move, however, I think we have a good plan and sensible spend in the early months we will be able to figure it out.

Hi
I think Gita Bayu is good if your kids go to school nearby and it's convenient for you workwise. It really depends what you are after. Sometimes it does get a bit cliquey, but on the other hand, while there are loads of expats (and a lot of them are Australian...) there are also lots of friendly locals who live there. And the place is big enough that you can be completely private if you wish. A lot of the expats are also quite friendly and can be useful support, especially if you travel a lot for work. The place is a little on the empty side at the moment - with oil prices slipping etc a lot of people have left - so last year there were lots of kids to play with, this year not as many.
It also means however that you could potentially negotiate a fair bit on the rental prices (but ask for a 'discount', not a cheaper price).
On the other hand, if you like the action, Gita Bayu is a fair way away from a lot of the great places to eat etc (and eating out cheaply can be one of the joys of Malaysia). Of course there are mamaks etc around but there isn't the variety that you get closer to the city.
A lot of people also don't like Gita Bayu due to the mosquitos - there are a lot as it's probably one of the greenest places to live in KL. It's a bit like having your own jungle - there are resident owls, eagles,monitor lizards and monkeys.
There haven't been any dengue cases there recently, and because it's a community you'll find out if there have been. I don't mind catching diseases so much but dengue can be serious - even fatal if you get it twice. As long as you are aware and take precautions...but it can be stressful if your kid is a mosquito magnet!

Can I ask why uni fees are being discussed for children 3 and 8 on this salary? Is this a lifetime move or a 2-year company stint? Some ive known who came with the expectation of long term, like people who worked for Continental, soon found themselves un-renewed and back in their countries.
Also, 10 years is the supposed maximum expat job tenure so again, why discussion of future university as savings from the salary when its very unlikely to ever happen?

Sorry if I read posts too fast and missed something.

Think about Desa Park city of you don't like the condo fee - lots of expats, greenery, reasonable rent in comparison to MK and a pretty good school in ISP which is slightly cheaper than other international schools because it is newer, but also got some really good results.

thanks for all the information.

We're coming over next week to check it all out...

Hello,
I can advise you about the codo and the car. The taxation and school, frankly speaking, I have no idea about them.

Regards the condominium, you may like to stay at Setapak area in KL. The area is well developed with a hospital, clinics, a shopping mall, banks, restaurants, public transport (near to LRT station) and can easily reach the other destination within Kl city from Jalan (street) Genting Kelang. Probably the disadvantage is to get international school in this area. The condominium I'd recommend is Platinum Lake condominium or known as PV (search the web). There are a few PVs, nontheless, the one I would recommend is the PV13. The unit's monthly rent range between RM1.7k to RM2.5k; mainly depending on two factors (1) no. of rooms (3 or 4 rooms), and (2) whether the unit is basic (non-furnished), semi or fully furnished. Another two factors I'd like to draw your attention for are (1) the floor area (though normally the people focus on no. of rooms much more), and (2) the parking lots (some units could come with non, 1 or 2 parking lots!!. Depending on your bargaining skills you can get good offers. The deposit is usually a 2.5 months + 1 month rent.
Regards the car, you can buy a second hand, or obtain a new one for a 30% downpayment of the vehicle's net price. If you get local car such as proton or perouda, the monthly instalment could start from as low as RM500. Another option is to rent a car on monthly basis (I do this business at the moment).

I hope you find the above information helpful and all the best.

Hi Liverpool FC.

Just back from our week looksie in KL. Wishing you well now it's your turn. I think I need to make a couple more posts before I can PM you. 

We looked at condos / houses in Valencia, Desa Park and Mont Kiara. It was tricky to get an agent to show us round. As soon as they know your budget you get ignored or passed on, it seems many of them only want to deal in top end ex pat budget.

Visited 5 main schools that you had listed (when out there we cancelled Nexus as decided it was just too far for the kids to travel everyday). All the schools were ok and nothing bad, it really came down to individual atmosphere and the style of education that you're looking for.

Ok think I'm able to pm you real details now!

Once again Good luck. It'll be great if we get there at a similar time and meet up for a beer and friendly face.

Hi Liverpool FC,
I have PMed you info on a potential accommodation which may be suitable if you are considering British International School for your children. Please PM or email me if you need any further info. All the best in your move.

Just a heads up that you only get the standard UK university fees at 9k if you as parents are ordinary tax payers living in the UK the 3 years directly prior to the children going to university.

liverpoolfc wrote:

Uni fees in the uk are £9k per year min and our tax rate at the higher rate inc national insurance is 51% so the uk is massively expensive. What im trying to bank is not just the cash (which helps) but its the life experience that we as a family will have. That is difficult to put into monetary terms.

this offer certainly isnt double what im paid now but its an Its improvement on my current salary overall.

Check out this place if you're interested in
IGCSE (7-17 years old) or
even prep school for ( 4-6 years old).
It's called Language Studio in Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya , Selangor. Contact: 03 6140 6150
Email: info[at]tlstudio.edu.my

School Preparation Programme
Day:Monday -Friday
Time: 9am - 12noon
Fee structure:
Registration: Rm100
Materials: Rm150/term
Fees: Rm2800/term (4 months)
Objectives:
1. To train a child to become a skilled reader
2. To train a child to love reading
3. To train a child to  express him/herself creatively
4. To develop important preschool & kindergarten skills
5. To help your child gain confidence and enjoy learning
6. To ensure that they have a solid foundation

Syllabus includes:
Phonics    Spelling    Vocabulary    Reading   Writing     Listening    Speaking    Speech & Drama 
Story Telling    Personal Skills    Social skills   Character Building    Arts & Craft 
Math & Science