- Andrew Taylor, 70, left the US to retire in Malaysia a decade ago.
- He now lives in a 2-bedroom apartment in Kuala Lumpur, the capital, costing about $620 a month.
- “I probably wouldn’t retire if I was still in the U.S.,” Taylor said.
At the age of 60, Andrew Taylor retired and left the US to move to Malaysia.
Taylor, who used to do administrative work, started thinking about retirement when he was in his mid-fifties. However, the high cost of living in the US made it feel like a pipe dream.
“I realized I probably wouldn’t be able to stay in the United States, or I would have to work until I was 80,” Taylor, now 70, told Business Insider.
Andrew Taylor moved to Malaysia from the US a decade ago. Andrew Taylor.
He started thinking about retiring abroad, and it was through his then-partner – who lived in Penang, a state in the northwestern part of Malaysia — that he first learned about the Malaysia My Second Home, or MM2H, visa program. The MM2H program was introduced by the government in 2002 to attract foreigners to retire and live in Malaysia.
Visa requirements have tightened over the years.
Based on the most recent rule changes announced in 2024, there are now three different categories: Platinum, Gold and Silver. Depending on the visa category they apply for, applicants are required to have minimum bank deposits of $150,000 to $1 million and also to purchase property in Malaysia. The validity of the visa varies from 5 years to 20 years. Because Taylor obtained a visa under an earlier version of the visa rules, he did not have to buy property in Malaysia.
Having visited several times before, the idea of living in Malaysia appealed to him. He said he saw the visa program as something that could help him retire much earlier.
In late 2014, he applied and was approved a few months later. In 2015, Taylor packed his bags and moved from Washington, DC—where he had lived for 40 years—to begin the next chapter of his life.
Creating a dream apartment in the city
It has been 10 years since Taylor arrived in Malaysia. He spent seven years in Penang before moving to Kuala Lumpur, the capital, three years ago.
He spent seven years in Penang before moving to Kuala Lumpur, the capital, three years ago. Andrew Taylor.
He’s been in his current rental — a two-bedroom apartment — for about five months.
Taylor said his previous unit was on two floors and he had to climb 20 flights of stairs to get to the bedroom. “I’m 70 years old and stairs are irritating for me now, so I want them all on one floor,” he said.
Taylor says it only took him a weekend to find his apartment, which was about two miles outside the city center. The sight of the city immediately caught his attention.
“I’m on the 22nd floor and I can see the twin towers. I can see all the major towers in KL, and it’s just a beautiful sight. I think if I’m going to be in KL, this is what I wanted” , Taylor said.
The view from the windows of his apartment immediately attracted attention. Andrew Taylor.
Its rent costs 2,800 Malaysian ringgit, or $620, every month. It is a two-year lease with an option for a third year. Unlike his previous apartments, this time he chose an unfurnished unit.
“I didn’t really like the furniture in the apartments I was renting,” he said, adding that he has always been interested in furnishings. Most of his furniture is locally sourced.
“It’s kind of eclectic,” he said, describing his apartment. “I have oriental rugs and things like that, but with modern furniture.”
His apartment block is part of a five-building apartment development, which offers amenities such as a swimming pool and a gym.
Rent costs 2,800 Malaysian ringgit, or about $620, every month. Andrew Taylor.
This is Taylor’s fifth apartment in Malaysia, and he says he plans to continue renting and zipping around town on his Vespa for the foreseeable future.
Lessons learned along the way contributed to his decision. The first place he moved to after arriving in Malaysia was on the 35th floor of a building in Penang.
The owner said: Oh, they’ll never build across the street. Well, yes, they built it right in front of it,” he said. “If you buy a place, it’s just harder to keep going.”
The apartment has two bedrooms. Andrew Taylor.
Americans are retiring abroad
Taylor is not alone in his decision to retire abroad.
Last year’s analysis estimated that a single person would need to earn $96,000 a year to live comfortably in many large US cities. No wonder more and more Americans are becoming priced from USA.
There’s also a pension crisis spreading across the country, with more people over 65 still punching the clock because they can’t afford to retire.
An AARP survey of 8,368 people conducted in January 2024 found that 1 in 5 Americans 50 and older reported having no retirement savings. Over half also said they don’t think they will have enough money to see them through in retirement.
It’s a sentiment Taylor shares. “I probably wouldn’t retire if I was still in the U.S.,” he said.
The pool at Taylor’s apartment in Kuala Lumpur. Andrew Taylor.
In contrast, the MM2H visa has made Malaysia an attractive destination for expats.
As of January 2024, there were 56,066 active MM2H permit holders in the country, Malaysia’s Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Tiong King Sin said during a parliament session, according to local newspaper The Star. Chinese nationals make up about 44% of permit holders, followed by those from South Korea and Japan. There were 1,340 US permit holders. The ministry did not respond to a request for comment sent by BI.
Lifestyles ‘quite similar’ in both countries
While Taylor’s lifestyle in Malaysia is “very similar” to what he had in the United States, the lower cost of living here means his money can go further each month.
“I’d say I used to try to keep my budget to $2,000. Now it’s a little more than that. I’d say $2,500 is what I live on now,” Taylor said, adding that he doesn’t think that can live. the same amount in the US.
He has a basic health insurance policy that costs 340 Malaysian ringgit every month.
“There are other much better policies, but I went with the cheap option,” Taylor said. It says it only covers hospitalization and related expenses.
He is also satisfied with Malaysia’s healthcare facilities.
“And you don’t have to wait long for an appointment or wait long at your appointment,” he added.
Cost of living aside, Taylor says he also feels safer in Malaysia.
“I’ve never felt safer anywhere. Where I lived in my last place outside of DC, I would sometimes hear gunshots outside my window, and it’s so foreign here. There’s nothing like it,” he said. . “I’ve never felt any discomfort when I’m out, even just walking around.”
These days, Taylor spends his time filming YouTube videos about what it’s like to live in Malaysia.
However, he says such a drastic move may not be for everyone – especially those with children, grandchildren or even elderly parents. It only worked for him because he had loose family ties.
Looking back, Taylor says he’s learned not to be afraid to live outside his comfort zone.
“My family thought I would stay about six months and then come back. 10 years later, and I’m still here and I have no intention of ever going back to the US,” he said.
Have you recently moved to a new location and found your dream home? If you have a story to share, contact this reporter at agoh@businessinsider.com.
