KL, GEORGE TOWN AMONG WORLD’S BEST
Cities named best places to live due to low cost of living, low crime rate
KUALA Lumpur and George Town have been named among the world’s best places to retire by Live and Invest Overseas.
In its 2017 Annual Overseas Retirement Index, which took into consideration a range of liveability factors, both Malaysian cities scored A’s, alongside Lisbon, Portugal and Abruzzo, Italy.
Also in the list are Kota Kinabalu and Kundasang in Sabah, which scored B+ and B- respectively.
The index, circulated since July 30, cited low cost of living, real estate affordability, good infrastructure and low crime rate as the major attractions for retirees to spend their golden years in Malaysia.
In the low cost of living category, Kota Kinabalu, George Town and Kundasang stood out above the rest.
“Kota Kinabalu, where a retired couple can hang their hat for as little as US$1,108.62 (RM4,700), is a place that will surely help save a pretty penny.
“George Town… is right behind Kota Kinabalu at just US$1,135.20 (RM4,800). A new one to our list, Kundasang, is yet another destination in Malaysia that offers real savings at US$1,161.77 (RM4,900),” the report read.
In the category of real estate affordability, Kota Kinabalu was singled out for offering an average cost per sq m of US$1,088 (RM4,676)
“If you are considering spending your retirement in Asia, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better spot than Kota Kinabalu,” it said.
In the good infrastructure category, Kuala Lumpur was placed alongside Paris, France; Budapest, Hungary; Mazatlan, Mexico; and Valletta, Malta.
“Kuala Lumpur has a well-developed infrastructure that helps roughly 1.7 million residents get around with great ease,” it said.
In the category of crime and safety, Kota Kinabalu was named second best after Algarve, Portugal.
“The Sabah region, in which Kota Kinabalu is located, has historically low crime rates. Other than the usual crimes of opportunity, such as pickpocketing, Kota Kinabalu is very safe.
“Public drunkenness is outlawed in Malaysia, reducing levels of pretty crime and vandalism,” the report said.
Portugal’s Algarve was named the best place in the world to retire for the fourth consecutive year, with an A+ score.
Neighbouring countries Thailand and Indonesia also made it onto the list. Chiang Mai and Hua Hin were rated A- and B+ respectively, while both Sanur Bali and Bali were rated B-.