Moving to Malaysia from the UK: Complete guide

Thinking of moving to stunning Malaysia? You’re not alone, since many expats choose this country as their new home. We’ve created a guide covering everything you need to know about moving to Malaysia from the UK, including the cost of living, whether anything has changed for Brits after Brexit and much more.

We’ll also point out a cost-effective way to manage your money across borders – the Wise account from the money services provider Wise. It’s an international alternative to a bank account that lets you manage your money in 40+ currencies including British pounds and Malaysian ringgit.

You can send, receive and convert money at great mid-market exchange rates and low, transparent fees*. Your money is always safeguarded and every transaction is secured.

Looking to take your savings with you? Wise can also help you with large transfers.

Learn more about the Wise account 💰

Table of contents

Can you move to Malaysia from the UK? How to get a Malaysian visa How to move to Malaysia from the UK 1. Research the job market 2. Secure a job 3. Find accommodation 4. Look into health insurance and Malaysian banks What’s the cheapest way to get to Malaysia from the UK? Options for retiring in Malaysia Living in Malaysia - The key facts Cost of living - how much money do you need to move to Malaysia Renting or buying property in Malaysia Healthcare system Opening a Malaysian bank account Finding a job in Malaysia Working in Malaysia Checklist for moving to Malaysia from the UK Save on your relocation costs to Malaysia with Wise Conclusion

Can you move to Malaysia from the UK?

Yes, you can move to Malaysia as long as you provide the necessary documents and meet the criteria. Now we’re going to take you through the actual steps and show you how to move to Malaysia from the UK.

How to get a Malaysian visa

UK passport holders don’t need an entry visa for Malaysia.¹ However, different long-term visas and passes are available for longer stays, depending on the purpose of your stay. Some of the most popular routes are the Employment Pass, Malaysia My Second Home Visa and Resident Pass-Talent.²

The Employment Pass allows foreign nationals to work in Malaysian companies. There are multiple categories depending on differing salary levels. The Malaysia My Second Home is Malaysia’s version of the Golden Visa, since it’s a residency-by-investment programme. Finally, the Malaysian Residence Pass-Talent is made for highly skilled foreign professionals in certain industries, without being dependent on an employer.²

Other visa routes include the Student and Business Visa, made for students and entrepreneurs looking to start a business in Malaysia or invest in existing ones.²

How to move to Malaysia from the UK

The exact process of moving to Malaysia from the UK will vary based on the purpose of your stay. Let's briefly go through the steps involved in moving to Malaysia for work:

1. Research the job market

Since you’ll need an Employment Pass to move to Malaysia permanently, start by researching the Malaysian job market. This includes researching in-demand positions, skill shortage lists and average salaries for the jobs you're interested in. Keep in mind that there are multiple Employment Pass categories, each based on different salary levels.

2. Secure a job

You’ll need to secure a job in a Malaysian company before applying for the Employment Pass. Your employer will handle most of the application, but you’ll be asked to provide some documents.

3. Find accommodation

While your employer is handling the application, start looking into accommodation options. Although you might not be able to find permanent housing on short notice, at least try to secure something temporary. You can either hire a real estate agent or browse websites like Propertyguru.com.my and Propsocial.my.

4. Look into health insurance and Malaysian banks

Use this time to research Malaysian banks and see if any allow online applications. You'll need a bank account as soon as you arrive to handle rent and salary payments.

Also, if you plan on investing in private health insurance, this is a good moment to explore your options.

This is a brief overview of the steps you'll need to take. Depending on your situation and the purpose of your stay, additional steps may be required. For example, the process differs if you're moving to Malaysia on a family or student visa.

💡 Read more: Best ways to spend money while travelling abroad

What’s the cheapest way to get to Malaysia from the UK?

Right now, the cheapest month for flying is November, when a one-way ticket from London costs £370 on average.³

However, prices are generally higher. In the same month, you can also pay up to £700 for a one-way ticket.⁴

Options for retiring in Malaysia

The best programme for retiring in Malaysia is the Malaysia My Second Home Visa or MM2H for short. This is a ten-year visa that can be renewed, which eventually leads to long-term residence.⁵

You must be at least 25 to apply and meet certain financial requirements. These requirements depend on your age: everyone over 50 needs to have 150,000 MYR in a Malaysian bank, while those younger need 300,000 MYR. A monthly offshore income of 10,000 MYR is also required.⁵

If you manage to retire in Malaysia, you can also claim your UK state pension there. It can be paid into a UK bank account or a Malaysian one, in which case you’ll be paid in the local currency. You can choose how often you’ll get paid - anywhere from 4 to 13 weeks. Contact the International Pension Centre to get the most recent information.⁶

Living in Malaysia - The key facts

Here are some basic facts you should know about Malaysia if you’re considering moving there:

💰 Currency:	Malaysian ringgit (MYR)
🗣️ Main language:	Malay, English
👥 Population:	35,707,790⁷
🇬🇧 Number of British expats:	around 16,000⁸

💡 Read more: Is it better to use cash or card in Malaysia?

Cost of living - how much money do you need to move to Malaysia

Before moving to another country, it’s good to know what you can expect when it comes to living costs.

