Where to Base Yourself in Malaysia as a Digital Nomad

The capital has Malaysia’s biggest nomad and expat community, the most coworking spaces, excellent transport, and condos with infinity pools at prices that shock visitors from Singapore. Bukit Bintang, KLCC, Mont Kiara and Bangsar are the favourite areas. It is hot and stormy, and outside the centre you will rely on Grab. See the Kuala Lumpur digital nomad guide.

An island in the north-west, connected to the mainland by bridges and a ferry. Its capital, George Town, is a UNESCO-listed maze of shophouses, temples, street art and hawker stalls, and some say the best food in Malaysia. Beach suburbs such as Tanjung Bungah and Batu Ferringhi have sea-view condos. It has excellent hospitals and a relaxed pace. See the Penang digital nomad guide.

A duty-free island of 99 islets off the north-west coast, with beaches, mangroves, rainforest and cable-car views. Alcohol and many goods are cheap, rents are moderate, and life is slow. Most long-stayers live near Pantai Cenang or Pantai Tengah. You need a car or scooter, the nomad community is small, and medical care for anything serious means a flight to Penang or Kuala Lumpur.

The capital of Sabah in Malaysian Borneo, with island-hopping in Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, diving, and Mount Kinabalu on the horizon. It is relaxed, affordable and close to world-class nature, from orangutans to Sipadan. Sabah runs its own immigration controls on top of Malaysia’s, so check your entry rules. Flights connect it to Kuala Lumpur and several Asian cities.

The capital of Sarawak, also on Borneo, is a calm, green riverside city with good food, cafes and easy access to national parks, longhouses and orangutan centres. It is cheap and friendly but quiet, with few other nomads. Sarawak, like Sabah, has its own immigration controls.

A two-and-a-half-hour train ride north of Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh has a beautiful old town, limestone hills and cave temples, and a food scene that Malaysians travel for. Rents are among the lowest in the country. It is quiet in the evenings and has little coworking, but it suits people who want a slow, cheap life with KL in reach.

A historic port two hours south of Kuala Lumpur, with Portuguese, Dutch and British history, a riverside old town and Peranakan food. It gets busy with weekend tourists, but rents are low and the pace is easy. It works best for people who like small cities and day trips.

Malaysia’s second city sits across the causeway from Singapore. Rents and daily costs are a fraction of Singapore’s, which makes it popular with people who have clients, partners or reasons to be in Singapore regularly. The causeway crossing can be slow at rush hour; the RTS Link train is set to make it much quicker. It is a car-centred city with limited charm, but practical.

A hill station at around 1,500 metres, with tea plantations, strawberry farms, jungle trails and temperatures of 15 to 25°C. It is a relief from the lowland heat. There is little nightlife and no nomad scene, the internet is fine in the main towns, and weekends get busy with visitors from KL.

• Start in Kuala Lumpur or Penang for the biggest communities and easiest setup.
• Plan around the monsoons. The east coast islands close from November to February, and Borneo is wettest at the same time.
• Check Sabah and Sarawak rules before moving to Borneo; they have their own immigration controls.
• Think about transport. Outside Kuala Lumpur, most bases need Grab, a car or a scooter.
• Check the internet before you sign. Most condos have fibre, but ask for a speed test.