• I'm 26 and have traveled to nearly 100 countries around the world.
• My love for travel started when I took a trip to Ghana in college.
• A few of my favorite travel destinations include Argentina, Laos, Greenland, and South Africa.

When I was 18, I signed up for a college class that involved a trip to Ghana. That visit sparked my motivation to visit as many countries as possible, as soon as possible.

By prioritizing travel at a young age, I've been able to experience incredible adventures, personal growth, and cultural education across nearly 100 countries at 26 years old.

Here are 10 places I think everyone should have on their travel bucket lists.

My trip to Ghana inspired my love for travel.

Sleeping under a mosquito net on the mud floor of a local's home was the pivot point that turned my travel curiosity into a mission to discover different ways of living in every corner of the world.

I found it so easy to share a smile, join a dance, and bond with people raised in a completely different cultural and economic environment.

Ghana offered so much contrast between the warmth of its people and the darkness of its colonial history, which I think everyone can learn from.

There's so much to love about Argentina.

From the roaring waterfalls of Iguazu to the adorable penguins in Ushuaia (the southernmost city in the world), Argentina has it all.

I enjoyed trekking peaks in Patagonia equally as much as dining on affordable cuts of prime steak in the historic neighborhoods of Buenos Aires.

Traveling through Laos on a riverboat is an experience I'll never forget.

Laos is well worth a visit for a journey down the mighty Mekong River. I took a slow boat for two days from Luang Prabang, the capital, to the border of Laos and Thailand.

I often think back to this experience, which allowed me to immerse myself in nature as I floated by riverbanks full of rural villages. I even woke up next to elephants splashing in the river.

In my opinion, Greenland is an unmissable destination.

On the world's largest island, which has no connecting roads, I traveled by sailboat from one small fishing settlement to another.

Witnessing the resilience of East Greenland's remote native community living in such inhospitable conditions is something I'll always remember as a testament to human survival skills.

With a chance to see the northern lights, gaze at glaciers, and climb mountains, Greenland makes for an unmissable destination.

French Polynesia is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been.

There are a lot of beautiful islands in the world, but to me, nothing beats the lush green mountains and sparkling turquoise waters of French Polynesia.

As a territory of France, these islands gave me the unique opportunity to munch on tasty croissants and even go for a night of fondue — all while underneath palm trees.

Malaysia is one of my top travel recommendations.

When I brainstorm travel recommendations, Malaysia's capital city, Kuala Lumpur, the island of Penang, and the streets of Malacca always come to mind.

The intermixing of Hindu temples, stunning skyscrapers, and colorful street art captured my attention at every turn.

In my opinion, Malaysian cuisine also stands out. A noodle dish called char kway teow, which is very popular in the country, is my favorite meal in the entire world.

Getting a freshly made plate from the wok of a street vendor is an experience my taste buds have remembered for years.

There's so much to do in South Africa.

My time in South Africa was filled with so much diversity that I could hardly believe I was still in the same country.

I experienced everything from safari game drives and scuba diving with sharks, to memorable museums about the country's complex history from the apartheid and colonial eras.

Every day was a new adventure, and I came home with powerful new perspectives.

There's more to Mexico than the popular tourist spots.

Although many tourists flock to Cancún, the lesser-visited parts of Mexico deserve a visit, too.

Beyond its sun-kissed coastlines, I love Mexico's culture-rich cities, like Oaxaca, which boasts some of the best meals I've ever had, and, arguably, the best Día de los Muertos celebrations.

I have so many great memories from my trip to Morocco.

The taste of sweet mint tea, the sound of a bustling medina, and the sight of the sunrise in the Sahara desert are just a few key memories I have of Morocco.

The country's hospitable culture, rich history, artisan crafts, tasty cuisine, and stunning architecture made me sure I'd visit again before I had even left.

Norway is truly stunning.

No landscape I've seen compares to awe-inspiring cliffs bordering the sea in the fjords of Norway.

A view from Reinebringen, a popular but difficult hike in the Lofoten Island archipelago, has been my phone lock screen for the past three years, simply because I want to remind myself of this majestic beauty on a daily basis.

