Living alone in a condominium in Malaysia
-rent rates, initial costs, points to note-
This article introduces the market rate of rent, initial costs, and points to note when a single person lives in Malaysia.
I have lived in Malaysia for four years, having lived alone twice and shared a condominium three times.
The author is a Japanese female, so this article is from a foreignerâs perspective.
Facilities of condominiums in Malaysia
In general, foreigners, including Japanese, tend to live in condominiums with full security.
Since Malaysia has very hot weather, most condominiums have a gym and swimming pool.
Also, some properties do not have balconies, making it impossible to dry laundry.
Depending on the area, there are also a lot of exhaust fumes, so in Malaysian condominiums, you can often dry your clothes with a dryer or dry them in the room.
How to find a condominium in Malaysia online
Here are some websites I have used so far.
This is a website for rental contracts where you become a tenant and rent a room.
You will need to contact the local agent to make an appointment for a viewing.
iProperty
https://www.iproperty.com.my/rent/
PropertyGuru
https://www.propertyguru.com.my/property-for-rent/p/rooms-for-rent
Many groups on Facebook have posts for room rentals.
Some are from agents and some are posted by people looking for roommates, so one way to get information and contact them is to join the group.
You can also post your requirements for the room you are looking for.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1904120286485516
https://www.facebook.com/groups/886556485038583
https://www.facebook.com/groups/586296450363179
Room-sharing website
Mudah
https://www.mudah.my/malaysia/rooms-for-rent
Mudah also has posts about buying and selling furniture and cars, which can be useful when moving.
Malaysia condominium initial cost
The initial cost of renting a condominium in Malaysia is said to be about 2.5 monthsâ rent, excluding the first monthâs rent.
The amount of the deposit varies by facility and agency.
The 2 monthsâ rent and utilities are a deposit, which will be returned to you if nothing happens when you move out.
The currency in Malaysia is the ringgit (RM), and the exchange rate at the time of writing in 2024 is 1RM = 0.21 USD.
Below is an example of when the rent was RM2000.
The first month rent RM2000
2 months deposit RM4000
Utility deposit RM1000
Card key issuance RM50
The stamp fee to be put on the contract RM400
Total RM 7450
Housing and eating in Malaysia
Many condominiums in Malaysia have gyms and swimming pools in public spaces, so you can exercise without going outside the building.
If you live alone, you can cook for yourself whenever you like, but if you share a kitchen, you may have limited time to use it and space to use the refrigerator.
Also, if you look at real estate advertisements, you will find that some properties only allow light cooking, for example, âlight cooking allowedâ.
However, eating out is very inexpensive and more readily available in Malaysia, so if you are not picky, you can minimize the amount of cooking you do yourself.
I wrote more about the prices of food and eating out in Malaysia in this article.
At first, you may want to eat food from your country and cook much of your food, but when living alone, managing and storing ingredients can be a hassle.
For this reason, if you make good use of eating out and delivery services, you will be able to get through the eating experience without stress.
Some properties are furnished, some are not, so it is important to check what is included.
Costs of living alone and sharing in Malaysia
The following is a summary of the differences in costs between living alone and sharing an apartment in Malaysia.
The cost of rent for living alone
It fluctuates depending on prices, but if I am a tenant and sign a contract for a one-bedroom property in a condominium with a gym and pool, I could find it in the city center for about RM1400-RM2400 in 2020â2024.
Rent tends to go up the closer you get to the train station in the city center, and lower in places far from the city center where many students live.
Rent rates for shared rooms
If you want privacy in a shared apartment, you may want to look for a room with a master bedroom.
A master bedroom is the best room in the property and has its own bathroom, so there is no need to use a shared bathroom.
A room with a shared bathroom starts at around RM500, and for a master bedroom, you can expect to pay around RM1000 to RM1300.
Some rents include utilities and other expenses, while others do not, so it is recommended to pay attention to this as well and calculate the overall cost.
In addition to rent, you will have the following monthly expenses
Internet fee
Electricity bill
Water bill
In the case of a shared apartment, the water and internet bills may be included depending on the property.
Only the electricity bill is often paid separately from the rent.
As for the initial cost, you will pay some times or part of the rent for a share, but the rent itself will be lower than that of living alone, which will also reduce the initial cost.
Advantages and disadvantages of living alone and sharing in Malaysia
There are advantages and disadvantages to both living alone and sharing an apartment, so I will introduce what we feel from our experience.
Advantages and disadvantages of living alone
Advantages
Freedom to cook and do laundry without worrying about roommateâs situation
Easy to invite friends to your room
Secured privacy
You can store a lot of things in your room.
Disadvantages
*You need to manage your own utility and communication expenses.
*You may need to purchase your appliances such as water purifiers.
*Internet contract is tied to a term of 2 years, etc.
*Rent and initial costs are relatively high
Advantages and disadvantages of sharing
Advantages
*Rent and initial costs can be kept low.
*You may be able to live in a room of a higher grade or a better location than if you were to rent alone.
*No need to sign up for internet or pay utility bills by yourself
*Interaction with roommates in some rooms
Disadvantages
*Shared facilities such as kitchen, laundry, etc.
*Limited storage space
*Not suitable for those who want to cook a lot of their food
*You need to follow the rules when you invite people over.
These are examples, so depending on the room, there may be no interaction or different ways of settling utility bills.
Things to keep in mind when Contracting a Condominium
I will introduce some points that foreign people should know before living in a condominium in Malaysia.
Repairs to Appliances, etc.
If the room originally comes with appliances, the owner will probably be responsible for paying for them when they break, but it is best to check the details in the contract to be sure.
Also, in many cases, consumable items, such as when a light bulb goes out, will be replaced at your own expense.
If possible, it is preferable to speak with the owner before signing a contract or to be able to confirm with the agent how things were handled when things broke before.
Air Conditioner Cleaning in Malaysia
Since Malaysia is a country of everlasting summer and air conditioners are turned on all year round, condominium contracts sometimes specify to tenants about air conditioner maintenance.
In my case, it stated that maintenance (cleaning) must be done once a year and that cleaning is also required when moving out.
Maintenance often involves having a contractor to clean the filters.
Depending on the type of air conditioner, the contractor I was quoted RM120â200.
I hope this article will be helpful to those who are looking for a room in Malaysia or considering moving to Malaysia.
