By Keith Hockton

Cities with a buzz, idyllic beaches, islands that seduce the senses, and some of the most pristine ancient rainforests in Southeast Asia—this is Malaysia. And these are just some reasons why I call it home.

It has everything. Its weather is a tropical 82 F all year round and its beaches, islands, and jungles are pristine. It has some of the region’s best street food, great restaurants, bars, shopping malls, and movie theaters—and it’s all affordable.

My wife, Lisa, and I vacationed in Malaysia in 2008 and at that stage, we were taking at least two holidays a year somewhere in Asia. When we got back and did the sums we realized that we could actually live in Malaysia and vacation back home, effectively reversing our situation and saving a heap of money. We started to make plans to do just that and moved to Penang in early 2010.

Malaysia’s an easy place to make friends and integrate as English is the unofficial first language, so you don’t have to learn another language here if you don’t want to. Malaysian law is based on the British system and all road signs are in both English and Malay, which makes driving around easy. Lots of expats live in Kuala Lumpur and Penang and numerous organizations here can help you get settled and integrated.

On $2,500 a month, a couple can live extremely well, rent in a modern high-rise with a pool, a gym, 24-hour gated security, covered car space or two, a shared communal area with a barbecue, and it will cost between $750 to $1,000 per month. For that price, you will get a modern 2,300-square-foot condo with three or four bedrooms, three to five bathrooms, and a balcony overlooking the ocean. If you don’t care to live with a view, or by the beach, you can rent a two- or three-bedroom place for about $550 to $650, which means you could easily live on less than $2,000 a month.

As for healthcare, when you compare surgery prices between the U.S. and Malaysia, the benefits are obvious. More than 1 million foreigners seek treatment in the hospitals in Penang and Kuala Lumpur every year. There are specialists in every hospital, but unlike in the U.S., you don’t have to wait for months to get an appointment. Just turn up to the hospital, register, then take a number and wait your turn. If you are then referred to another doctor or need to get an X-ray or scan, that will also happen on the same day in the same place.

Prescriptions in Malaysia cost a fraction of what you pay at home. But it’s not just the cost that’s attractive; it’s the service. The pharmacists, like the rest of Malaysia’s medical staff, are well trained and informed. Malaysians are friendly people, but it’s the genuine interest that they take in you, no matter how small or large the issue, which impresses. It takes you back to a time when personal service meant something. That same service is alive and well here.

There are direct flights to more than 30 different countries from Kuala Lumpur and Penang international airports. The country makes a perfect base from which you can explore the innumerable natural, historical, and cultural treasures that Southeast Asia has to offer. The proliferation of cheap Asian airlines in recent years has made it easier (and more affordable) than ever to explore Thailand, Indonesia, India, and Japan. In Malaysia, Asia is truly at your doorstep.

There are plenty of international grocery stores around as well, Tesco is one of the more popular ones, and you don’t have to forfeit your little tastes of home, like good cheese and French wine. In all the major cities, there are movie theaters playing the latest Hollywood flicks, and fantastic air-conditioned shopping malls to get your retail fix.

Making friends and meeting new people in Malaysia is easy. The locals are kind and curious about what expats and tourists think of their country. They are proud of being Malaysian, and second to asking where you are from, is the question, “have you eaten yet?” Food is a crucial part of the culture throughout Malaysia, so it isn’t uncommon for your taxi driver, store clerk, or hairstylist to tell you where to go for the best plate of noodles.