I try to analyze the data. Are we able to work at KL but live outside KL? Well given that house price in KL is too expensive to buy, more than affordable for rental. But the prices is way lower should you go far out of KL. For example like the place I am living now, Rawang.
But does the cheaper price of houses justify the travelling cost included?
Lets do the math.
For example the current job that I applied, the work days is 6 days a week. That means working on saturday. Lets take out our calculator.
First is travel by car. Assuming you already own one. The cost involve is:
- Fuel: RM10 daily (back and forth about RM60/week)
- Toll: RM7.20 daily (back and forth)
- Parking: RM3 ~ RM6 daily/entry (depend on where the parking lot is)
- Total daily is: RM20.20 ~ 23.20
- Total monthly: RM464.60 ~ 533.60 (assuming 23 days work per month)
Second is to travel by public transport
- Bus: RM2.40 daily (back and forth to Rawang KTM station)
- Train: RM6.60 daily (back and forth Rawang – KL)
- Total daily: RM9.00
- Total monthly: RM207
But if you were to take normal road and find free parking, the cost by traveling with car is just RM10 for fuel. Unless you stuck on long hours jam and risk of empty fuel tank… You’re force to re-fill petrol and it will cost more than RM10 daily. So the monthly cost is around RM230++ but you got to go early to grab the free parking space.
The other things is you can’t predict anything to happen everyday. You could be facing on heavy traffic jam. You also could be facing with problematic KTM train. Both will make you arrive late for work. At least in your own car, you still looks ok. In tin sardine KTM and delayed, you would looks like…. uh! And smell… (especially going back home).
Parking in KL is terrible. If your company got adequate parking at the building, maybe driving your own car wouldnt be a problem. Or you could just paid for monthly parking at any parking lot.
I would say taking public transport is the cheapest way to go. But once reach KL, you need to walk a bit to go to your workplace. It does help if your workplace is closer to any train station. On bright day I will enjoy walking to my office. On a rainy day… Not as much. Need to bring extra shoes… And umbrella of course 