[Update] Relocated to KL with >60% Income Cut

[dazza_73]

Previous post :

https://www.reddit.com/r/MalaysianPF/comments/14b2ycv

So that post was 9 months ago and I took the decision to relocate to KL and as of today, I've been here for nearly 6 months (time flies).

I wanted to share the income level, living costs and other expenses, and overall the experience I've had here living in Klang Valley.

As expected, my income level dipped significantly, currently averaging at RM8k per month.

Monthly Recurring fixed expenses.

1. Rent : 1.8k/month (a 2 bedroom apartment to myself)
2. Commitments from hometown (house loan, insurance, utilities, telco) : 4k/month
3. Food : approximately 2k/month, sometimes less, sometimes more
   
   (I eat out daily, for every meal)

• Average workday lunch : RM20/meal
• Average workday dinner : RM25/meal
• Average weekend lunch : RM80/meal (I'm usually paying for 2 pax or more)
• Average weekend dinner : RM 300/meal (usually I'm paying for 2 pax)
  
• Petrol/TnG/Parking : RM400/month
  
• Anytimes fitness : RM169/month

Total fixed expense : rounded off to about RM8.4k/month

Variable noteworthy one-off expenses:

1. Shopping :
   
   First 3 months, I was pressured to get a wardrobe makeover by my boss so I ended up buying 7 pairs of shoes, lots of Zara and Uniqlo, colognes, Aesops shampoo and all. It coincides with CNY so I would count those as my CNY expenses and overall I spent about 7k on those.
2. Travelling :
   
   December : (RM12k total expense)
   
   Jan (CNY) : RM1k flight ticket back to hometown
   
   Mar (Taylor Swift) : RM7k total expense
3. Rental Deposit :
   
   1+2 @ RM3600
4. New Gaming PC :
   
   RM6500
5. Car :
   
   RM60,000

Besides travelling, I would consider the rest as necessary relocation expense.

Total one off expenses : rounded off to about RM97k

Overall Personal Experience in KL

*I need to put a disclaimer that this are all based on my personal experience and the interactions I've had*

1. Traffic :
   
   Yes, it's very bad. 2 hours of commute daily (to and fro)
2. Working from office :
   
   Best part of my day, I look forward to go into office. The main reason I asked to be relocated was because I can no longer stand working from home. I enjoy spending time with a handful of colleagues during and off working hours.
3. Tougher work environment, expectation and stress level :
   
   Yes, it is extremely tough and difficult but the income ceiling is higher too but I personally am not a fan of all the politics from being in corporate but have since witnessed many cases firsthand.
   
   I am now extremely busy and I like that. I felt I was wasting my life away working from home and spend most of my time just watching youtube and just gaming. I just recently realize I haven't open my Steam game for a month and I feel alive.
4. People tend to be more materialistic:
   
   Mostly true but there are exceptions, and with good reason. They want to look and be more presentable due to nature of our job (tech sales) and insist that being presentable helps. This also include how we smell and what car we drive. Instead of buying a 60k car in cash, I was asked by my boss to buy a 200k with 60k downpayment (which I obviously declined since I do not want to take on more debt due to my decreased income).

Despite the cons seemingly outweighing the pros I listed above, I love it here. I don't regret moving here one bit. The thrill of having to survive on your own without parents is a new skill I never knew I needed to learn and something I have since greatly benefited from.

The food overall is great and never ending choices to choose from. I have decided to never to return to my hometown for work and will instead look to make KL/KV my permanent residence.

To everyone who previously encouraged me to take this leap of faith, thank you!

 

[freedom7]

@dazza_73 When I was young and inexperienced, I also bought many shoes and clothes for work.

Now I'm older and realise as a guy, you can get away with having 2 suits and 2 pairs of shoes.

I got 2 tailor made suits (standard charcol grey and navy), each with 2 pairs of pants. Also got 2 high end men's shoes (Crockett and jones). Standard black and brown. You basically rotate shoes and pants everyday of week. Those shoes because they are high end will last a life time. Those suits should also last a decade if you look after them. The colours I mentioned are timeless

Just alternate your tie everyday.

 

[john0987]

@freedom7 Recommendation on where to get nice tailor suits pls

 

[zrcalo]

@john0987 Suitsupply

 

[john0987]

@zrcalo Approx price range?

 

[zrcalo]

@john0987 £400 in the UK, but we have 20% Vat over here. I guess RM2k is quite a lot for a suit. I'm not sure if there's a suitsupply in KL yet, I think Sg might have one.

 

[zrcalo]

@freedom7 Nice to see C&J mentioned in a Malaysian sub? Studied in the UK?

 

[freedom7]

@zrcalo No. I worked in UK

 

[fayemarie91]

@freedom7 Where did you get your shoes?

 

[freedom7]

@fayemarie91 I got two pairs in Australia on-sale. And one pair from UK.

I have 1 black pair, 1 brown and 1 mahogany.

Topyed the sole and rubber on the other half. For traction and so I don't have to send back to factory for resole

 

[vandat1]

@freedom7 It’s more important to watch the waistline instead of garment care at point

 

[freedom7]

@vandat1 That's why all my suits are made to measure. Incentive to stay slim...already had to replace two suits because of waistline issues

 

[ovixs90]

@dazza_73 if you paying 1.8k for rent. You should be able to walk to office not commute 2 hour traffics daily. You need to look for better accommodation. Nearer or cheaper.

 

[lynmorg]

@ovixs90 I was baffled by this part. OP pays 1.8k to live in a 2br to spend most of the time in the office or commuting anyway.

 

[dazza_73]

@ovixs90 I am considering to get my own place very soon so this is a short term solution since I’ve signed a tenancy agreement for 1 year. On paper it’s only 12km away, 20 mins away if there’s no jam.

 

[headbanger]

@ovixs90 I noticed this as well, considering the rent is quite high, OP can definitely find somewhere closer to his office and not have to commute 2 hours. This can also save overall toll and petrol

 

[jtlembke]

@dazza_73 I see you are regressing quite a fair bit in what you described.

Lower pay, longer commute, higher overall expenses and possibly work hours.

Potentially career opportunities may open up in the future but I would not make the decision like you do.

Not all WFH is about watching Netflix, YT or the stuff you have been doing. Create a schedule and be disciplined about what needs done. It can be very productive. Working in an office has many of its own distractions and not necessarily more productive.

Even if you planned on staying in the KV for the foreseeable future, I think there are many areas you can work on to create a better work/life environment for yourself. Good luck!

 

[nannny]

@dazza_73 First off... Something is very wrong when your income < expenses, fundamentally you are bleeding networth. It's not going to be sustainable.

My take home is lesser than yours, but my rent and food spending is half of yours and I too eatout everyday.

Plus I commute less than 25mins per day to my workplace and places that I patronise often on a daily basis.

What I am trying to say is that perhaps you can relook where you stay with respect to your work place, paying 1.8k for 1 hour commute per way is not worth it. And also your food budget is too high for a single human.

 

[emmalex]

@dazza_73 You mentioned you were offered 6k base salary for relocation in your last post, did you manage to negotiate for higher base eventually?

 

[hischild1002]

@emmalex curious about this as well.