Living in Kuala Lumpur

Situated in the Asia Pacific region, Malaysia enjoys a strategic location and a year-round tropical climate. Its welcoming people, diverse cultural celebrations, and amazing variety of cuisines all contribute to making Kuala Lumpur a great place to call home.

The ISKL campus is located in Ampang Hilir, a leafy neighborhood in the heart of Kuala Lumpur (KL). With a blend of landed homes, condominiums, and high-rise apartment buildings, finding accommodation close to school is an easy task. There are numerous restaurants, cafes, shopping malls and activities for children located close by, as well as easy access to the iconic Petronas Twin Towers and KL’s bustling nightlife.

For those looking to live outside the city center, other popular expat neighborhoods include Mont Kiara, Bangsar, Damansara, and Sri Hartamas. These, and other key residential areas are serviced by ISKL’s dedicated fleet of buses. More information about ISKL’s bus service can be found here.

24 Hours in Ampang

For an overview of Ampang, check out this video from Danial Marzuki, ISKL Class of 2017.

Time

Malaysia is 8 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and 16 hours ahead of United States Pacific Standard Time (PST).

Local Time (+8 GMT):

Language

Bahasa Malaysia is the official language of Malaysia but English is also widely spoken. People frequently mix both Bahasa Malaysia and English into their speech. Chinese and Tamil are also commonly spoken in Malaysia.

Electricity

Electricity supply is on a 240-volt, 50-cycle system, and the power sockets that are used are type G.

Health

Health care in Malaysia is excellent. There are first-class hospitals and medical facilities that are comparable to the best in the world. Medical care is also relatively inexpensive.

Currency

The national currency is the Ringgit Malaysia (RM). Foreign currencies can be changed at banks or authorized money-changers throughout the country. Most major credit cards are accepted with Visa and MasterCard being the most common, and American Express is accepted in selected places in major tourist areas. Many banks are also linked to international banking networks such as Cirrus, Maestro and Plus, allowing withdrawals from overseas savings or checking accounts.

Transportation

The train system (LRT and MRT) in KL is modern and efficient. Buses are an inexpensive way to travel around Kuala Lumpur and bus routes are everywhere. Taxis and e-hailing services (Grab) are readily available. Flights in and out of Malaysia are plentiful, and Kuala Lumpur is home to several regional and global carriers.