I'm fortunate that both my parents are from Penang and I spent many summers as a kid there (in addition to visiting half a dozen times since as an adult) so I'm very comfortable with the culture and environment in Penang and Malaysia in general. In the past 5-10 years as Penang began to appear on top 10 retirement lists it slowly hit me that my "quaint" little second hometown might actually be a cool and attractive place to the broader international community with no ties to the region.
We are lean-FI, mid-30s with young kids, and we have very seriously considered moving to Penang. At the moment we are about 90% set on Taipei instead, but Penang has been a very legitimate possibility for awhile and still is a backup alternative.
This guy's budget and details are pretty spot on. $1700 is essentially the top of the rental market and his place reflects that. I would budget approx $1250 for similar luxury/quality but smaller (3 bedroom) and that's for a short term rental which includes utilities and allows flexibility month-to-month.
Healthcare is excellent. English, particularly in the major cities, is very widely spoken. He didn't specifically mention this but local food is amazing (of course this is highly subjective) and very cheap. I am obviously biased, but I love all kinds of food and Malaysian cuisine is my favorite. That said, it isn't easy or cheap to get other cuisines so it could get tiring after awhile.
The major negatives are the climate (hot and humid + lots of bugs) and the slower lifestyle/fewer variety of amenities. Obviously this is a personal thing... depending on where you're from and what you prefer, the climate and the slower pace may be perfect for you.
Yeah I had the same thought. Good thing the guy can live on much less than that. But it’s fascinating to learn a bit about Penang. It sounds like there are several key advantages vs. Thailand with many of the same advantages.
Just the distance from the U.S. is obviously going to rule a place like that out for most prospective expats but the value is certainly there and the quality of health care is far superior to anything available in the Americas.
Imo Thailand is more exotic than Malaysia and more exciting. As a city, Bangkok is my favorite between the two countries. OTOH, I am ethnically Chinese and Malaysia offers a far more seamless transition (simmering racial oppression notwithstanding) especially as a Westerner as well. Note that Bangkok is not a good comparison for Penang...Penang would be more like a coastal Chiang Mai or perhaps Phuket. Kuala Lumpur compares closer to Bangkok, while Langkawi would be the most renowned island/beach/resort destination in Malaysia.
I think you'd find English communication a bit smoother in Malaysia, at least in the big cities, first of all because it seems to be more common at a younger age (not long ago English was the language of instruction for STEM subjects in school) but also because the official language, Malay, is written using the Latin alphabet (there is an Arabic script but it isn't used in Malaysia) while Thailand predominantly uses its Thai script.
Malaysia's retirement visa (MM2H) is also better and more straightforward, although it has been taking a beating the past year and in fact was recently ended (presumably on pause). Many observers believe it will return in a new and perhaps improved format once the covid crisis passes. The author did not address the visa in his article, but I see in the comments he mentions that they are using the MM2H and that the program is currently under review.
Distance to the US certainly makes Latin America a bit more popular for American Expats. You'll find a much larger share of UK and Australian expats in Penang and Malaysia as a whole.
