Disclaimer: In Real Life is a platform for everyday people to share their experiences and voices. All articles are personal stories and do not necessarily echo In Real Life’s sentiments.
Over the weekend, a screenshot from an anime TV show went viral on Malaysian social media for mentioning Kuantan as a prime choice for a retirement destination.
In the scene, the popular Japanese anime character, Nanami from Jujutsu Kaisen, described his wish to retire in Malaysia, adding, “Kuantan would be nice.”
Image via @brgsjks
This oddly specific shoutout to Kuantan set the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) ablaze with humorous responses such as @arifshafiq‘s comment, “We all want to be like Nanami. Give his all working from 8-5pm. Hates overtime work. Balik kerja, terus tengok sunset kat Kuantan.” (After coming home from work, just watch the sunset at Kuantan.)
But did you know that Malaysia is considered to be in the top 10 countries of choice for Japanese people to retire in?
Malaysia ranked as No.1 Desired Country for Long Stay for Japanese expats
Image via Long Stay foundation. Translated from Japanese by Google translate.
According to Japanese publication Gentosha, Malaysia was ranked 1st place for the most desirable country for long stay. In another top 10 list by ExpatGo, Malaysia placed 4th in the Expat Insider 2021 survey, ranking above the global average in every index.
Based on info from Long Stay Foundation, the poll lists out the top reasons for the ranking, which included: Malaysia’s warm all-year round weather, ease of living for senior citizens, welcoming acceptance of foreigners, english-speaking multilingual natives, and good social infrastructure.
Speaking to IRL, one Japanese retiree said, “I applied for the Malaysia My 2nd Home (MM2H) program to live in Kuala Lumpur. I love how the weather is sunny all year round, and everything is so much more affordable than back at home.”
As of 2023, there are currently more than 24,000 Japanese nationals residing in Malaysia. For comparison, there are 36 million Japanese people of retirement age who are living in Japan.
Cost of living in Japan v.s. Malaysia
Japan’s basic national pension is about 60,000 yen a month, or about RM2000. According to Nippon.com, more than 60% of Japanese citizens have less than 1 million yen (RM 30,000) in savings by retirement age.
Another Japanese worker, Seto explained, “In Japan, the high cost of living makes it nearly impossible to retire unless you’re in the top 40% of the Japanese salary band.”
Based on rough estimates, the cost of living in Malaysia is said to be ⅓ of Japan’s. Malaysia is also generally cheaper to live in compared to other countries in the region.
In addition to that, Malaysia is ranked 1st in a list of 10 safest countries to retire in Asia in 2023 for less than $2000 a month, according to Nasdaq.
According to Wilson Ng, blogger at Places And Foods, “A Japanese couple who migrated to Kuala Lumpur mentioned that there are many Japanese ingredients in the supermarket. The cost of living for them in KL is 250,000 yen (RM8000) for a couple and that can be covered by their pension.”
All in all, there are many reasons why a Japanese retiree would want to settle down in Malaysia.
But why specifically Kuantan?
Speaking to IRL, a Kuantan local opined, “Kuantan is an amazing city to retire in. Compared to other cities like Penang or Johor Bahru, it is not as populated, so it has a chill vibe all around.”
“Everyone is nice towards each other. There are so many retired uncles and aunties just wandering around the neighborhood, parks, and beaches, enjoying their retirement.”
Indeed, there are many other reasons why Kuantan would be the best place for anyone, not just Japanese people, to settle down. The cheaper cost of living compared to Kuala Lumpur is a big draw for retirees looking to stretch their pension.
The average cost of a 3-bedroom house in Kuantan ranges from RM250,000 to RM350,000 in the heart of the city. In comparison, the average cost of a house in Japan is $160k to $320k USD, which is around 640k to 1.2 million ringgit.
Kuantan is a great destination for a relaxing holiday by the beach, with many seaside resorts that offer quality amenities such as Club Med in Cherating, Cempaka Beach Resort, and the relatively new Timur Bay by Seascape.
Many Malaysians may consider Langkawi, Penang, or Kuala Lumpur to be more famous as an expat destination, but Kuantan is quite underrated as well. If you are looking for your next holiday destination, why not give Kuantan a try?
What do you think about Kuantan as a retirement destination?
Share your thoughts in the comments!
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Read also Why I Love Malaysia As A Singaporean Girl Who Moved Here.
Why I Love Malaysia As A Singaporean Girl Who Moved Here 7 Years Ago
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