Job Discussion Forums

[Sudz]

Thanks for the info KayuJati.

I know Nottingham is expensive, though I don't think the cost is that much different (if at all) than an on-campus degree from England.

I don't really see how living on 2000RM is that crazy. I've been to KL a few times, and didn't feel it was that expensive (certainly not double the price of Bangkok). Of course, it wont allow for much more than simple transportation, a roof over my head, and food. I'll be studying full-time anyways, so I think I'll manage.

It's worth noting that I plan on paying for the course on a gradual basis (by module), so I'll have a decent stash away in the bank should I have any issues.

[KayuJati]

[the lowlander]

"But hey, why let the facts get in the way?"

I am offering advice based on my own experience in both cities , and you are offering.....er.... insults....how adult!

Yes, you went to a website where an unrepresentative sample of respondents enter their own ideas about the cost of living....and that's it.

I have spent a lot of time in both KL and BKK, and I consider the former to be considerably more expensive than the latter.

That's my personal experience and my personal opinion.

Yes, you might be able to scrape by on 2,000 RM in KL, but I certainly wouldn't want to do it, and I certainly wouldn't want to recommend it.

You could get some very low level shared accommodation, and you could eat rice or noodles all day, every day, but if you needed new shoes, or medicine, or had to use any type of transport regularly, then you would find things becoming very difficult very quickly.

You say that Malaysians live on that type of money, and that is absolutely true, but they have a support network of friends and family, which an outsider is lacking, and they have access to the local markets in a way that an outsider does not.

Malaysians are not shy when it comes to dual pricing, and a foreign face will fall foul of this time and time again.

Perhaps I have lost the argument with you and Sudz, but I would caution anyone else not to go to KL on such piddling cash.

As for the Nottingham MA, it costs about the same as it costs in the UK.

What are they thinking about?

There are many other programmes out there at proper SE Asian prices.

[KayuJati]

[Sudz]

The problem with a lot of the 'SE Asian priced' universities is that the give you SE Asian degrees. Not nearly as accepted as a UK/Aussie/North American degree. I'm sure there are some of those schools with International campuses (such as Monash) which are slightly less expensive than Nottingham, though from what I've seen, there isn't a huge difference.

I don't want to turn this into an argument lowlander, but it does sounds like you had a bad experience in Malaysia. You might have very different spending habits than myself though, as you claimed to have had difficulty saving on good salary. You are a family man though, which would make a difference, especially in accommodation price I'd imagine.

I do have to side with KayuJati regarding pricing in KL/Bangkok. Besides alcohol (!!), I found them to be similarly priced (accommodation I THINK was slightly more expensive as well.) Those stats sound about right, though I can't comment on all of them. (Note: actually in terms of long-term accommodation, it looks as though KL is cheaper than Bangkok).

[Sudz]

Btw I hope to make more than 2000RM after establishing myself for while. ELS does offer pay increases.

[the lowlander]

Kayujati.....you started throwing the insults around matey simply because I don't have the same opinion as you....as I said....how adult.

I didn't say anything rude to you to begin with, I simply put forward another opinion.

As I said, it is my personally held belief that KL is expensive and I would not want to live there on 2,000 RM per month. End of story. If you can't accept that personal opinion without spitting out your dummy, then tough. It says more about you than it does about me.

I don't "hate" Malaysia, nor am I in the business of "trashing" it, or any other country for that matter. I am simply saying what I think based on my own time there.

Anyone is free to accept, or reject my ideas as they choose, but there is no need to start jumping up and down like an idiot because you disagree.

[Hod]

Hi Sudz, I have to say that RM2K is not enough.

Living in Penang or elsewhere would be a bad idea. You�d have transport costs to and from KL, however infrequent the studies may be, plus accommodation in KL each time. You�re also paying over RM40K** for this course, so surely Notts Uni will have study and other facilities on campus you should be using.

So, I'd recommend basing yourself in KL. Whilst you could ask ELS about extra work, I'd aim for private students to top up your ELS pay. For example, I got some private students (research students at Universiti Malaya) by sticking an advert in The Star newspaper, which got me about RM50 an hour if I recall. You could use the fact you�ll be based at Notts Uni to get a few privates there.

Aim for RM2500 to 3000 to try and avoid dipping into those savings. I was getting RM3500 plus accommodation nearly a decade ago, and it did not go far. Yes, there are locals getting RM2K or less, but few westerners could live like that for a year.

** Standard price (9000 UK Pounds) for one year's study at a UK university from 2010.

[Sudz]

Thanks Hod.

That sounds about right regarding being stationed in KL - as well as aiming for privates. I hope to be in the 3000 range (or even higher).

I'm looking forward to the move, even though I'll be living a very modest lifestyle.

[KayuJati]

Yes, good advice from Hod on getting private students.

I remember now that several years ago with NO advertising, I had several international graduate students begging me to help them with their graduate theses/dissertations. They were willing to pay top ringgit and I did some work for one guy, but it was too much with my full schedule of classes. (Plus, some of them needed more than a simple edit; they had major problems with the structure of their papers.)

I charged somewhere in the RM2-5 per page range, and tried to edit quickly. Some people will balk at a per-hour rate, but quickly accept either a per-page rate or a quote for the entire project (which is what a per-page rate works out to). If you quote high, you can usually end up with a good per-hour rate anyway.

[Nemodot]

To op it's impossible!

Agree with lowlander.

Ok to live off 2k means

- rent a shared house in a tiny room no aircon
- mostly likely indo/nigerian drug dealers as neighbours (actually the latter tend to be able to afford better than that)
- no rats as they wouldn't live there

-eat at places where cockroaches all died as food bad (cheapest fried rice is now 5rm and that's dirt cheap Malay price)

-buses as transport so get used to the smell.....And waiting for an hour
- never going out eg no cinema


Actually local pay average in KL is 7,000 rm but wide distribution. The 2k earners are young and live with family so cheap rent and home cooked food.

Local girls do exist in flats but with "sponsors" usually dirty old datuks....

Going rate fir a fillipino mistress is 5k. That's rock bottom living and same as work permit level min for expats. You do the maths!

2k is living hell

[Nemodot]

And lived in Bangkok and KL and KL twice as expensive. Rent in Bangkok was 7000 = 700rm. 1,500 rm for same in KL. Beer twice the price in KL . Chicken rice 3 rm in bangkok. 6 rm in KL

[Hod]

^ Quite amusing.

RM2000 is not enough, but Sudz is only going to KL to study. Don�t know about you lot, but I was always skint as a student.

Serious suggestion, though, if I lived in KL again on a budget, I�d try and brew my own beer.

[Sudz]

Sounds pretty awful Nemodot. I hope you're at least mildly exaggerating

I'm still not sold on KL being twice as expensive as Bangkok though from my experiences. Booze definitely, but I found most other things to be similar in price (with KL being the slightly more expensive of the two).