Retirement is definitely one of the significant milestones in life that mark the ending of one’s working life and the beginning of the next phase of the kickback lifestyle.
You may have planned for and executed plans to prepare for your retirement……… the longed-for seven-day weekends……..
However, there are factors that retirees and potential retirees need to take into consideration, the most important being the place to retire and to enjoy the golden years.
The dream destination to retire shall possess 3 important characteristics:
No. 1:
A place where anxiety over outliving savings and investments can be eliminated
Affordable High-Quality Healthcare
During the golden age, it is inevitable and more likely that we will need medical attention. Our concern is whether we will be able to pay for good quality healthcare when we need it.
Malaysia ranked 4th place in the World’s best healthcare in the healthcare category of the 2021 Global Retirement Index by International Living Annual Global Retirement Index.
Malaysia offers top-class healthcare services at an affordable cost.
In Sarawak, we have many major private and public hospitals and healthcare centres namely, KPJ Healthcare (*), Borneo Medical Centre, Timberland Medical Centre, Sarawak General Hospital and Sarawak Heart Centre.
Malaysia’s low cost of living and high quality of life entices many foreigners to stay and retire here as a fixed income can go a long way here. Sarawak in particular offers an alluring Sarawak-Malaysia My Second Home (S-MM2H) long-term stay visa to foreigners who acquire residential property at a cost of as low as RM600,000.
Other major costs of living such as food, fuel for transportation, rental and utilities are relatively cheaper in Sarawak compared to other major cities in the world.
A brief comparison is as follows*:
Cities
1 bedroom apartment in the city (monthly rent)
Lunch for 2 at a mid-range restaurant
Sarawak, Malaysia
304.00 USD
13.80 USD
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
461.08 USD
18.52 USD
New York, USA
3,279.87 USD
100 USD
San Francisco, USA
2,443.10 USD
85 USD
*Foreign data sourced from websites, this provides a general reference only.
Malaysia is one of the top 10 countries in the world with the cheapest oil price. The oil price per litre (USD0.60 ~ USD0.80) can be cheaper than a litre of mineral water! That makes owning private transportation very affordable here.
No. 2:
A place where you can rejuvenate and maintain good health
Sarawak makes up approximately 40% of the entire land area of Malaysia, of which 65% of Sarawak land is well-preserved forest land. The Government of Sarawak put in a great effort in fighting global warming by reducing CO2 production, planting more trees, maintaining the forest and preserving the shores.
In Sarawak, the air is garden-fresh, and the sky is blue and sunny most of the time. The people are friendly and accommodating. Living in Kuching, the capital city of Sarawak can be fun and exciting. Kuching has a tropical rainforest climate, moderately hot but humid at times and receives substantial rainfall.
Imagine with your seven-day weekends, your daily life will be like: start your day early with a hike up to one of the nearby mountains or jungle tracking in one of the national parks. You may also choose to have a swim or dip in the tantalizing cool stream on your way down. After the hike and swim, have a delicious breakfast in one of the many food outlets. Do some grocery shopping in the shopping malls or neighbourhood supermarkets on your way back. If you are energetic enough, you may drive to any nearby beach for sunbathing and catch a movie in the evening. These can all be done within a day!
Kuching, Sarawak offers a city life complete with convenience and amenities and at the same time provides the excitement of being close to mother nature.
Nearby beachesNearby National Parks
No. 3:
A place where you can live harmoniously
Malaysia is a multi-racial country that is very accommodating to people from all over the world with different cultural and religious backgrounds.
Sarawak in particular is home to more than 30 ethnic groups including Malay, Chinese, Sarawak Natives and Indian. The people here are multi-lingual, with the most commonly spoken languages being, English, Chinese and Bahasa Melayu. The different races and ethnic groups in Sarawak made up a unique Sarawak culture which is very friendly and accommodating. People celebrate festive seasons of different religions together here.
The Sarawak culture is also well presented in the wide range of fusion foods available here. Kuching, the capital city of Sarawak has been listed as one of the creative cities of food in UNESCO’s City of Gastronomy. Besides, Kuching has been conferred the status of “The City of Unity in Diversity”.
Most importantly, Sarawak is safe and free from major natural disasters, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, and tornados.
The above are some of the highlights of Sarawak. Finally, remember that not all cities are created equal but Sarawak is truly a place that lets you enjoy retirement to the fullest.
To retire in Sarawak confidently with peace of mind, please contact the authorized agent of the Sarawak Government, Apple (MM2H) Sdn Bhd.
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