[USER]

Has anyone retired in either Thailand or Malaysia? How much are your monthly expenses, approximately?
How is the healthcare situation there?

I am hoping to do so in about 13-15 years, but not sure if it would be feasible.

Stats:
32 y.o. living in Vancouver, BC;
Single, no dependents;
Net worth ~485k, 80% invested in etfs;
Currently making 180k gross (will be dropping to ~100-110k in the next year or so onwards);
Currently renting, don’t own any property;

[Leong]

Malaysia has upped its qualifying criteria for its retirement visa (MM2H) to include buying a property. One can still get a retirement visa for Thailand at reasonable costs.

Malaysia has slightly lower living costs while Thailand is more vibrant. Both have excellent healthcare at affordable costs.

At 13-15 years out, I suggest it’s still too early to decide on any country….

Focus on maximising your retirement savings/investment while visiting possible countries to experience local living.

P.s. there are many YouTube videos that focus on costs of living.

[Michael]

I spend alot of time in both. Note fired but able to for work and holidays. Love both, but prefer Thailand. Medical tourism is great in both, I’ve done alot of dental and check ups in bangkok.

Have you been to either before? Suggest visit both as holidays and see what you prefer country wise, and city, island wise.

By the time you retire both might be very different places, prices and visa situations as well so best to

Based on your numbers you would easily fatfire in either country by time you pull the pin, or even decide you go earlier pending how much cost you want to spend there.

[Joanna]

Id go to Thailand lower cost of living exceptional private health (it is expensive to visit) I had ear treatments done and er while there. They are open minded and don’t discriminate

Down side, Bangkok and Phuket are not greatest corruption and dirty.

Malaysia is more costly (still less than Canada)and western standards
Downside is they discriminate internally based on religion

They have a religious status you don’t really hear people talk about
Ask a Buddhist who lived there growing up to adult not ideal in my opinion for long termers looking for a home

You can slow travel if you don’t care about owning to all of those places super cheap to fly within Asia once your there
That’s my goal

If you don’t have kids or house commitments you can totally do it early

[Lamon]

It’s too early to decide. People at different phases in life want different things. If you meet a spouse, you have to consider his or her wants too.

I used to be 99% sure I’ll retire in Australia.

After 7 years in Melbourne I’m 90% sure I want to retire back to my home country.

[Rebecca]

Health Insurance: Signed up for Cigna Global 1 year plan for 2 people (43, 56) to cover in-patient, emergencies, MRI and annual health check in Thailand.

$370 per month. That plan also gets us International coverage including 30 days in US and 180 days in Australia/UK for visits home.

You can pay much less though if you only want in-Thailand cover.

Read the fine print on SafetyWing – it’s actually travel insurance (so assumes you have access to cover in your home country.

Example as an Australian I’d be covered by our public health system, but that only kicks in after I signup again and there’s a waiting period).

We found getting outpatient cover and prescriptions isn’t really worth it – would have doubled the premium. In Thailand so far, we buy direct from a pharmacy (without a prescription) for less than the US copay.

Also to see specialists, PCP it’s also less than US to just pay out of pocket.

Example (with no insurance) booked direct to see a spine specialist at one of the top hospitals for $40. In the US (with Aetna PPO) the copay was $45. Similarly physical therapy = $40 per session.

Apartment: we pay around $1000/month for 1BR in Phrompong (expat area) has pool, gym, sauna. But have lived in more local area for around $500/month (no facilities, walk or bike taxi to skytrain)
Daily expenses: $20-50.

We eat at local restaurants mostly but are partial to good flat whites.

Weekly drinks with friends, western groceries push the price up. If you can say no to cheeses, you’ll save $$.

All up I think around $3k/month = comfortable expat friendly life.
$2k/month = comfortable local life

[Author]

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