Walking amid towering cliffs that make you feel small is the best way to remind yourself how big the world really is.

A judge in Singapore granted bail to three men suspected of deceiving suppliers of server computers that may contain Nvidia chips affected by U.S. export rules that bar the sale of them to certain countries, as a route to halting them being sold to organizations in China. The move comes nearly two weeks after the […]

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The SoftBank-backed chipmaker has signed an agreement with the Malaysian government to bolster the country's chip design ecosystem.

© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

• Many Americans tell Business Insider how they moved abroad for more affordable and fulfilling lives.
• Mercer consultants identified cities that offer low costs of living and a high quality of life.
• The eight spots range from Old-World gems in Eastern Europe to a Canadian hub for food and culture.

As inflation continues to drive up the cost of everyday necessities, more Americans are looking abroad, hoping to find places where their money goes further and life is sweeter.

But where to go?

Researchers at HR and financial consulting firm Mercer analyzed over 200 everyday expenses, including housing, food, healthcare, and entertainment, in 226 cities worldwide to identify the most and least expensive spots. Mercer also weighed safety, infrastructure, environmental friendliness, and connectivity to determine eight cities in Europe, Asia, and the Americas that offer a balance of low living costs and high living standards.

To give readers a feel for day-to-day expenses in each city, Business Insider used cost-of-living data from Numbeo. Numbeo combines user-submitted spending figures with data from government institutions and service companies to estimate prices for various things, such as what it would cost a single person or a family to live in the city center. It also provides typical prices for everyday items like coffee, a meal for two, and a gym membership. While the methodology relies on crowdsourced data, which may vary widely, it can be a useful tool for getting a general sense of what it costs to live around the world.

Read on to learn more about eight cities that offer opportunities to live both cheaply and well, according to Mercer. They are presented in alphabetical order.

Business Insider used the latest population estimates from Demographia for all cities except Ljubljana, which uses a Slovenian government estimate. Numbeo expenses have been converted from local currency into US dollars.

Budapest, Hungary

Population: 2.407 million

Known for: Budapest is the largest city in Hungary and the nation's capital. It's known for its Gothic architecture, bohemian nightlife, and historic thermal baths.

Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $670

Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $704.40

Monthly costs for a family of four (excluding housing): $2,490.90

Cost of a cappuccino: $2.49

Cost of a three-course meal for two: $52.34

Monthly cost of a gym membership: $54.72

Someone who lives there said: Budapest has a vibrant social atmosphere all year long, according to Sabrina Arnold, who lived there for four months. "There are so many things to do, even in the winter and summer. In the summer, there's lots of street food, festivals, lots of concerts and music, or you can just chill next to the river," she said in a YouTube video posted in late 2023. "In the winter, there's lots of Christmas markets and ice rinks."

It might be hard to live there because: That hustle and bustle may not be for everyone. "It's very touristy. There's always a lot going on in the city especially on the weekends. If you don't like that, then Budapest might not be right for you," Arnold said in her video.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Population: 9.387 million

Known for: The capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur is known for its rich multiculturalism, blending native cultures along with Indian, Chinese, and Western influences. The city, nicknamed KL, goes all out for major festivals including Diwali and Lunar New Year.

Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $499.60

Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $573.90

Monthly costs for a family of four (excluding housing): $2,035.40

Cost of a cappuccino: $2.89

Cost of a three-course meal for two: $27.13

Monthly cost of a gym membership: $43.56

Someone who lives there said: Kuala Lumpur's range of cultures translates to an unbeatable food scene. "A city after my own heart, the best activity in KL has to be eating! Malaysians love their food, and so do expats! Thanks to the diversity of the city, you'll find Malaysian, Indian and Chinese food all over, as well as western options and everything in between," blogger Lynne Lessar wrote in a post about living in Kuala Lumpur.

It might be hard to live there because: It can require some patience, especially with items and etiquette more common in other parts of the world. "The entertainment industry isn't exactly supported in Malaysia and alcohol is relatively expensive for the region," Lessar wrote. "Still, there are pockets of great nightlife and plenty of great things to do. Just bear in mind that Malaysia is not known for customer service, so keep your spirit light and patience high while you're out, as service takes time here."

