Nowadays it is common for people to live in one country but retire in a different country. The world is actually getting smaller with all the high technologies (such as your mobile phone) that allow you to take photos, talk to friends and families, share your personal status, and more. You may already have heard many people would say Malaysia is the right place for retirement. But before actually retiring in Malaysia, you should know quite a few things about the place.

Reason 1: Almost everyone can speak English in Malaysia which makes your life easy (when you are an expatriate)

Reason 2: Malay, Chinese, and Indian are the main ethnicities of the country. Each group of population would have their own festivals. It would only mean one thing: A lot of celebration that keeps happening across all year.

Reason 3: The climate (in Malaysia) is tropical, which is hot and humid with rainy and dry seasons.

Reason 4: In the cities, the delicious street food scene and coffee culture are both attractions and are great for your stomach (if you like food).

Reason 5: The capital city Kuala Lumpur has direct international flights connecting to 30 different countries.

Reason 6: A lot of oceans for diving in, and mountains for climbing.

Reason 7: Malaysia offers an attractive retirement visa i.e. Malaysia My Second Home or MM2H. The MM2H program grants a 10-year multiple entry visa to expatriates who have successfully applied to such visa program. Each applicant is required to have certain amount of cash deposit in his/her bank account. But for applicants who are 50 years old or above, the MM2H program requires a lower deposit amount.

Reason 8: With the above mentioned visa program, you can buy a car locally, or import your own car, both at tax-free rate.

Reason 9: At the end of the first year, you may decide to withdraw your cash deposit for the purchase of a house, or a car. You may use the money on medical expenses of your family, or on the tuition fee of your children.

Reason 10: For food lovers, you can buy most of groceries at the local markets. For example, you can get large bags of local bananas, mangos, papayas, pineapple, or watermelon for very little cost, as low as such as $5-7.

Reason 11: All the most fancy restaurants in Malaysia (including Penang) are very affordable.

Reason 12: The cost of living in Malaysia is relatively low when comparing to the cost of living in the United States and most Western countries in Europe. With a $2,500 budget, a couple will be able to live in a large apartment including all the normal activities.

Reason 13: You can get for top-notch healthcare at affordable prices.