Where to Stay in Kuala Lumpur if you are expat?

Tweet I received several emails from people in different places asking which area is good to stay if they move to Kuala Lumpur. It seems the number of people moving to KL is on the rise (despite the economic downturn phenomenon around the world).

Well, the good news is that the cost of living in KL is quite low compared to European countries. Service is good. Life is great. But you need to know where to stay to avoid a "bad experience". I say this because a number of friends and acquaintances raised their bad experience of break-in! Yes, I mean robbers / thieves going into your house or apartment and ransacking your stuff. The number of incident around people I know or who knows someone else, has been on the rise. I am worried for other people who may not know about this. The news of this came to me starting last NOV 2008 ... and still ongoing until now. A colleague of mine got robbed (while her dad was at home) and this happened just last week = Feb 2009.

Therefore, the place of resident and type of security is VERY important. Don't just go for value for money, or bec you like the interior design. Please check carefully on the kind of security and neighborhood.

The Sunrise properties have always been known for GOOD quality and good security. No wonder so many expats choose to live in their properties. Mostly, the apartments are around the Mont Kiara area. It's also a plus that a number of the international schools are within the area.

Bangsar is also another popular expat area... though I cannot comment much because I have not stayed there. Currently, I am enjoying the beautiful neighborhood of Mont Kiara. No regrets! It's been a year since we moved in... and we love it.

Nearby, you can walk to a Coffee Bean cafe, or some restaurants. There's an every-Thurs flea market at Plaza Mont Kiara where most expats buy their evening dinner take-away for their families. Now, Solaris Mont Kiara is nearby which gives you access to a big Cold Storage grocery. And massage / nail salon places!

Well, no wonder the community of expats is constantly growing here. A lot of Japanese, Korean, European ... I guess they value safety, too.

Depending on the budget, you can get a super new apartment with 2,xxx sq ft area. Or maybe opt for the older apartments which are well maintained. If I am not mistaken, you need to have at least a budget of Malaysian Ringgit (RM) 2,500 or more if you want to stay within this area. Other expats I know are ready to fork out RM 14,000 for rental. So it really depends on your taste or budget.

Bottomline, my only recommendation is check the security. That is the most important especially if your hubby is constantly travelling and you may end up alone in your condo. You need to feel safe!

Hope this helps other expats who plan to move into Malaysia. Until next blog...