- Adam Malewski
With all the great information on this site, getting settled in Kuala Lumpur was a piece of cake.
Canadians in KL: Get tips, join events & make friends
Thinking about moving to Kuala Lumpur and curious about what it’s really like to live here? Find your answers from Canadians in our community and discover how to meet them.
Connecting with fellow expats from your own country can be more useful than you might expect. You can get first-hand advice on things like the best neighborhoods to live in, healthcare options for expats, how to apply for permanent residence, and more. Plus, it’s always nice to simply socialize with people who know what it’s like to live abroad.
Why you'll love InterNations in Kuala Lumpur
and countless possibilities for fun and friendship!
The pros & cons of living in Kuala Lumpur
No place is perfect. There’s always the good, the bad, and the ugly. Find out what our Canadian members love about life abroad but also the challenges they face in Kuala Lumpur.
Pros:
Low cost of living: A single individual can live comfortably on a budget of around 1,250 CAD per month, which is much more affordable compared to the living cost in Canada. In fact, expats rated Kuala Lumpur among the five most affordable cities worldwide in 2024.
Rich food & entertainment: The city offers a lot of affordable leisure activities. The food scene is amazing, with everything from fancy restaurants to tasty street food. From Western to South Asian cuisines, Kuala Lumpur has it all.
Excellent infrastructure: Despite the affordable living cost, Kuala Lumpur still offers a high-quality infrastructure, including well-maintained roads, reliable public utilities, and fast internet.
Friendly atmosphere: Locals are very welcoming and helpful. English is widely spoken here, so language barriers are not something Canadians will struggle with, especially for basic conversations or daily tasks.
Cons:
Traffic everywhere: As the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur is very crowded and densely populated. Even though public transportation is convenient, many people still get around with private cars, leading to traffic congestion everywhere. Best avoid having to drive during peak hours.
Job security: Kuala Lumpur lands in the bottom 10 cities of the 2024 Working Abroad Index. Expats are neither satisfied with their work–life balance (51st out of 53), nor their job security (52nd).
Hot & humid weather: Malaysia is a tropical country with hot weather throughout the entire year. With temperatures average between 23°C and 33°C, expect to sweat easily here! So if you love the Canadian winter, Kuala Lumpur might not be for you. Traffic everywhere: As the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur is very crowded and densely populated. Even though public transportation is convenient, many people still get around with private cars, leading to traffic congestion everywhere. Best avoid having to drive during peak hours.
Why Canadian expat move abroad (& how they like it)
Every year, we publish one of the biggest global surveys among expats and ask them about various aspects of their life. Learn what motivated our Canadian members to move abroad, what keeps them there, and what they struggle with or miss about home.
Meet Canadian expats at our events in Kuala Lumpur
Building networks in a new city can be quite challenging — but our Newcomers’ Events are here to make it easier!
Specially designed for expats new to the community, they help you to easily make friends here, from fellow Canadians to other internationals. Don’t be shy — come introduce yourself! Enjoy the welcoming atmosphere and let our amazing event hosts, called Ambassadors, introduce and guide you.
We also have various interest-based activities you might want to check out, each offering an amazing experience.
Want to meet other Canadians at our events?
Frequent questions about life in Kuala Lumpur
As Kuala Lumpur offers a much lower living cost, most of our Canadian members choose to live in middle-upper class neighborhoods that offers various entertainments, bars, and restaurants. These neighborhoods are very popular among expats, making them international areas where it’s easy to socialize with other English speakers:
- Mont Kiara: 15 minutes from the city center, it offers many international schools but is also one of the most expensive areas in Kuala Lumpur.
- Bukit Damansara: Not cheap but rather affordable, this quieter, peaceful neighborhood is good for families.
- Bangsar: Suburb that offers a lot of entertainment but is also pretty pricey.
- Desa ParkCity: With many green spaces, parks, and clubhouses, this area is great for families. As it’s not as central as others, it’s also more affordable.
Of course, your specific living costs very much depend on your individual lifestyle and the area you live in.
According to SalaryExplorer, the average salary in Malaysia is around 6,600 MYR (2,115 CAD) per month. While it’s much lower than the average salary in Canada, remember that the cost of living is also much lower. So, if you’re making at least the average, you can live comfortably here.
But to give you at least an idea, here’s an overview of costs to consider (approx. numbers; 1 CAD = ~3 MYR):
| CAD per month | Local currency per month | |
Utilities (power, water, etc.) | 85 CAD | 270 MYR |
Rent for a apartment | 530-770 CAD | 1,650–2,400 MYR |
Rent for a small family home | 865-1540 CAD | 2,700–4,750 MYR |
Public transportation | 16 CAD | 50 MYR |
Mobile phone & internet | 55 CAD | 170 MYR |
Meal at a restaurant (per person & meal) | 7-20 CAD | 20-60 MYR |
Groceries (per person) | 175-300 CAD | 550-950 MYR |
Basic health insurance (public) | 31-160 CAD | 100-500 MYR |
In our 2024 InterNations Expat Insider survey, close to three-quarters of respondents (72%) found it easy to live in Kuala Lumpur without knowing the local language (vs. 48% of all expats). Especially in urban areas, English is widely understood. So getting around or doing daily tasks shouldn’t be hard.
Still, if you’d like to avoid the language barrier altogether, you might want to use your time in Kuala Lumpur as an opportunity to learn Malay. The most challenging moments usually occur when handling official paperwork, looking for a flat, seeing a doctor, or making an official appointment.
To help you avoid these struggles, we’ve collected some services that cater to English speakers (these services are not affiliated with or endorsed by InterNations):
General practitioner (GP) | Dr. Ityra See Hoi Yan A GP at Klinik Petaling Jaya, specializing in family medicine and FOMEMA services. Speaks English, Cantonese, and Malay. |
Dentist | Imperial Dental Specialist Center Dental clinic that’s 15 minutes by car from the city center. |
Urgent care | Gleneagles Hospital Kuala Lumpur A private hospital that’s 18 minutes by bus from the city center. Website available in English. |
Immigration assistance | Low & Partners Visa, permanent residence, and immigration services along with personalized advice for clients. The website is available in English. |
Tax advisor | EY Malaysia Connected services across all tax disciplines. Website available in English. |
Instant interpreting service | DayInterpreting Get connected to a native Malay speaker on your phone and use the phone's loudspeaker to have an instant interpreter with you. |
Meet other Canadians in Kuala Lumpur
Our Global Partners
Find friends to pursue your passions with
Doesn’t discovering new hobbies in a brand-new city sound fun? You can find a variety of InterNations Groups in Kuala Lumpur, all dedicated to a range of hobbies and interests, from sports and outdoor activities to art and even board games.
Run by dedicated Consuls, these groups see at least one activity each month, such as trying Kuala Lumpur’s delicious traditional food, Nasi Lemak, or discovering the city's attractions, from the Petronas Twin Towers to the Batu Caves, together with the Exploring Hidden Treasures Gorup.
Find other Canadians to share your hobbies with
Enjoy the international experience with InterNations
We’re not just active in Kuala Lumpur — InterNations offers a number of lively communities in the region. Check out our Canadian communities in Singapore, Jakarta, or Bangkok.
But that’s not all! If you’re in the mood for a nice night out while traveling further abroad, then you’re in luck. We have communities in over 420 cities worldwide. Browse all InterNations Communities.
- Adam Malewski
With all the great information on this site, getting settled in Kuala Lumpur was a piece of cake.
- Yasmin Krüger-Darango
A former business partner recommended InterNations to me when I moved abroad to Malaysia. We still use it to stay in touch.