Ljubljana, Slovenia

Population: 288,382

Known for: Ljubljana is the largest city and capital of Slovenia, a country located just east of Italy and sandwiched between Austria and Croatia. Ljubljana stands out for its charm and ease compared to other major European cities that get more flooded with tourists.

Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $931.11

Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $885.40

Monthly costs for a family of four (excluding housing): $3,023.90

Cost of a cappuccino: $2.34

Cost of a three-course meal for two: $63

Monthly cost of a gym membership: $45.45

Someone who lives there said: Aaron Arnold — who moved from Texas to Slovenia, where he lives as an expat — maintains that Ljubljana is one of Europe's best-kept secrets. "Although Ljubljana is growing in the tourism world, it's definitely not as big of a place like Budapest. I think of all the European capital cities that I know — Ljubljana is much more chill and more of a hidden gem," Arnold said in a YouTube video.

It might be hard to live there because: Adapting to Slovenian culture can be an adjustment for Americans, in part because locals may not be especially welcoming right off the bat, Arnold said in a different video. "I didn't actually make a friend from Slovenia until three weeks after my arrival," Arnold added.

Montreal, Canada

Population: 3.75 million

Known for: Montreal is a French-Canadian hub known for its vibrant cafés, nightlife, and packed schedule of summer festivals. The city is also dotted with historic architecture and European-style sights.

Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $1,201.41

Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $973.10

Monthly costs for a family of four (excluding housing): $3,593

Cost of a cappuccino: $3.52

Cost of a three-course meal for two: $69.93

Monthly cost of a gym membership: $37.12

Someone who lives there said: Montreal is a epicenter of vibrant culture. "No matter which neighborhood you live in, you're guaranteed that a trendy local spot is just around the corner," writer Rosemary Twomey said on the Montreal site MTLblog.com.

It might be hard to live there because: Winters are no joke in Montreal — the city averages 85 inches of snow a year. "Although the snow that never seems to disappear is one of the downfalls of Montreal, the city and the people in it are always up to the challenge of having fun in the cold," Twomey wrote.

Panama City

Population: 2.067 million

Known for: Panama City is the capital of Panama. It is known for its coastal lifestyle and, of course, its eponymous canal, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $1,050

Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $831

Monthly costs for a family of four (excluding housing): $2,965.1

Cost of a cappuccino: $3.50

Cost of a three-course meal for two: $55

Monthly cost of a gym membership: $47.43

Someone who lives there said: "The city, Latin America's answer to Miami, is a place where towering skyscrapers meet the ocean, and palm trees sway to the rhythm of a unique cultural blend — Spanish vibes with various splashes of indigenous, African, North American and Caribbean influences," according to a blog post from the Nomad Capitalist, a site with advice and information for people who can work remotely and want to live abroad.

It might be hard to live there because: Panama City's laid-back vibe may be a good thing most of the time. However, expats have shared online that things get done at a slower pace than they're used to.

Santiago, Chile

Population: 7.099 million

Known for: Santiago's modern city center stands in contrast to the craggy Andes mountains in the distance.

Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $503.71

Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $729.50

Monthly costs for a family of four (excluding housing): $2,581.6

Cost of a cappuccino: $3.05

Cost of a three-course meal for two: $52.98

Monthly cost of a gym membership: $35.18

Someone who lives there said: "Santiago's mountainous backdrop makes for one dramatic skyline. I've lived here for a year and a half now, and (when I can see them) these mountains still surprise me every day," Lauren on Location, who calls herself a serial expat, said in a 2017 blog post.

It might be hard to live there because: Santiago is located on the San Ramón Fault and experiences somewhat frequent earthquakes. According to Earthquake Track, the city had 43 earthquakes in the last 365 days.

Warsaw, Poland

Population: 2.028 million

Known for: Warsaw is Poland's capital and most populous city. It has a rich history and many cultural attractions.

Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $1,052.87

Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $820.20

Monthly costs for a family of four (excluding housing): $2,694.10

Cost of a cappuccino: $3.94

Cost of a three-course meal for two: $50.54

Monthly cost of a gym membership: $39.55

Someone who lives there said: "First and foremost, Warsaw has got some lovely parks and plenty of museums," Richard Blanks, a native of Great Britain living in Poland, said in a blog post about Warsaw life as an expat. "There's no chance that you'll get bored here easily."

