City Profile

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur is the vibrant heart of Malaysia and an emerging tech hub in Southeast Asia. The city offers an unbeatable combination of low cost of living, excellent infrastructure, and a multicultural, English-speaking environment. Perfect for digital nomads and remote entrepreneurs exploring Asia.

Region: asia-pacificClimate Zone: tropicalUpdated: 2025-01-05Data Version: 2026-02medium

low-taxresidency-friendlyremote-readyhealthcare-strong

Hero Image Slot: Generated Atlas visual

Primary location visual for SEO/social and profile context.

Map Slot

Lat 3.1412 / Lon 101.68653

OpenStreetMapOpen map

Lifestyle Gallery Slots

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Neighborhood life

Neighborhood LifeGenerated Atlas visual

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Mobility and work rhythm

Work & MobilityGenerated Atlas visual

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Housing and daily setup

Housing & Daily SetupGenerated Atlas visual

Residency Quick Facts

Entry Rule

Residency Path

3-12 Monate, verlängerbar

Top Personal Tax

Data Version

2026-02

More Cities In The Same Country

No additional city entries.

More Cities In The Same Region

Melbourne, Australia Sydney, Australia Phnom Penh, Cambodia Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR China Bangalore, India Bali, Indonesia Uluwatu, Bali, Indonesia Kyoto, Japan

This is a directory, not a ranking and not legal, tax, or financial advice.

Climate

City Native

Climate Typetropical
Climate Comfort Score 1 52 score_1_5
Temp Summer Avg C32 c
Temp Winter Avg C27 c
Rainy MonthsOct, Nov, Dec
Best MonthsJan, Feb, Jun, Jul

Sources: Open-Meteo Climate API (api);

Environment

Hybrid

Environment Quality Score 1 52 score_1_5
City Air Quality Referenceiqair_proxy
Air Policy Strengthlow

Sources: World Air Quality Index (index); World Bank Governance Indicators (official_statistics);

Nature

Country Proxy

Nature Access Score 1 52 score_1_5
Coast AccessNo

Sources: World Bank Governance Indicators (official_statistics);

Cost of Living

Country Native

Cost Value Score 1 54 score_1_5
Col Index Ch 10035 index
Rent 1br Myr Min1500 myr
Rent 1br Myr Max3000 myr
Monthly Budget Myr Min4000 myr
Monthly Budget Myr Max8000 myr

Sources: World Bank PPP Indicators (official_statistics); Numbeo Cost of Living (crowdsourced);

Safety

Country Native

Safety Stability Score 1 53 score_1_5
Rule Of Law Bandmedium

Sources: Global Peace Index (index); World Bank Governance Indicators (official_statistics);

Healthcare

Country Native

Healthcare System Score 1 54 score_1_5
Healthcare Quality Bandgood

Sources: WHO Global Health Observatory (official_statistics);

Infrastructure

Hybrid

Infrastructure Connectivity Score 1 55 score_1_5
Internet Mbps100 mbps
Coworking Presencemany
International SchoolsYes

Sources: World Bank Governance Indicators (official_statistics); Ookla Speedtest Global Index (index); Google Places (api);

Social / Community

Country Native

Social Cultural Fit Score 1 54 score_1_5
English Accesshigh

Sources: World Bank Governance Indicators (official_statistics);

Education

Country Native

Education Access Score 1 53 score_1_5
International SchoolsYes

Sources: OECD Education at a Glance (official_statistics);

Residency Access

Country Native

Residency Access Score 1 52 score_1_5
Visa Option Count3 count
Entry Duration3-12 Monate, verlängerbar text

Sources: IATA Timatic (dataset); Official Immigration Authorities (documentation);

Residency Path

Country Native

Residency Path Score 1 51 score_1_5
Temporary Residence3-12 Monate, verlängerbar text
Permanent Residence AvailableNo

Sources: Official Immigration Authorities (documentation);

Taxes

Country Native

Tax Competitiveness Score 1 55 score_1_5
Personal Income Tax Estimated Pct10 pct

Sources: PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries (documentation);

Everyday Life

Country Proxy

Convenience Daily Life Score 1 55 score_1_5
Seasonalitymedium

Sources: World Bank Governance Indicators (official_statistics); Numbeo Cost of Living (crowdsourced);

Advantages

Extremely affordable cost of living
English widely spoken
Multicultural environment (Malay, Chinese, Indian)
Excellent flight connectivity across Asia
Modern infrastructure and fast internet
DE Rantau Visa for digital nomads

Disadvantages

Hot, humid climate year-round
Air quality sometimes problematic (haze)
Traffic can be very stressful
Banking for foreigners more complicated

Ideal For

Digital nomads and remote workers
Bootstrap startups on small budgets
Asia explorers as home base
Content creators and online business

Not Ideal For

Those who prefer moderate climate
Outdoor enthusiasts (limited options)
Enterprise entrepreneurs with premium requirements

Field Intelligence

Housing: KLCC and Bukit Bintang central but pricier. Mont Kiara for expat feeling. Bangsar for hipster vibe.
Banking: Maybank or CIMB for local account, but complicated for foreigners. Wise + Revolut as alternative.
Bureaucracy: DE Rantau is the easiest path. SSM for company formation. Labuan for offshore options.
Work: WORQ and Common Ground for coworking. KL Tech Community on Meetup.com. Startup Grind KL.
Expat friction: WORQ and Common Ground for coworking. KL Tech Community on Meetup.com. Startup Grind KL.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Kuala Lumpur ranked as top in Atlas?

No. Atlas provides profile data without ranking or recommendation logic.

When was the Kuala Lumpur profile updated?

lastUpdated: 2025-01-05, dataVersion: 2026-02.

What source logic applies to Kuala Lumpur?

Atlas follows official > index > proxy > crowdsourced. Crowdsourced is never primary.