Is the cost of living in Malaysia high?

"It costs me about 1/4 of what it does in the USA to live comfortably in Seremban, Malaysia. You can buy a small decent Myvi car for 50,000 ringgits $12,000 US. Electricity costs about $200 rm / $50us a month. Sewage and water are super inexpensive. Once a year I pay a car tax. A Japanese car Honda/Toyota costs about the same as in the US. A 1500 sf house with a small land might cost $800,000 rm / $200,000 US. An attached house is much less. Most "attached" townhouse designs are without much land, except room to park 2 cars in front of the house. I spend less than 1000 rm / $250us a month on groceries. Gas is cheaper than the US. If you have $5000 us income, you can easily afford a maid ($1000+ rm month)," remarked another expat in Seremban, Malaysia.

"The cost of living in Malaysia is generally considered to be reasonable, with basic food costs being fairly cheap. Rents for apartments tend to vary depending on location and the quality of both 1 and 2 bedroom apartments. For example, the average rent for a 1 bedroom in Kuala Lumpur is around $800 USD per month, and for a 2 bedroom it is about $1,000 USD. Eating a moderately priced dinner out at a restaurant will cost around $15 USD per person. On the whole, the main cities in Malaysia tend to have a higher cost of living than more rural areas," said a member in Malaysia.

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