It might be hard to live there because: Warsaw can have stretches of fiercely cold temperatures. "The weather can be a significant drawback, with cold and long winters, and relatively short summers," Joshua Wood said on Expat Exchange, a site he cofounded.

Zagreb, Croatia

Population: 691,000

Known for: Zagreb is a city where Central Europe, the Mediterranean, and Southeast Europe meet.

Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $748.67

Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $797.50

Monthly costs for a family of four (excluding housing): $2,768

Cost of a cappuccino: $2.18

Cost of a three-course meal for two: $62.87

Monthly cost of a gym membership: $42.35

Someone who lives there said: "Zagreb is the cultural, political, and economic hub of Croatia. While it might be overshadowed by the Adriatic's coastal gems, this city has its own allure: grand Austro-Hungarian architecture, sprawling parks, and a blend of old-world charm and contemporary dynamism," Jonelle Simunich. a California native with Croatian heritage who has lived in cities around the world, wrote in a blog post.

It might be hard to live there because: Zagreb is heavily reliant on tourism, according to blogger Nicola Curtis, and some local businesses shut down during low season. "Most of the bars and restaurants close down from the end of October until the beginning of April, and while it's a chilled-out time, it can be a little boring at times," she wrote.

• A new search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 is being launched, Malaysia's transport minister said.
• It's being conducted by Ocean Infinity, a robotics company that previously led a search in 2018.
• It will receive $70 million if the wreckage of the 2014 disappearance is found within 18 months.

A new search is being launched for MH370, the Malaysia Airlines flight that disappeared in March 2014.

Malaysia's transport minister, Anthony Loke, told a Tuesday press conference that Ocean Infinity, a marine robotics firm, is conducting the search. He added that the contracts were still being finalized.

Ocean Infinity, which is based in the US and UK, previously conducted a search for the missing Boeing 777 in 2018.

It took place over an area measuring 25,000 square kilometers, or around 9,600 square miles, while Loke has said the new search would cover 15,000 square kilometers.

In a December press conference, when the Malaysian government agreed to resume the search, Loke said that Ocean Infinity would receive $70 million if the wreckage was located within 18 months.

Oliver Plunket, the CEO of Ocean Infinity, told the New Straits Times last March: "This search is arguably the most challenging, and indeed the most pertinent one out there."

He added that innovations in robotics and other technologies had further advanced its search capabilities.

Grace Nathan, a 36-year-old Malaysian whose mother was on board the plane, told Agence France-Presse: "We're very relieved and pleased that the search is resuming once again after such a long hiatus."

Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 was flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014, when it changed course from its scheduled path. It is still unknown what led to the plane's disappearance.

The jet, with 239 people on board, had entered Vietnamese airspace when its transponder was turned off, meaning air traffic controllers could no longer track it.

Military radar showed it then flew back across northern Malaysia, before turning south over the Indian Ocean.

For around six hours, it continued to ping an Inmarsat satellite, which helped to determine a search area.

The first searches continued until 2017, focusing on vast areas of the Indian Ocean. Debris was found on beaches in Réunion and Madagascar.

• As Malaysia enters a period of political stability, its new dream is to become a regional tech hub.
• Investments and startups are flowing into the country, but it's still early days.
• Despite its last tech mega-project failing, insiders told BI they see a winning plan this time.

Kean Wei Wong's hands snapped from the wheel as we hit the highway in the midday rain.

His sedan, a Malaysian-made Proton S70, kept cruising on its own, flowing with the traffic snaking into Kuala Lumpur.

The bespectacled 28-year-old, a former insurance salesman, was taking me for a spin of what he and two college friends were selling: a plug-and-play dashcam that uses AI to drive your family car.

Their company is Kommu, one of the 4,000 Malaysian startups the federal government hopes will form a key pillar of a new Asian tech boom. As the nation exits an era of political turmoil, founders like Kean say they're hopeful.

