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Malaysia has both public and private healthcare with medical expertise on par or better than most Western countries. In fact, Malaysia is known for its medical tourism. It’s among the world’s best—and cheapest.
Dentist studios are state-of-the-art, and are usually a pleasure to attend. As your seat reclines, a flat-screen TV showing Animal Planet episodes magically appears from the ceiling. Your mind is immediately someplace else as you feel yourself instantly relaxing.
An annual dental checkup costs about $26. A filling and a cleaning costs about $50. In Australia this treatment costs on average $190. Caps and implants are about half the price, and depending on where you go, if you really shop around, sometimes a third of what you would pay at home.
Prescriptions in Malaysia cost a third 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.
You don’t need an appointment to see a specialist either, and you don’t need a referral from a GP. It’s as simple as registering at a hospital of your choice and waiting in line to see your specialist of choice. They will usually see you within an hour. The staff are friendly, professional and genuinely happy to see you, and the majority of the doctors, surgeons, and dentists are trained in the U.S. or the UK. At the very least the majority of them have completed their postgraduate studies there.
Private health insurance with expat companies such as BUPA and Allianz Insurance will cover you for all emergencies, but it’s also a country where you forego cover due to the low charges. Gleneagles Private Hospital and the Lam Wah Ee Hospital charge just $16 and $10 respectively for daily nursing care. Private room charges start at $37, but for $120 you can have your own room with a private ensuite, a flat screen TV and an amazing view. It really is quality care at a fraction of the cost of what you pay elsewhere.
Last but not least, all of the doctors speak English. This is really important when you are going for a medical procedure. No matter how minor the operation or procedure, even if it’s just for a checkup, you want to be able to communicate clearly with your doctor. It also takes a lot of the stress out of what is already a tense situation.
Malaysia is a country where medical tourism has been taken to the next level, and on the whole they do it very well.
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There’s so much to love about island life in Penang, Malaysia. My wife and I rent a spacious 204-square-metre apartment—with a pool, gym and 24-hour security—for just $1,000 per month. Penang also has some of the best street food in Southeast Asia, we dine out regularly, three to four nights a week, and it costs as little as $5 each.
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