Penang with a 9000MYR Salary

Salary Guide

What should I be earning?

Living costs are almost universal for major cities like KL and smaller Penang.  You will need at east RM6k per month to survive.

I got a calculation of living cost from the company.

Cost of living in Malaysia for the 1st 6months:

Accomodation: RM 500 (Single room)
Food: RM 250
Travelling: RM 200
Tax: RM 2340 (26% for the first 6months)
Medical: RM 50
TOTAL: RM 3340

RM 9000- RM 3340= RM 5660 (take home/possible savings for the month)

Cost of living in Malaysia after the 6months ( you can consider bringing your family down, since you will be paying only 11% as tax, and the additional money can be used on accomodation)

Accomodation: RM 1600 (3 BHK apartment)
Food: RM 450
Travelling: RM 200
Tax: RM 990 (11%) APPROX you will then fall under the tax slab)
Medical: RM 50
TOTAL: RM 3290

RM 9000- RM 3260 = RM 5710 (take home/possible savings for the month)

Is that reasonable?

Items that you have forgotten:

Internet
TV
Electricity'
Gas
Water
Phone
Entertainment
Set-up costs e.g. bedding, towels, kitchen items, etc.

Medical at RM50 - is that your deduction from salary?  It costs RM800 just to see a doctor in a Government hospital if emergency care. So  you need to know what coverage you will have for your RM50.

Accommodation at RM1600 "in your dreams". Better to budget around RM2500 in a cheap area and RM4000 in an expensive one.

If you need child care or schooling, then budget around RM3000 per month.

Food at RM450 is far too low. You should work on RM750 for vegetarians and RM1200 for carnivores.  COL is up to 75% more in Malaysia.

COL in Malaysia

Tax in 2014 will be nonredundable 26%. Tax in 2015 will be 25% first  6 months and overpayment refundable in April 2015.

wow, thought accom costs would be lower in penang and 1600-2000 would be reasonably good there. check out iproperty.com.my

but i think the savings would be roughly 2000-3000, depending on how u live.

There are kids, damned lies then the figure your employer gave you.

Totally insane and locals cant live on that - I work with many. Penang isn't cheaper for rent.

With 9k you can live if single and if you don't drink, no cinema or going out and save every sen you can prob save some money. How much depends on you. But 9k isn't a lot. Don't factor in extra work freelance. I meet so many IT guys off the boat saying they will make loads of money on the side. Then their employer says "sorry hard to get staff (at our cheap salaries) so for now you work 18 hours a day etc etc" that temp issues lasts two years or until you quit! Then they find another sucker er I mean anyone willing to work for less than 12k.

Hi,

9000 is a good salary but you said HTC i will suggest you not to choose this consultancy .have a double check before joining

Accomodation: RM 1600 (3 BHK apartment) = ok apartment in the lower end condo. Add electricity and urilities RM200

Food: RM 450 = sounds really low. Good meal in local hawker stall makes is RM10-20.  I spend almost RM100 per day for eating out and some beer.
Travelling: RM 200 = thats only RM10 per day. Min. fee for short taxi ride is RM10.
Medical: RM 50 = I have spent only about RM200 last year for medical expenses. Anyway a good medical insurance will cost much more than RM50 per month.