"The younger generations are stepping up," he said as he crossed his arms, letting the car do the work. "We're no longer thinking of survival. It's more like we're in an innovation phase."

Born from years of tweaking open-source code, Kean's software controls limited steering and acceleration. It's nothing that EV makers like Tesla aren't already selling, but he and his buddies custom-engineered their product, made with Chinese phone parts, for Malaysia's national auto brands.

Their pitch is that for $800, the owner of a $10,000 hatchback can plug in Kean's dashcam via two cables and get partial self-driving.

Kean is unsure if their product is legal, though he said they haven't seen trouble from authorities and secured prize money from a government-affiliated competition.

"It's like a gray area. Malaysia isn't a very regulated country yet," he said. "That's why there are opportunities for startups like us."

Off to a good start

A political reckoning saw Malaysia cycle through five prime ministers in six years, until Anwar Ibrahim, the current prime minister, squeezed through the November 2022 national polls through a coalition.

As the dust settles, more than a dozen local tech insiders told Business Insider that Malaysia feels like it's on the cusp of a new chapter. Anwar champions the idea of the next era in the nation's economy, rallying his government for an all-out push to develop Southeast Asia's version of Silicon Valley.

The prime minister described Malaysia's new effort as "a clear break from the past," saying in May that the country had missed opportunities for tech investments in previous years.

Malaysia is banking on more than just stability. It commands vast reserves of land and water, useful for facilities like data centers run by Intel, Nvidia, and ByteDance. US-China tensions and the Ukraine war brought a wave of investors looking to park funds in new havens. And Malaysia's popular but spatially constrained neighbor, Singapore, is contending with surging living and business costs.

Anwar's government is touting Malaysia as an appealing alternative, announcing a plan in April to extend financial support, visa access, and job benefits to foreign startups moving in. State money, including the sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Berhad, is offering $27.6 billion for all local ventures over the next five years.

"It's different. Because this time, the government isn't doing too much," said Tan Eng Tong, a startup advisor who runs an education center for tech workers in Malaysia. He spent the 1990s building his career in Silicon Valley with Seagate and Hewlett-Packard.

Tan believes Malaysia's last tech mega-project in the 1990s was the result of a government trying to force a revolution. Then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad cleared land for global companies to settle down, dreaming of transforming greater Kuala Lumpur into an IT powerhouse.

But many of the prized multinationals eventually used their new Malaysian bases for low-cost labor in manufacturing and outsourcing. When a BI reporter visited Cyberjaya — a development near the capital meant to house the world's hottest startups — in 2022, the largely residential area was filled with abandoned business hubs and quiet malls.

5,000 startups by 2025

Now, the country is trying a new approach. Its semiconductor industry, largely based in the state of Penang, already houses Intel and Texas Instruments. Officials have announced a plan to bring in $100 billion in additional investment for the sector, without specifying a deadline.

Anwar is continuing the prior administration's goal of producing 5,000 local startups and five unicorns by 2025.

Norman Matthieu Vanhaecke, the Belgian-Malay CEO of Cradle Fund, the government's agency supporting early-stage firms, said the country now has about 4,000 startups. The overwhelming majority are located in the capital and the state that surrounds it, Selangor.

But Vanhaecke says Malaysia's true near-term goal is to get on the map and have Kuala Lumpur join Tokyo, Seoul, and Singapore on global lists like Startup Genome's ecosystem ranking.

Singapore and Indonesia have enjoyed the lion's share of venture capital activity in Southeast Asia. In 2023, they secured 651 and 165 deals, respectively, according to data from the investment database PitchBook.

Malaysia recorded 71 deals that year, and the total annual value of its deals has never reached $1 billion, per PitchBook. The total value of deals in Singapore has eclipsed $9 billion annually in the last three years.

The Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation, a government agency tasked with attracting tech investment, is trying to give foreign startups a "soft-landing zone" in Malaysia through coworking spaces.

The agency told BI that since 2016, it has partnered with 23 locations that have serviced about 600 startups. These firms are promised low business costs and potential access to government and private sector financing.

Malaysia opens its state funds to startups

Noor Amy Ismail, an analyst asked by the Malaysian government to assess the local VC scene in 2023, said she studied South Korea's 2014 tech drive for her recommendations. There, government funds set the stage, then petered off as private investors poured in.

