I spent 6 years in Kuala Lumpur: Here is what I missed most about Singapore

Born and bred in Singapore, Candy spent her childhood growing up in Pasir Ris, calling the “Far East” her home base.

Fast forward to her adult years; she fell in love with her husband, who happened to be Malaysian.

As it goes, this is not an uncommon occurrence in Singapore. Many locals are born in Malaysia and raised in Singapore, or ventured over the strait in latter years to study or work. Or vice-versa.

Long story short, circa 2017, Candy and her husband decided to relocate to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s capital, after they got married – a move she was very excited about. As her husband is the co-founder of an online travel publication, adventure is a passion they both share.

“We were mainly thinking of settling in KL because of the lower cost of living at that time and starting up the business in Kuala Lumpur,” Candy recalls, who was part of the travel publication team, too.

Returning permanently to Singapore in early 2023, we had a sit-down chat with the S’porean local to hear all about her time living in Malaysia, what she loved about the capital city, the differences between the two metropolises, and what she truly missed about living in Singapore.

Relocating to Kuala Lumpur

Candy and her husband found the transition from Singapore to Malaysia a relatively easy one, but of course, there were some difficulties.

“Between Singapore and Malaysia, many things are similar in terms of food, for example. Culture is slightly different. But you can’t really tell Singaporeans and Malaysians apart as we look alike,” she says. “So though most people speak English in Malaysia, many people assume I’m local and try to speak to me in Malay, which I obviously don’t understand. So, I either have to decipher what they’re saying or ask them to say it to me in English, and it gets a little embarrassing. After a while, I was like, maybe I should start to learn Bahasa. I tried learning, but I am a bad student and did not really practice a lot because, among my social circle in KL, I still spoke mainly English.”

Singaporeans have their Singlish, but English remains the country’s most widely used language.

While Candy did manage to get away with a little Bahasa, she did find it particularly useful to know some of the language when ordering food!

Neighbourhoods: Singapore vs Kuala Lumpur

Fortunately for the couple, they were easily able to purchase property in KL, as Candy’s husband is Malaysian. They bought a two-bedroom condo in Mont Kiara, an upmarket neighbourhood in the northwest part of downtown Kuala Lumpur.

“We had a really nice neighbourhood in Mont Kiara, which was pretty walkable (and by this, I mean 10 to 15 minutes). But Singaporean neighbourhoods are more convenient.”

Differences between neighbourhood settings in KL and SG include:

• Everything is walkable in SG. In KL, you need a car to drive to the shops, malls or a private gym.
• Public parks are more frequent in SG, but more scattered in KL.
• Playgrounds and outdoor fitness corners are more common in SG; in KL, it’s not that common.
• Neighbourhoods are more widespread in KL compared to SG.

Generally speaking, neighborhoods are more convenient in Singapore compared to Kuala Lumpur, with plenty of food options, cafes and laundry services often located right below apartments or within a few minutes’ walk.

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Housing Types: Singapore vs Kuala Lumpur

Upon moving back to Singapore in 2023, the couple settled in Central Singapore in Balestier, where, for now, they are renting a private one-bedroom apartment. However, they are working towards buying the property, and are currently in a transition period.

“In Singapore, most people stay in HDBs, but in KL, it’s a bit different. In Malaysia, public housing is very different,” Candy explains.

• According to Candy, Singapore housing is:
• Very advanced, more modern and very clean
• Within close proximity to hawker centres and neighbourhood supermarkets
• Well set up in terms of safety and security

Transport: Singapore vs Malaysia

Candy shared that transport is a lot more convenient in Singapore, specifically regarding MRTs.

• Singapore is home to more MRT stops, often within a minute or two of your home.
• The MRT stops are more spread out in Kuala Lumpur.
• Some areas of KL don’t have MRT stations.

In terms of efficiency of the MRT stations, both cities are on par.

Candy and her husband owned a car in Kuala Lumpur, noting it was a lot more convenient and affordable than in Singapore. On the flip side, traffic in the capital city of Malaysia can become nightmarish, especially during peak hour traffic.

“You have to be prepared to spend more time in traffic in KL, whereas in Singapore, traffic isn’t as bad because of the accessibility of the MRT…You don’t have to be stuck in a traffic jam,” she tells. “In KL, when leaving the office, you have to leave before 5 PM, otherwise you will be stuck in major traffic jams for hours.”

