Job Discussion Forums

[roamingteacher]

I am really surprised at people's reactions to a salary of 5k in KL as being good! It sounds really low to me. I am at an international school and it's true salaries are higher (I'm on 10k+), but where are those people on 5k living? And in what conditions/locations? I'm not being rude - I'm genuinely curious. I couldn't find somewhere to live for less than 3k (I pay more than this) with a 4 person family (3 bed + 1 maid's room). Perhaps you 5k-ers are free singletons?

My other half is at the British Council and getting at least 6k per month as he is part-time and his hours vary. No doubt we are very comfortable but I honestly don't know how we'd survive on anything less than 10k as a family, especially living in KL. Are teachers generally NOT in expat areas? They are significantly more expensive, but I didn't realise there were other options, as I was told security would be a massive issue, as would facilities such as shops etc. We eat local food and shop in local supermarkets, but there are some essentials which we can't avoid buying such as nappies and milk for the baby, not to mention some foods that we actually recognise which are hugely expensive here. We live in a condo with the usual facilities such as pool etc. but this doesn't feel massively extravagant and it's not fancy - in fact, quite old and rundown even.

I am really interested to hear about others' lifestyles here so I'll start:

We go out about once a fortnight (alcohol is super expensive and we're parents after all! There is local alcohol but I can't believe it's safe to drink - it's like rocket fuel and this comes from a former SangSom drinker so it's not that I'm particularly delicate...)
We have live in help (1.6k/month) as we are both working and need childcare for the baby
We had to buy a car as I work far out of KL and have a 40-min commute (20k buying outright - others take loans)
We eat local food like roti canai regularly (cost about 1-2RM)
We eat western-ish food fairly regularly (3-4 times a week - cost about 30-40RM total)
We shop at the market and local supermarkets with a little bit from expat supermarkets. Cook at home (weekly food bill around 250RM)
Education for eldest - thankfully free at my school, as I don't know how any teacher (even international school teachers) could afford the fees. Do some send their kids to local schools and, if so, please tell us of your experiences?

Anyone else willing to share?

[KayuJati]

I lived in KL back in 1996-2000, so the prices that I will quote are a little dated.

I was on RM2800 to start, and near RM4,000 when I left for Kuantan. Still, I had investment income from outside the country that helped especially with the initial setup expenses.

We rented a link house in PJ for RM1,300 (4 bedroom, 3 bath) for a family of 5. That same house probably still rents in the RM1300-1500 range; rents have not increased like purchase prices. (When in KL, I regularly check the newspaper rental adverts, so that range is still valid.)

We didn't own a car in KL; found it was easier for me to commute via motorcycle and wife to use taxis. She could walk to the store (10-15 minutes) and taxi back with the groceries. When we went out, taxis made more sense: no need to worry about parking, drop off directly in front, planned to leave before major exodus of other folks wanting taxis, and etc.

I still keep in touch with KL-based friends, and outside of having a PhD, a highly technical qualification, or an int'l school post, salaries still hover in the RM3k-6k range. This is because the private colleges can find fresh graduates to take those salaries as opposed to hiring more expensive expats.

Yes, there are exceptions; but most posters want to know the general range, not the exceptions.

[roamingteacher]

This is all news to me - houses in PJ for such low rents! Was it relatively easy to get to know the neighbours.? No isolation problems socially?

I'm starting to see the great variation in salaries. It's mad, but perhaps the recent introduction of the 5k minimum will go someway to changing this, although I already know institutions who have found loopholes and grey areas...

[KayuJati]

[roamingteacher]

The 5K is a new legal visa requirement as a salary for an international teacher brought to MY. I think it's nationwide, as anything else wouldn't make sense. The idea is that it raises standards in teaching and stops cowboys setting up and hiring for peanuts. But as I said, there are ways around it, not least to put down that a teacher earns 5k per month - but it's a grey area as to whether or not this 'month' is one of 12 in a year.

Contacting the British Council should give more clarification on this, as I can't find anything online.

[KayuJati]

[roamingteacher]

Sorry - I wasn't clear. It's a requirement to get the work permit, so when that is being renewed there has to be a written signed document from the school to say you are receiving at least 5k a month. I imagine it applies to any institution - local or international, but as I said, I don't know the ins and outs of it. The whole situation is as clear as mud, but while I know of schools circumventing this, I also know of individuals who have approached management with this info and had pay rises. The 5k could include housing allowances and EPF (I guess) so in reality the amount you take home could still be well below the actual stated 5k.

[KayuJati]