Malaysia good for affordability but shaky on career advancement

Is Malaysia a stable base for expat professionals?

With Vietnam’s star rising ever faster in the expat firmament, eclipsing both Thailand and Cambodia as a destination for business as well as a comfortable, economic retirement, the emergence of Malaysia as another popular point of location is a welcome addition. Expats in the country are largely happy with its affordability and ease of settling in. The cost of living is a major advantage for expat professionals looking to save for their eventual retirements, with 82 per cent of respondents to a recent survey rating the country positively. It also seems that expats find settling in far easier than in a swathe of other destinations and are more than happy with leisure and socialising options.

However, career growth in Malaysia seems to be only ranked as average, with career prospects satisfying just 50 per cent of expat respondents when compared with opportunities in Taiwan and Vietnam, with both countries winning out every time. Family life in Malaysia is a breeze, as is the quality of life and the general affordability of necessities such as housing and personal finance. The opportunities of earning a good salary compared with the actual cost of maintaining a home and the reasonable cost of living are attracting a good number of expats in spite on a lack of serious career goals.

As regards comparatives, the top three expat destinations in this year’s major survey are Taiwan, Vietnam and Portugal, with Nigeria and Italy definitely avoidable by expats looking to further their careers and enjoy their lives. Nigeria is now the worst country on the planet for expats, Italy’s work/life balance is appalling and Kuwait is the hardest country as regards settling in.