The cost of living in Malaysia is much lower than in the UK. On average, you’ll pay over 70% less for rent and around 30% less for groceries.⁹

Let’s take a look at a few average prices for common spending categories in Malaysia, compared with the UK:

• A three-course meal for two costs around £18 in Malaysia, while it’s £62 in the UK
• A loaf of bread is around £0.70, compared to £1.23 in the UK
• A draught beer is around £2.80, compared to £4.80 back in the UK
• A monthly public transport pass costs around £8.80, compared to £70 in the UK
• Rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre is around £289, compared to £1,050 in the UK
• Utilities for a typical apartment are only around £38 a month, compared to £246 in the UK⁹

Renting or buying property in Malaysia

Finding a place to live is one of the most important things when starting a life in a new country, whether you’re renting or buying. You could hire a real estate agent to guide you through the process or you could search Malaysian property websites on your own.

Here are some popular property websites you should check out:

• PropertyGuru
• PropSocial
• EdgeProp
• Dot Property
• Properly

Foreigners can buy and own any property in Malaysia, except for those in three specific categories:¹⁰

• Properties built on Malay reserved land
• Low- and medium-cost residential units
• Properties distributed to Bumiputera groups

💡 Read more: The best UK banks for sending money abroad

Healthcare system

The Malaysian healthcare system is one of the best in Asia. Not only do all legal residents have universal coverage, they also have a well-established private healthcare system. Many Malaysian doctors and nurses speak English, so you won’t have any problems communicating with the medical staff.¹¹

The quality of care is good in both public and private hospitals, but the public sector is quite understaffed. However, investing in good private insurance can help you skip the long wait times.¹¹

Opening a Malaysian bank account

Opening a local Malaysian bank account should be high on your list of priorities once you move. You’ll need it to pay rent and utilities, as well as everyday expenses.

Foreigners can open a bank account in Malaysia, but the requirements and eligibility vary by bank. You'll likely need to provide more documents than Malaysian residents, and your employer or another local will need to act as your reference.¹²

Most banks require you to be present during this process, so opening an account online might not be possible. This might change, so make sure you check for any updates.¹²

Finally, whether you’ll be able to keep your UK bank account after moving depends on your bank. For example, Barclays closes your account once you move abroad.¹³

And, as an alternative to bank accounts, check out the Wise account. It enables you to send, receive, and spend in multiple currencies, including British pounds and Malaysian Ringgit.

Finding a job in Malaysia

One of the ways to find a job in Malaysia is to start working in an international company in the UK and get transferred. If that’s not an option, you’ll need to look for jobs online.

There are skill shortages for certain positions in Malaysia, so if that’s your field, you’ll have an easier time finding a job. The list includes roles such as finance manager, business services manager and civil engineer.¹⁴

Working in Malaysia

Once you secure a job, you’ll be able to get the Malaysian Employment Pass. This is a work permit valid for one to five years.¹⁵

However, your employer needs to obtain approval from the Expatriate Committee or another regulatory agency beforehand. There are also certain requirements, such as your age or salary.¹⁵

Checklist for moving to Malaysia from the UK

Let’s go through the most important steps of moving to Malaysia:

• Go through available visa options, gather your documents and apply for your visa
• Find a place to live, either online or by travelling to Malaysia
• Get quotes for shipping your belongings to Malaysia
• Look into banks in Malaysia, find some that suit you and see what documents you need to apply
• Look into taking out a private health insurance policy
• Tell HMRC that you’re leaving the UK
• Book your flight

Save on your relocation costs to Malaysia with Wise

Before moving to Malaysia, you’re likely to have lots of costs to cover. Some of these, such as real estate costs, visa application fees and rental deposits, will need to cross borders and can get expensive because of the transfer fees and exchange rate markups.

Open a Wise account and you can send money between the UK and Malaysia for low, transparent fees* and the mid-market exchange rate. You can also get the Wise card to spend in MYR from the moment you step off the plane. It works in 150+ countries and automatically converts your pounds to the local currency whenever you spend, only adding a tiny, upfront currency conversion fee.

Here’s an overview of the main benefits for using Wise:
Fast and easy setup with no physical paperwork Dedicated support for large transfers Sophisticated security and anti-fraud measures Low, upfront, transparent fees* and the mid-market exchange rates Fully trackable transfers Fast transfer times Two-factor authentication and real-time notifications

Sign up with Wise today 💰

Conclusion

Moving to Malaysia from the UK wasn't affected by Brexit, as Malaysia is not in Europe. There are several visa routes available, including a residence-by-investment program and a talent visa.

When it comes to prices, you'll notice a big difference compared to the UK. Malaysia is much cheaper across all categories, including rent, groceries and restaurants. Healthcare is also affordable and one of the best in Asia.

Malaysia can be a great place to live or even to spend your retirement years. If you choose it as your next home, our guide can be a helpful starting point for your move.

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Sources used:

1. Immigration Department of Malaysia - visa requirements by country
2. William Russell - moving to Malaysia
3. Skyscanner - cheapest time to fly to
4. Skyscanner - London-Kuala Lumpur flights
5. Global Residence Index - Malaysia My Second Home programme
6. Gov.uk - State Pension if you retire abroad
7. Worldometers - Malaysia population
8. Gov.uk - number of UK expats in Malaysia
9. Numbeo - cost of living in the UK compared to Malaysia
10. iProperty - buying property in Malaysia
11. International Insurance - healthcare in Malaysia
12. Statrys - opening a bank account in Malaysia
13. Barclays - living outside the UK
14. Prospects.ac.uk - work in Malaysia
15. Visa Guide - Malaysia work visa

Sources last checked on date: 08-Nov-2024