Considering moving to Kuala Lumpur

Hi Zedeldee,

Accenture Malaysia is very well established and respected. But since it's a big company, there are always good and bad departments/subsidiaries to work for. For more insightful of the organisation, you could take a look in this forum, forum.lowyat.net/topic/850536/+560

For expenses part, you should always compare city to city expenses in numbeo website like kl vs london, taking in income - expenses to know if you are getting a good offer. One thing for sure, income level in kl is way lower than london but expenses wise, if you can compromise, there are many cheaper but good/better options for accomodation, food and transportation.

Income tax wise, I think malaysia is a bit lower than uk, but you should cross check on this.

Feel free to ask if you have any question.

Hi Zedeldee. I am also moving to KL for the same company. I am in the same page with you.

All the financial-based decisions are just a set of pros and cons to weigh up against your desire to move abroad.

I would say that you are at a critical point in your career, so moving to Malaysia may not be the best timing.

Do get a free membership of www.internations.org and check out the public events. Looking at the "guest list" will give you some idea of the expat community in KL.  Unfortunately developing a social life here is difficult for women unless you are into sport and want to join netball etc. or play golf. Most women I know came to Malaysia hoping to have a great social life, but found it very disappointing, as socialising always revolves around eating and drinking in bars. KL is rather sleezy too.

Gravitas,

In terms of social life development here, I agree it does requires some luck and skills to get to know the locals, afterall expat community in Malaysia is really limited compared to Singapore. I don't get the point that you are saying eating and drinking options are sleazy in kl, of course if you are comparing it with bangkok, then maybe... But it isn't really as bad as what you are describing.

There are a variety food here from Malay, chinese and indian cuisines. If you mainly focus on Western cuisines, which implies you are picky for food, then of course you will find food here a disappointment, it's like you are saying sushi is better in japan.

Drinking wise, you have to understand, malaysia is a Moslem majority country. Beer and wine price here are relatively expensve due to higher sin tax. But there are a lot of good clubs or pubs around if you pay attention to. Of course, again don't compare it with bangkok for quantity or liquor price.

Afterall, anywhere on earth If you failed to mix with the locals and with a limited circle of expat community you can attend to, you would have a dissaopinted social life.

Important to read

https://www.accenture.com/in-en/careers … ant-notice

Do not pay money to get a job, it should be the other way around.

A comment on sleazy. Im not sure what Gravitas means exactly but I dont like to go to bars and clubs because being around loud people who had too much to drink IS a sleazy scene though others may think of it as nice, clean fun.

Anyway, Gravitas post was misread by Justinliew, the comment was that KL is sleazy. Im not sure thats the word i would use but many asian cities do have a sleaze factor about them. Example, if you go on Youtube and look for Saigon club videos, yes thats totally sleaze. As for KL itself, to me the problem isnt sleaze, its that westerners find very little variety in options they are used to in their own countries. Everything here IS about where to meet for food and drink and thats even with established friends who youd think might suggest other things to do but no, its always food related, sometimes multi food-drink venues all in the same night. Though KL has its sleaze factor too, to me personally the word i'd use is shallow which for some expats means an active social life might be limited.

Ok back to the original post about social circles, it depends what sort you are and what you consider social. Me, Im from the US and the adventurous type who never had any expat friends. Maybe one, a long time ago because we happened to eat breakfast in the same restaurant all the time. All my friends are locals of all cultures and for that it was extremely easy to build an active circle. SOME expats come and only want to hang out with others of their own country and 10-12 years ago there were many circle options. Today, its lean as many have cleared out and less are coming in as new. Its very interesting to me here in Penang, I see more lone expats today than ever before. A woman in her 60's walking alone or in the market alone or eating alone, men in their 30s and 40s walking around alone or on a bicycle alone. Previously, it was more like mini groups, at least threesomes but not anymore. In many ways, Malaysia seems to be becoming an ideal place for those wanting solitude or to hide from the world or something which isnt all bad either. Sometimes its more comfortable to be alone and quiet than in too much nasty trouble.