Amy advised Malaysian officials to do the same.

"That is what our venture capital road map is trying to address, to get more corporate investors on board to support," she said.

State and national funds, which have long dominated investing in Malaysia, have been opening their coffers to startups.

One founder, Jimmy How, said state executives were far more risk-averse 10 years ago when he started his affiliate marketing company.

"Back then, guys like Khazanah wouldn't even look at startups like us," How said. Khazanah, Malaysia's main sovereign wealth fund, earmarked $1.3 billion in 2023 for startups and venture capital over the next five years.

How's company received an investment from Penjana Kapital, a national venture program, during a Series C funding round in 2023.

Gokula Krishnan, the founder of Vircle, a financial literacy app for kids, said his firm received a seed investment from Khazanah in 2023. It helped convince him to stay in Malaysia instead of leaving for Singapore.

"Talent is relatively cheap. Available office space is cheap. Cost of living is supercheap, even compared to Vietnam or Indonesia," he said about Malaysia. "I don't see any other country in Southeast Asia that has this mix."

No more 'shit-hole state of mind'

Khailee Ng, an energetic Malaysian with a mane of black hair flowing down to his shoulders, is perhaps the biggest name in Kuala Lumpur's venture capital scene. He's a managing partner with the US venture firm 500 Global, which has seeded at least six unicorns in Southeast Asia since 2014.

Malaysia, burdened by a history of infighting and policy reversals, has for too long wallowed in a self-defeating attitude — a "shit-hole state of mind," he said.

But Ng said he's seen far less of that among entrepreneurs in the last two years. "They're getting funding, they're kinda seeing that things are working. I think a lot of tech startups are starting to be open to the idea that something good will happen," he said.

His team analyzed 198 local startups from January 2023 to June 2024 and found that 33 were profitable, with at least 20% annual growth and $5 million in revenue.

Of that group, 11 had over 60% growth and $10 million in annual revenue.

"I was shocked," Ng said, adding that 500 Global has since invested in five of those 11 firms.

Stronger currency boosts purchasing power

In Puchong, a town about 10 miles south of Kuala Lumpur, entrepreneurs Amirul Merican and Chor Chee Hoe were preparing just after dawn to meet their startup's new landlord. They're looking to move into a factory to expand production at their firm, Qarbotech, by 50 times.

In a garage space on the outskirts of the capital, their workers hauled tubs of grounded carbon to be heated into a patented liquid via a dozen or so kitchen microwaves.

That liquid is their product, a spray that Amirul and Chor say boosts crop yields for rice paddies and vegetables through improved photosynthesis.

Amirul said the last two years of political stability were a boon for their expansion plans.

Malaysia's stronger currency has made purchasing American equipment cheaper — like a giant industrial-level microwave they bought to replace their kitchen appliances.

The ringgit has strengthened by over 3% against the dollar over the past year, peaking with a 13% gain against the dollar in September.

"That's crazy," Amirul said of the gains in September, when they bought the microwave. "We have a stronger currency, more international companies looking at Malaysia."

Quelling the brain drain

One of Malaysia's long-term challenges is quelling a brain drain to Singapore, Australia, and the West.

More than 1.1 million Malaysians lived in Singapore in 2022, about three-quarters of whom were skilled or semi-skilled workers.

Jayant Menon, a senior fellow who studies Asian trade and investment at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, said if Malaysia does not fix issues like its talent exodus, the tech push could become a collection of short-term investments spilling over from the US-China trade war.

Amy, the analyst asked to assess Malaysia's tech scene, said the government should work on bringing middle-class female talent back into the workforce.

About 53% of Malaysian STEM graduates in 2021 were women, far higher than the global average of 29%.

"But the moment they enter the workforce, that number drops to about 43 to 44%," Amy said of how many working STEM professionals are women. Middle-income Malaysians are often under pressure to care for both their children and retiring parents, and many women choose to take on that role since they earn 33% less than men in the country, she added.

"Naturally, the women will stay at home," she said. "But we have all those women who we put on scholarships stuck at home."

