Job Discussion Forums

[mrjack]

what is KL like to live in and what is a good wage in Malaysia. I have been offered a job for RM5000(teaching PE), i'm trying to get them to go to six or seven thousand, worst case scenario can i live comfortable on RM5000.
Will i be able to eat out everyday and see some of the country at the weekend, and of course have a few beers. I dont want to be on the breadline.

Thanks in advance,

Tim

[been_there]

KL's expensive, relatively speaking, you're looking at 1500 RM for a one-room apartment (more if you want to be near PJ, Bangsar, Golden triangle) check on the outskirts near the train stations.

Beer, too, is heavily taxed. 10-20 RM at a bar for a can. Going out will suck you dry.

Eating out every day and traveling on the weekend? Not going to have much of that RM5000 left. It might just be enough, if you don't plan on leaving the country (east coast is cheaper) and don't want any savings.

[micropiglet]

I don't agree.
I earn less than 4000 and I save a considerable amount of that, travel, and do more or less whatever I want. I have to say, I find it very much more cost effective than living in the UK!!

[SandyMcIvor]

I must agree with Micropiglet: my salary is 5000 a month, and I have no problems making ends meet. It is inexpensive to travel and eat and live in Malaysia. Travel outside is expensive, and the conversion on the Ringett is not so good, but as long as I stay in-country, I live well. Much cheaper living expenses than in western countries. As long as you haven�t any loans or other obligations in your home country, you should have no problems surviving on 5000 in Malaysia.

[Mideatoo]

[laconic]

How about ELS in Malaysia? Has anyone worked for them? Any and all comments most appreciated.

[Bunny]

Els are even worse than International House and that's saying something! The salary there is pathetic and to be avoided at all costs. Really, it is no more than a survival salary. You will be so jealous of other expats who are able to have a great Friday night in Bangsar, while you have to save and scrape a few rm all week to enjoy a beer in a backstreet open restaurant (great that they are on some occasions). Is that the way to spend Friday night? Or maybe you prefer International House? You have to work six days a week there for little more than ELS. Friday night spent thinking about that lovely early morning school bus trip to Cyberjaya....mmmm I think not. Really, avoid ELS and IH like the palgue.

[Henry_Cowell]

[leonconnelly]

I have a one bedroom apartment in a nice condo in PJ and only pay RM1100. This is considered expensive. Most people go for share accommodation and can pay about RM500 per month or less. If you look around, you can pay even less.

If you go a bit further out, you can rent an entire apartment or house in Bukit Jalil for RM500 a month.

I also have car, which saves me money and isn't that expensive to run here. Once you get used to the traffic and the insane drivers life gets pretty easy on the road.

RM5000 is enough to survive on and save money.

[Gregor]

[leonconnelly]

Gregor raised a very good point. Compare the pay levels and the lifestyle to your home country.
I have a much better apartment here than I could ever afford in Sydney.
Other costs are also much lower, it costs me far less to get my car serviced here than at home.
I pay nothing for health insurance here, and a recent operation I had would have crippled me financially in Australia.
I can get a bus to anywhere in the Malaysian peninsular for next to nothing, travel is cheap.
I can find reasonable accomodation in most places for as little as RM30 a night. I went to Langkawi during a holiday period and paid RM35 a night for three people, I took my father and my son.
Food is cheap, RM5 will buy me dinner in a lot of the cheap restaurants here. I can't get a sandwich for that price in Sydney.
Remember that here in Malaysia you will get paid a lot more than the local teachers. Usually about RM1000 per month. I know entire families that survive well on less than what i get paid.
And most importantly, how many of you went into teaching for the money? I gave up much better paying jobs to be a teacher and haven't regretted it for a second.

[Chancellor]

It seems it's all a matter of perspective. Sure, we can ask the questions: What's the equivalent to 5000RM in, say, American dollars or in Euros? Can one live on that amount in America and Europe, respectively? What would an equivalent standard of living (having an apartment, transportation, etc.) cost in one's home country? What it really comes down to, though, is that someone living in Malaysia or Indonesia or some other country is not in America or Europe any longer. Thus, it doesn't really matter how one might fare in America or Europe - particularly if the jobs we're leaving behind in our home countries are not teaching jobs.

Having read various messages on these boards and having read material elsewhere, I know not to expect to be paid anything even close to what I'm making in my current job. So, for me at least, there has to be another motivation for pursuing such a career change than money. The question, then, is how important is it to live "well" in whatever country one goes to teach? What constitutes living "well"? Is it enough to meet one's basic needs and have a little left over to save and/or for entertainment or travel back home? Again, it's a matter of perspective.

[Hod]

Umm yes.

RM5000 is indeed good money in Malaysia, bloody good in fact. On such money, you'd have a great life and save at least RM1000/$250 US a month.

Unfortunately, only the British Council or international schools pay this in Malaysia. Other schools pay RM3500 or less. Yes, I'm sure the likes of ELS would pay RM4000 absolute maximum, woopee, if you work all the hours God/Allah sends, but umm no way, that's burnout territory and crap money for a crap life.

The likes of IH are Ok for a year or so in a great country, but after that ta ta.