Best cities to live in Malaysia

Great Idea. Julien. This would certainly help people like me who are thinking of moving to Malaysia, but do not have family there. It will help in the decision making process. Also if people can add pros as well as cons about each city or an area in the city then it would be awesome.

Penang..I love that place

Agree

In terms of quality of life and affordability, I recommend Ipoh.  For a while my wife and I lived on the edge of the city.  The air is fresh and far cooler than KL.  The (primarily Chinese) food is very good and comparatively cheap.  My wife and I had both given up work by the time we lived there, but I suspect the interesting job opportunities are few and far between, especially for expats.

Penang is nice and interesting for people having a "IT/technology" related background. Full of electronics companies are there in Bayan Lepas

Great KL as Mont Kiara / Bukit Damansara / KLCC are place to live for Young people. If I was retired I would prefer Penang.

Iv been an expat with my family in penang for some time,and I visit many friends in KL,very often,and my humble opinion is that Penang offers expat the best cost of living in a friendly family safe enviroment.The police,banking,postal,educators are far better and more real than KL without the huge $tag to it.Kl is very diverse and immensely multi city rap but can get a bit much after a short space of time.

All cities in Malaysia are affected by the toxic smog (haze) for two or three months a year - just to varying extents. Probably best to find out which one suffers life-shorting pollution the least and go for that.

A best place is dependent on what you are doing in life.

Im four years in Penang and hate it, having moved here after 12 years in KL and on the advice of others.

For those retired it can be said that all cities are interesting and in retirement one can even move around every few years and have a nice life.

For those employed in companies, wherever they put you is OK, whether JB, KL, Penang because you can find the free time to explore and enjoy everything.

For those who are independent foreign entrepreneurs, all cities are the pits because the entire country is the pits unless you are very well heeled and connected somehow someway. Entrepreneurs have the most hardest time just staying alive and there is no time to like or dislike a place because you are struggling and fighting to make things work. In that case there is no best or worst, it doesnt matter where you are.

Im not the only one who has said that Malaysia may be the best place on the planet for retirement and the worst place to try to get anything done if you have to deal with all races, government and other businesses. In either case then, does it really matter which city is best? It doesnt, because all can be good or all can be bad depending on what you are doing.

Kuala Lumpur

Great discussion on the topic. I think what I have noted is KL has the western feel to it with good schooling and good healthcare while penang and ipoh has the malaysian touch.

My preferences:

1) KL (for access to EVERYTHING an expat could want -- including my Blueberry Pop Tars that I have only ever managed to find at BIG in Publika)
2) Kota Kinabalu (for its laid back vibe and its easy access to the South China Sea and the mountains of Borneo)
3) Penang (another big city with all the mod cons, yet less bustle than KL)
4) Kuantan (for easy access to the South China Sea and the beaches of the East Coast, along with a bunch of up and coming really funky eating places)

kuching!

KL or Penang is the best!

2nd choice, Melacca <3

If you are working then that dictates where you need to stay, but if retired or working from home then:
KL central area/Bangsar/Mont Kiara etc if you want to spend a lot of money on buying or renting and want nightlife every day.
KL - Taman Desa, USJ, Puching - if you dont mind driving/dont go into town much, and want to save money, live "locally" and get a better ROI on property.
Penang - if you want to be around retired expats and can afford the property prices. good lifestyle there.
Port Dickson - for low property prices that will rise, quiet and rural but near enough to KL and KLIA.
Melaka - cheaper than KL and busy at weekends but still has old Malaysia feel. property prices on the rise.
Langkawi - for laid back island life... all day holiday!
East coast if prepared to become very "localised"
East Malaysia if prepared to be even more "localised" - you will have numerous overseas friends wanting to come and visit for holidays!
JB - only of you need to go to Singapore often
All my personal opinion only...

is this a natural phenomena or because of industry or something ??

For me it has to be either KL or Penang. Other places like Seremban, Melaka, Ipoh, JB may be cheaper (perhaps not JB), but they are isolated and small so once you've seen and done everything then it kinda gets a little boring.

Johor Iskandar. A lot of new property development choices and internal school around for kids.

For medical needs, is penang as good as KL or not? In KL which is the best area as far as hospitals and medical care is concerned. Would prefer to stay closer to good hospitals for urgent medical care

Bandar Sunway is good option.

I lived for some time in Sungai Petani, Kedah, I liked the simplicity and nature so much

I totally agree with you,  and In KL or Penang you can have a very simple life but high quality life meaning that you are not obliged to drive a ferrari even the neighbour do.

Ilikeasia wrote:

I totally agree with you,  and In KL or Penang you can have a very simple life but high quality life meaning that you are not obliged to drive a ferrari even the neighbour do.

what i mean by simplicity is to live in an uncrowded city with nature more than malls and ppl

Nobody mentioned Langkawi. Is that a nice place to retire?

Marty56 wrote:

Nobody mentioned Langkawi. Is that a nice place to retire?

Langkawi is a resort to spend a holiday in rather than a place to live in

meinkl wrote:

If you are working then that dictates where you need to stay, but if retired or working from home then:
KL central area/Bangsar/Mont Kiara etc if you want to spend a lot of money on buying or renting and want nightlife every day.
KL - Taman Desa, USJ, Puching - if you dont mind driving/dont go into town much, and want to save money, live "locally" and get a better ROI on property.
Penang - if you want to be around retired expats and can afford the property prices. good lifestyle there.
Port Dickson - for low property prices that will rise, quiet and rural but near enough to KL and KLIA.
Melaka - cheaper than KL and busy at weekends but still has old Malaysia feel. property prices on the rise.
Langkawi - for laid back island life... all day holiday!
East coast if prepared to become very "localised"
East Malaysia if prepared to be even more "localised" - you will have numerous overseas friends wanting to come and visit for holidays!
JB - only of you need to go to Singapore often
All my personal opinion only...

What do you think about Wangsa Maju area in KL ?

In Wanga Maju you're likely to be the only expat.

meinkl wrote:

In Wanga Maju you're likely to be the only expat.

and this is good or bad ?

Hi if u like to live in the Malaysia I suggest u kl is the best place for u to live..
All is very convenient to u ....place like damansara,ampang and seputeh area is good.

I would recommend Penang over KL!!!