Malaysia could also struggle with educational gaps for its future workforce.

Nearly a quarter of Malaysia's 17-year-old students failed math in the 2023 national exams, while another 28.9% scored a D or E grade, according to the Education Ministry.

The country has been grappling with inconsistent education policies, debating whether to offer science and math classes in English, Malay, or other mother tongues for the past two decades. Singapore's education and government are primarily in English, a decision that helped make the city-state a business hub.

On the global front, Malaysia must also overcome a hit to its reputation from a major 2015 corruption scandal, in which officials funneled $4.5 billion from its sovereign wealth fund 1MDB into their own pockets.

Kean, the founder who's building self-driving software, is aware of those potential pitfalls. But he said that for entrepreneurs like him, the only option for now is to keep going.

Since April 2022, Kommu says it has sold 400 dashcams, mostly to car enthusiasts. The company's next phase of development is creating software that can navigate to destinations and know when to exit highways.

His team is unsure where Kommu can take its dashcam or where their exits lie. But he hopes that a way up could come from local automakers noticing their work and reaching out.

"I think any entrepreneur will tell you that the best time to start is now," he said.

Correction, January 16, 12:45 p.m. SGT: An earlier version of this story misspelled a source's name. He is Kean Wei Wong, not Kean Wei Kong.

• Andrew Taylor, 70, left the US to retire in Malaysia a decade ago.
• He now lives in a two-bedroom condo in Kuala Lumpur, the capital city, that costs about $620 a month.
• "I probably would not be retired if I were still in the US," Taylor said.

At 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-50s. But the high cost of living in the US made it feel like a pipe dream.

"I realized that I was probably not going to be able to stay in the United States, or I was going to have to work until I was 80," Taylor, now 70, told Business Insider.

He started considering 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.

The conditions for the visa have been 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 category of visa they apply for, applicants are required to have minimum bank deposits of between $150,000 and $1 million and also buy property in Malaysia. The validity of the visa ranges from five years to 20 years. Because Taylor got a visa under an earlier version of the visa rules, he wasn't required to purchase property in Malaysia.

Having visited multiple 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 up his bags and moved from Washington, DC — where he'd lived for 40 years — to start the next chapter of his life.

Creating a dream apartment in the city

It's been 10 years since Taylor arrived in Malaysia. He spent seven years in Penang before moving to Kuala Lumpur, the capital city, three years ago.

He's been in his current rental — a two-bedroom condo — for about five months.

Taylor said his previous unit was on two floors, and he had to climb 20 steps to reach the bedroom. "I'm 70, and the stairs are irritating to me now, so I want it to be all on one floor," he said.

He said it took just one weekend to find his apartment, which was about 2 miles outside the city center. The view 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 view. I think if I'm going to be in KL, that's what I wanted," Taylor said.

His rent costs 2,800 Malaysian ringgit, or about $620, each month. It's a two-year lease with an option for a third year. Unlike his previous apartments, he opted for an unfurnished unit this time.

"I really never liked the furniture in the apartments that I was renting," he said, adding that he'd always been interested in interior design. Most of his furniture is sourced locally.

"It's sort of eclectic," he said, describing his apartment. "I have oriental carpets and things like that, but with modern furniture."

His apartment block is part of a five-building condo development, which offers amenities such as a pool and a gym.

This is Taylor's fifth apartment in Malaysia, and he says he plans to continue renting and riding around the city on his Vespa for the foreseeable future.

Lessons learned along the way have contributed to his decision. The first place he moved into after arriving in Malaysia was on the 35th floor of a building in Penang.

"The landlord said, 'Oh, they'll never build in front of it.' Well, yes, they built right in front of it immediately," he said. "If you buy a place, it's just harder to move on."

Americans are retiring abroad

Taylor isn't alone in his decision to retire abroad.

An analysis published in March of last year found that a single person would need to earn $96,000 a year to live comfortably in many major US cities. It comes as no surprise that more and more Americans are being priced out of the US.

There's also a retirement crisis sweeping across the nation, 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 over reported having no retirement savings. More than half of them also said they didn't think they'd have enough money to keep themselves afloat in retirement.

