Cost of living is a function of % of expenses you pay vs your income. If your income is low, your cost of living will be high. Say you spend $3 to buy chicken rice in SG and you make SGD3K, that's 0.1% of your income spent on 1 chicken rice. But in Malaysia, say you pay RM8 for the same chicken rice and your income is MYR5K, that chicken rice is 0.16% of your income and thus cost of living in Malaysia is technically higher than Singapore.

Overall, unless you want to own a car or properties in SG, cost of living in SG is not as high as M'sia (at least on food and other sundries).

Well long term you do need a home at least right? If your basis of cost of living is just the food cost....then you are just comparing on the very lowest level, just the level of survival.

Well long term you do need a home at least right? If your basis of cost of living is just the food cost....then you are just comparing on the very lowest level, just the level of survival.

Well.....personally looking at the situation in Malaysia, I don't think it's trajectory gonna change anytime in the future, barring any gamechanger. It doesn't matter which party is in power, the trend will not change.

So, do you think that building a life in Malaysia is still the best option for most people and for their children? Or is going overseas the better option?

For me both have their pros and cons but I can share with you what I see to be pros and cons.
Pros of staying in Malaysia:

- Low cost of living
- Familiar environment
- More laid back compared to fighting it out overseas
- Familiar food
- Familar culture

Cons of Malaysia

- Weak currency
- Economy is falling further and further behind every year and doesn't look to be recovering
- Education is quite lacking
Pros of migrating

- Higher earning with stronger exchange rate
- Better education
- More developed industries for the aspiring person

Cons of migrating

- Most of the developed world has insane housing and living costs which minimize or negate any advantage in earning power increase
- Stressful as you are a migrant
- Not familiar food
Hence, I think, the best is to work in Singapore then retire in Malaysia. Earn SGD then retire in Malaysia to spend it. It is better than working in Australia, US, Europe, Japan, Korea, Taiwan which is probably a struggle to earn enough to have a high quality of living.

It is also better than working in Malaysia and struggling with the weak currency as well

Do you agree?

I find your feedback is interesting and relatively fair.

I think, your point about wages may be inaccurate, Malaysians working for MNC or GLC for 10 plus years can earn RM10k and above. However, in Singapore, to earn more than $10k is highly unlikely (for most)

Your statement on "wanting" to migrate and "able" to migrate is spot on. The competition to migrate to developed countries is fierce and some countries do not accept foreigners at all.

The reality is not all Malaysians will have the opportunity or the skills or the luck to work overseas. So, some will have to make do with living in Malaysia. That said, Malaysia is not that bad of a place to live and grow old.

Those places you listed, are in neighborhoods where the properties are mostly rented out (to Africans / student community / B40 residents) & some are really damn far from good amenities.
If you feel it's worthwhile retiring in, go ahead man. Stayed in Ipoh when I was growing up. Not gonna retire there. Kampungs in Taiwan are better.
You do realize when you are retired, you still need to interact with people right? Younger generations running business.
What service levels would you end-up getting if they grow up indoctrinated with race & religious bias?

Agreed. I notice many singaporeans and Malaysians who live too long in Singapore sort of forget the notion of 'bad neighbourhoods'. To them its just the difference between Yishun and Serangoon. But in reality the difference for other countries is much bigger.

I have senior employee who buy retirement houses in Balik Pulau, Penang because they said the cost was so much cheaper than Georgetown or Gelugor area. They said even though is bad area but the price was too good adn they don't mind. However, after less than a year he sold the Balik Pulau house and prop up more cash to buy a Gelugor house.

TLDR: Singaporeans dont understand the extent of what a 'bad' area is because theres no such notion in Singapore. Hence, make a mistake of eyeing properties there

Home ownership has a bit of a mixed thought these days. I have seen some retirees sell off their home and literally just rent from the new owners or move somewhere smaller and rent. I have also seen some young couples who decide to just rent especially now that the rental market is quite good which does make a lot of financial sense.

Malaysia rent is super cheap. In Singapore you will bleed lots of money from rent. But for non-PR/SGrean, no choice, buying is even worse because of the taxes.