Let's talk about to have a decent life. I read one article forwarded via email says 'Living in Malaysia is expensive'..I would rather say 'Living in Kuala Lumpur is expensive' because some parts of Malaysia is cheaper. This was reported by ABS AG, a Swiss banking giant.
Now that I am in Germany, sometimes I can feel the differences of spending my money, the purchasing power I would say. The power to purchase is higher than what I have in Kuala Lumpur. I'd like to compare my cost of living I have here in Germany with Kuala Lumpur. See below:
Transportation (tram/bus): 17,70 eur/week so I would pay around 85,80 eur/month (I added 15 eur more for additional 3 days.)
Foods: max 10 eur/day so I would pay sum of 300 eur/month. Usually it just cost me around 4eur per meal. Sometimes it could goes up to 7eur per meal (only happened one time to me).
So total monthly I would be spending 385,80 eur to have a decent life in Germany. Maybe I would say 500 eur per month is enough to live my decent life here.
Now let's see how do I live in Kuala Lumpur.
Transportation (ERL/LRT): ERL will cost me MYR285 for monthly pass (monthly pass is cheaper option than buy the daily ticket), further I need to take LRT to KLCC and this will cost me MYR 3.20/day so total of 23 days is MYR 73.60. The total for both is MYR358.60.
Foods: max MYR10/day so I would pay sum of MYR300/month.
So total monthly I would be spending in KL is MYR658.60. The figure could goes up around MYR750/month.
Germany has a very organize public transportation, one of the best public transportation in the world. Almost every corners have a station. It is either for tram or bus or both. The longest distance from a place to a station I think is 500m, or about walking distance. They are connected to each other, from tram to bus to suburban train to underground to regional express to intercity/intercity express. The schedule is so precise and organize. There is almost no reason why should we have car. Unlike KL, I need to drive from my house to train station. This would include maybe another up to MYR150 of car fuel per month. If I have a motorcycle, it would be lesser than that, say MYR60 per month for the fuel. In Malaysia, to own a car or at least a motorcycle has becomes the requirement.
Now see...
Forget the currency exchange, if I earned 1000eur per month I will save 500eur in Germany. But if I earned MYR1000 per month I will save only at least MYR100 in KL. I asked my colleague here in Germany, that averagely, fresh graduate is paid 3000 eur of gross salary or around 2100 eur of nett pay (after tax and all). Can you imagine, how much saving will you have at the end of the month. Average for flat/apartment rent is around 300 to 500eur per month. Most of the rent is includes water and gas bill. The gas is for heater.
So..
Let's move to Germany!=)
Now that I am in Germany, sometimes I can feel the differences of spending my money, the purchasing power I would say. The power to purchase is higher than what I have in Kuala Lumpur. I'd like to compare my cost of living I have here in Germany with Kuala Lumpur. See below:
Transportation (tram/bus): 17,70 eur/week so I would pay around 85,80 eur/month (I added 15 eur more for additional 3 days.)
Foods: max 10 eur/day so I would pay sum of 300 eur/month. Usually it just cost me around 4eur per meal. Sometimes it could goes up to 7eur per meal (only happened one time to me).
So total monthly I would be spending 385,80 eur to have a decent life in Germany. Maybe I would say 500 eur per month is enough to live my decent life here.
Now let's see how do I live in Kuala Lumpur.
Transportation (ERL/LRT): ERL will cost me MYR285 for monthly pass (monthly pass is cheaper option than buy the daily ticket), further I need to take LRT to KLCC and this will cost me MYR 3.20/day so total of 23 days is MYR 73.60. The total for both is MYR358.60.
Foods: max MYR10/day so I would pay sum of MYR300/month.
So total monthly I would be spending in KL is MYR658.60. The figure could goes up around MYR750/month.
Germany has a very organize public transportation, one of the best public transportation in the world. Almost every corners have a station. It is either for tram or bus or both. The longest distance from a place to a station I think is 500m, or about walking distance. They are connected to each other, from tram to bus to suburban train to underground to regional express to intercity/intercity express. The schedule is so precise and organize. There is almost no reason why should we have car. Unlike KL, I need to drive from my house to train station. This would include maybe another up to MYR150 of car fuel per month. If I have a motorcycle, it would be lesser than that, say MYR60 per month for the fuel. In Malaysia, to own a car or at least a motorcycle has becomes the requirement.
Now see...
Forget the currency exchange, if I earned 1000eur per month I will save 500eur in Germany. But if I earned MYR1000 per month I will save only at least MYR100 in KL. I asked my colleague here in Germany, that averagely, fresh graduate is paid 3000 eur of gross salary or around 2100 eur of nett pay (after tax and all). Can you imagine, how much saving will you have at the end of the month. Average for flat/apartment rent is around 300 to 500eur per month. Most of the rent is includes water and gas bill. The gas is for heater.
So..
Let's move to Germany!=)
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