It's a sentiment that Taylor shares. "I probably would not be retired if I were still in the US," he said.

In contrast, the MM2H visa has made Malaysia an attractive destination for expats.

As of January 2024, there were 56,066 active MM2H pass holders in the country, Malaysia's minister of tourism, arts, and culture, Tiong King Sing, said during a parliament session, according to the local paper The Star. Chinese nationals formed about 44% of pass holders, followed by those from South Korea and Japan. There were 1,340 pass holders from the US. The ministry didn't respond to a request for comment sent by BI.

'Pretty similar' lifestyles in both countries

While Taylor's lifestyle in Malaysia is "pretty similar" to the one he had back in the States, he said, the lower cost of living means his money can go further each month.

"I would say I used to try to keep my budget to $2,000. Now it's a little bit more than that. I would say $2,500 is what I live on now," Taylor said, adding that he didn't think he could live on the same amount back in the US.

He has a basic health-insurance policy that costs 340 Malaysian ringgit each month.

"There are other much better policies, but I went with the cheap option," Taylor said. He says it covered only hospitalization and related costs.

He also said he was satisfied with Malaysia's healthcare facilities.

"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 felt safer in Malaysia.

"I've never felt safer anywhere. Where I lived in my last place outside D.C., sometimes I would hear gunshots from outside my window, and that just is so foreign here. There's nothing like that," he said. "I've never ever felt any uncomfortable feeling when I'm out, even alone walking around."

These days, Taylor spends his time filming YouTube videos about what it's like to live in Malaysia.

He said, however, that such a drastic move might not be for everyone — especially for those who have children, grandchildren, or even older parents. It only worked for him because he had loose family connections.

Looking back, Taylor said he'd learned not to be afraid of living outside his comfort zone.

"My family thought I would last about six months, and then I would come back," he said. "Ten years later, and I'm still here, and I have no intention of ever going back to the US."

Have you recently relocated to a new country and found your dream home? If you have a story to share, contact this reporter at [email protected].

• Malaysia's former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, 99, says eating in moderation is the key to longevity.
• "Age does not follow time. Age follows bodily health — the way you can function," he told Nikkei Asia.
• The number of people aged 80 or older is expected to reach 426 million worldwide, per WHO estimates.

Malaysia's former prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, will be 100 next year. His secret to longevity? Moderation.

"I don't eat too much. Obesity isn't good for survival," Mahathir told Nikkei Asia during an interview published in November.

"Age does not follow time. Age follows bodily health — the way you can function. Because of that, old age is not because of time; it's not because you are 60 that you are old. You may be 90, but if people at 90 are still strong, still able to work and function, then 90 would not be old age," he said.

Mahathir added that what people think of as old age has changed over time.

"At this moment, 60 or 65 is considered old, but we must remember that in the past, 30 was already old. During the time of Julius Caesar, leaders were only in their 30s because they died very early," he said.

Mahathir first served as Malaysia's prime minister from 1981 to 2003.

He reentered national politics in 2018 in a bid to unseat former prime minister Najib Razak, who had been accused of embezzling millions in state funds in the 1MDB scandal.

That same year, at age 92, Mahathir was elected as the country's prime minister once more — although he resigned a little under two years later.

Looking back on his political career, Mahathir shared that he regretted resigning from his post in 2003, "when I was not even 80 years old."

"When I was in my 70s, approaching 80, I told myself that 80 was very old. I thought I wouldn't be able to function well anymore. However, after I retired, I found that I was still able to work, still able to function," Mahathir said.

Experience comes with age, and society should try to retain older workers so as to not lose the wealth of knowledge that this demographic can provide, he said.

"If you retain older people in the workforce and allow them to continue working instead of retiring too early, you can benefit from their experience," Mahathir said.

During his second tenure as Malaysia's prime minister, Mahathir was considered one of the oldest elected world leaders. The oldest current national leader is President Paul Biya of Cameroon, who is 91 years old. In comparison, Joe Biden, at 82, is the oldest American president.

The number of people aged 80 or older is expected to triple between 2020 and 2050 to reach 426 million worldwide, per WHO estimates.

A representative for Mahathir did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by Business Insider.