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Affordability: Singapore vs Malaysia

“The bigger condos are a lot more expensive in Singapore than what you would pay for that size condo in KL. The price you pay for a condo in Malaysia, you can only buy a very small HDB in Singapore.”

Interestingly, though, Candy did explain that general affordability in terms of living costs depends on the currency that you’re earning. Whilst living in Malaysia’s capital, the couple still earned the Singaporean dollar. But if you’re a local or expat living in Malaysia and you’re earning the Malaysian ringgit and spending this currency in Kuala Lumpur, it’s more expensive than spending habits in Singapore.

“If I earn SGD $3000, it would be SGD $4 for a plate of chicken rice. But if I earn RM 3000, it costs RM 8 to RM 10 for a plate of chicken rice.”

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Travel Logistics: Singapore vs Malaysia

For day-trips, it’s much easier to travel out of Kuala Lumpur than Singapore; you can easily drive from A to B. The only place you can drive out to for a day-trip from Singapore is Johor Bahru, or take an hour ferry to Batam, but that involves passports.

For overseas travel, Singapore wins in terms of convenience.

“Because it’s a small island, the airport is never far. In Kuala Lumpur, the airport is in the middle of nowhere. It takes an hour just to drive there, so you need to add more travel time to your plans when travelling out of KL.”

City Life: Singapore vs Malaysia

Home and Decor: What did you love most about Kuala Lumpur and the city life here?

“I would say firstly, Malaysia is a bigger country, so there are more places to travel to. You can always take a day trip to Malacca or the Genting Highlands, just one hour away. Singapore is a small island; what can you do? You need to leave the country, bring passports; it’s a bit of a hassle. I guess what I loved best about staying in KL is the accessibility to many cities, like Penang – which is great for food!”

Home and Decor: How does KL city life differ from SG city life?

“In Singapore, everything is more orderly in a sense, everything goes according to the law. In KL, there’s a little more chaos, but it’s not a bad thing. For example, you can talk your way through things. In Singapore, no means NO.”

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Food: Singapore vs Malaysia

In the spirit of the upcoming National Day, we had to throw in a food-related question!

But even for this local Singaporean, choosing which city was better on the food front was a tough one for her. Both cities are home to a melting pot of cultures, which pours into each one’s local food dining scene. Plus, a lot of the food you find in Singapore, you will discover in Kuala Lumpur.

“It’s a difficult one to choose because whatever you want to get in Singapore, you can get in Malaysia. It’s very comparable.”

Some notable differences, though, weren’t so much in the food but regarding other factors.

Candy noted that local cuisine is easier to find in Singapore, whereas in Kuala Lumpur, if you want to find local food, you need to drive to get it.

“The local food in Malaysia was better at a time, but it got worse when living costs increased. Now, I think the local hawker centres have gotten better in Singapore, but that’s because a lot of Malaysians moved to Singapore and they are the ones cooking it,” she jokes affectionately.

This couple, especially Candy’s husband, loves to cook, try new recipes, and even bake.

“He is a perfectionist, so he will do different iterations till he is satisfied. When I am helping him, he’ll tell me whether it is the right texture or if I have creamed anything enough, and I’m the “assistant” following instructions.”

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The transition back home

One thing Candy does miss about living in Kuala Lumpur is the pace of life; slower and not as stressful.

“You can’t get everything so efficiently in KL, whereas Singapore is very fast. You can do a lot of things in a day, like 30 tasks, but then I am tired. In KL, you simply can’t because of traffic, or the administrative offices are slower. You are forced to slow down. Take a breather,” she says. “It’s not as stressful. You feel the energy in your environment. In Singapore, people are like, let’s do A, B, C, D, E, F and G in a day. Whereas in Kuala Lumpur, people are like, okay, let’s take a break and drink tea. When the pace is different you learn to slow down.”

Whilst there were some obvious moving logistics involved, the couple’s transition back to Candy’s home country in early 2023 was relatively easy. When her husband got a job offer he couldn’t refuse, the couple decided to once again call Singapore their home.

That being said, they aren’t opposed to living in Kuala Lumpur again if there’s the right opportunity and doors open suitable to them at that point in time.

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