"Go Then?" — Malaysian Slammed For Saying He'd Leave KL If He Got RM10K Salary In Melaka
Many, however, defended him, arguing that his frustration is valid, even if the salary goal was a bit of a stretch.
By Sadho Ram — 27 May 2025, 11:06 AM
A Malaysian Redditor recently stirred up a heated discussion after venting about how living in Kuala Lumpur no longer feels worth it, unless you're earning a lot more than what most people make
The poster took to the r/Bolehland subreddit to complain that despite spending five years working in KL, the high cost of housing, food, and transport continues to drain him, especially when salaries remain low.
In the blunt post, the poster said that while KL might offer more opportunities, the cost of staying here far outweighs the benefits, especially when compared to other countries, like Singapore.
"KL isn't worth it [...] The issue I have is it's overpriced. Maybe it's not a KL problem but a country problem. Food price and transportation is higher than [Singapore] based on our salary," he said.
He went on to say that he'd rather move back to his hometown in Melaka if he could get a salary of RM10,000 a month there, arguing that he'd be able to live much more comfortably.
"If I'm able to earn RM10,000 a month in Melaka, [the quality of] my life would improve so much. No house debt, no highway tolls. I just want peace of mind and work-life balance," he concluded.
Some sympathised with his frustration, but not his salary expectation
A number of commenters related to the post and acknowledged the growing cost-of-living crisis. But many quickly called the RM10,000 salary goal unrealistic for a second-tier city like Melaka.
"Melaka is nice, but RM10,000 there? Not happening unless you're in a high-income niche," one user said, adding that employers in smaller cities often use the "this is not KL" excuse to justify lowball salaries.
Others pointed out how his take ignores the economic reality many Malaysians face.
"If it was that easy, everyone would be earning RM10,000 in smaller cities and living it up. But it's not. People move to KL for opportunities, not for fun," said another, while adding that KL isn't for everyone.
Others weren't so gentle, calling the poster out for being all talk
"Go then? No one is stopping you," wrote one of the top comments, echoing the thoughts of many who were clearly tired of these kinds of rants on the platform, where people just whine without actually doing anything.
One user even said, "These are the kind of people who threaten to quit every month but never do. They don't deserve to enjoy life."
Others joked that if people like him actually left, KL might finally get a breather from traffic congestion, saying, "My life would improve too if you went back to your kampung. No more jam."
However, some Redditors stepped in to defend the poster, arguing that his frustration is valid, even if the salary goal was a bit of a stretch
Some commenters pushed back on the negativity, saying it was unfair to judge someone for expressing frustration.
"You're projecting hard, man. Someone vents and suddenly you're at war with them," one said in response to a hateful comment that said "people like the poster don't deserve to enjoy life".
Meanwhile, another user pointed out that comparing KL's cost of living to Singapore's isn't as absurd as it sounds — not when you factor in purchasing power.
"People love to say Singapore is expensive, but they ignore how far the SGD stretches. In KL, RM3.5K barely gets you by. Car is a must, rent is high. But with SGD, you can kaotim everything — food, rent, even shopping — and still save," said one.
Another commenter added that the real problem is Malaysia's lopsided development — with everything too focused on Klang Valley, while other cities get left behind.
"KL makes sense for people with strong incomes, family property, or business needs. But the rest of us are here not by choice, but necessity," he added.
