Dilemma in deciding whether to take up an offer of 6500 MYR

Your net salary is impossible to predict because you dont mention whether you are paying EPF deductions, how much health insurance deductions will be, and if there is any other perk or deduction they make. I guess you have seen the tax scale and that you will pay 25% intitially for 182 days until you are considered tax resident (refundable in most cases but not until 2016).

Mont Kiara is very expensive and for a one bedroom you will be looking at RM2800 per month e.g. Verve Suites.

Not many condo sharing there (actually it probably against the Management Committee Regulations) but you could check out www.ibilik.my to see if anything is currently listed. Alternatively www.mudah.com.my for their rooms section.

To be honest I cant see you making any savings at all. If I had to chose between the two countries, this would not be the one. However, good international experience and a stepping stone to perhaps working in Oz.

Hi Gravitas, Thanks for your reply. I am not sure of the EPF contributions and other deductions. So does the 25% tax mean, they will charge that on a monthly basis?
Oh! If the accommodation rates in that area is high, then is there any other alternatives nearby which are relatively cheaper? And yes, from what you say, the potential for savings look bleak on this salary.

Regards.

The tax bands for 2015 are as follows. You can calculate it by taking your annual salary (RM 78,000) and apply the rates shown in the right hand column. from RM70,000 to RM78,000 the tax rate is 21% so just add that to the other figures. When you have this total figure, divide by 12 to find monthly deduction. But as said the first 6 months its a flat rate of 25% (i.e. no graduation)

0-5,000                0%                                                 
5,000-10,000      1% RM50
10,001-20,000    1%  +RM100
20,001-35,000    5%  +RM750
35,001-50,000   10%  +RM1,500
50,001-70,000   16% +RM3,200
70,001-100,000   21% +RM6,300
100,001-250,000  24% +RM36,000
250,001-400,000  24.5% +RM36,750
Exceeding 400 000  25%  (+?)

I have a feeling that bonus payments are charged a higher tax rate but others will have to confirm.

Living outside MK will mean finding a place on a bus route that connects you to your work location (there is no mass transport in MK i.e. train). If there is a bus connection then living around Publika might be a solution. You could search on that word in both room shares and the property websites to see what is on offer. But I dont know the bus routes, although somewhere I have a link to an app you can work it out on line - I will look it out.

OK - Bus U7 seems to link a popular Indian area (Jalan Ipoh) with Mont Kiara. Jalan Ipoh is not very expensive area to live. Not sure how long the journey would take, but it also goes through Segambut which would be another place to look at.

http://www.mypublictransport.com/2011/0 … dalam.html

Thanks a bunch Gravitas! thats a lot of information. I will check on how the accommodation is, in that area of the town.