09 January 2025 · Packing Up and Landing Smooth · Malaysia
Renting Furnished vs Unfurnished in Kuala Lumpur
Packing Up and Landing Smooth • Practical & Budget-Minded Advice from a KL Relocation Agent
Why this guide?
Every week I get the same Slack message from incoming clients:
“Should I pay extra for a fully furnished condo or go bare-bones and buy my own stuff?”
The answer isn’t a neat yes/no. It depends on cash-flow, visa horizon, lifestyle and—let’s be honest—how allergic you are to Allen keys and warehouse aisles.
Below is the exact decision framework I run through with newcomers, peppered with real rental data, cheeky anecdotes and money-saving hacks.
Kuala Lumpur Rental Market at a Glance
Kuala Lumpur (KL) packs the amenities of a global capital into a rental market that—despite pockets of exuberance—remains tenant-friendly.
| Segment | Typical Monthly Rent (MYR) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Studio/1-bed high-rise (furnished) | 1,800–3,200 | Targeted at expats & digital nomads |
| Studio/1-bed high-rise (unfurnished) | 1,300–2,400 | Same buildings, different finishing |
| 2-bed family condo (furnished) | 2,800–5,000 | Pool, gym and security standard |
| Terrace house (unfurnished) | 2,200–4,000 | Bang for buck, but car needed |
Supply currently outstrips demand in most areas (thanks, pandemic construction boom), so landlords are open to negotiation—especially for 18- or 24-month contracts.
Popular neighbourhoods on newcomers’ radar:
- Bangsar & Damansara Heights: leafy, walkable, pricy.
- Mont Kiara & Desa ParkCity: international schools, dog parks, Korean BBQ.
- KLCC & Bukit Bintang: city skyline views, traffic noise included at no extra cost.
- Subang Jaya & Petaling Jaya: suburban space, cheaper Grab rides into town.
Furnished vs Unfurnished: What Does KL Actually Mean?
Furnished (a.k.a. “Fully” or “Partially”)
In KL listings, “fully furnished” usually promises:
- Beds with mattresses
- Basic wardrobes & bedside tables
- Sofa + coffee table
- Dining set
- Kitchen cabinets, hob & hood
- Fridge, washer, occasionally a dryer
- Curtains & air-conditioners (air-cons are musts in KL’s humidity)
Partially furnished often strips that down to built-in kitchen plus air-cons. Always ask for an inventory sheet; the definitions turn fuzzier than a kopi-tarik foam if left verbal.
Unfurnished
Here “unfurnished” may mean four concrete walls, ceiling lights and air-cons—if you’re lucky. Some units arrive without:
- Water heaters
- Curtain rails
- Light fixtures (yes, bare bulbs are a fashion statement here)
Factor these “invisible” costs before you gloat over the lower advertised rent.
The Ringgit Breakdown: What You’ll Really Spend
Up-Front Costs
| Cost Item | Furnished | Unfurnished |
|---|---|---|
| Security Deposit (2 × rent) | Higher absolute RM, same multiple | Lower RM |
| Utility Deposit (½ × rent) | Same | Same |
| Furniture Purchase | 0 | RM6–15 k for a 1-bed, RM12–25 k for family size |
| Move-in Repairs (painting, lights) | Rarely | RM1–3 k |
| Agent Fee (if any) | 1 month’s rent | 1 month’s rent |
Keep in mind you’ll recover none of the shopping spree when you leave unless you resell (more on that later).
Recurring Costs
Furnished places may nudge the rent up ~RM400–700/month for a one-bed, but utility bills remain similar since air-cons, not sofas, guzzle the kilowatts.
Deposit & Contract Norms: No Surprises, No Drama
Malaysian rentals traditionally follow a 2 + 1 + ½ formula:
- TWO months’ rent = security deposit
- ONE month’s rent = advance month
- HALF month’s rent = utilities deposit (water + electricity)
Pro tips from the trenches:
- Request a joint inspection checklist with dated photos—landlord signs, you sign, everyone sleeps better.
- Make sure the Diplomatic Clause kicks in after 12 months, allowing you to break lease with 2-month notice if your employment or visa status changes.
- Landlords often ask for post-dated cheques. If you bank elsewhere, negotiate an online standing order instead.
Hidden & Not-So-Hidden Costs
- Parking: Some buildings include one bay, extra slots cost RM150–300/month.
- Wi-Fi: Fibre 300 Mbps runs ~RM149/month. Check if the unit is already wired.
- Maintenance fee: Usually baked into the rent. Confirm in writing.
- Air-con servicing: Tenants shoulder quarterly cleaning (~RM80 per unit).
Outfitting an Unfurnished Unit on a Budget
If you lean toward unfurnished to save on rent (or you want to curate a TikTok-worthy interior), gear up for a disciplined shopping sprint.
The Cheap-But-Cheerful Starter Pack
| Item | Where to Buy | MYR |
|---|---|---|
| Queen bedframe + mattress | IKEA “Luroy” + local mattress-in-a-box | 1,200 |
| Fridge (250L) | Used on Mudah.my | 700 |
| Washer (7 kg) | Senheng clearance sale | 900 |
| Sofa (2-seater) | Courts bundle deal | 600 |
| Dining set | Facebook Marketplace | 350 |
| Wardrobes (modular) | SSF Home | 1,100 |
| Curtains (blackout) | Mr. D.I.Y. + tailor hemming | 450 |
| Lights & fans | Lazada | 500 |
| Assembly/tools | Hardware shop | 250 |
Total: ≈ RM6,050—less than three months’ furnished-premium in Bangsar.
My “Three-Stop” Furniture Sprint
I schedule clients like this:
- Morning: IKEA Cheras for big items—deliver within 48 h.
- Lunch: Mudah.my pickups (armed with a hired “Lorry with Driver”, RM120/hour).
- Evening: Mr. D.I.Y. for bulbs, screws, miracle adhesive hooks.
Result: Keys to fully liveable unit in 72 hours, caffeine intake aside.
Resale & Exit Strategy
KL’s second-hand market is liquid. List items two weeks before departure:
- Facebook groups: “Expats in KL”, “Buy Sell Home Appliances KL”.
- Consignment stores: Jalan 222 PJ clusters will buy in bulk (60 % haircut).
You won’t recoup everything, but even 40 % payback beats leaving the sofa to gather tropical mold.
Exit Inspection Prep: Safeguard That Deposit
You’d be amazed how many deposits vanish over:
- Moldy air-con filters
- Burnt iron marks on IKEA tables
- Mystery grease in cooker hood
My standard pre-handover checklist (feel free to screenshot):
✓ General cleaning (hire a post-tenancy crew, RM200–300)
✓ Air-con service receipts (fresh filters = angelic landlord mood)
✓ Patch & touch-up walls (Dulux 5-in-1, colour “Brilliant White”, RM75)
✓ Replace spent light bulbs
✓ Steam-clean mattresses & sofa (esp. for furnished units)
✓ Final utility meter photos + WhatsApp timestamp
Pro tip: Invite the landlord for a pre-exit walkthrough one week early. Anything flagged, you can still fix for peanuts instead of kissing goodbye to 1.5 months’ rent.
Decision Matrix: Which Profile Are You?
| You Are | Opt For | Because |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year digital nomad on a multi-country sprint | Furnished | Time > money. Suitcase in, suitcase out. |
| Remote employee testing KL for 2–3 years | Lean furnished or partially | Negotiate to add/remove pieces; flexibility wins. |
| Family on MM2H long-term visa | Unfurnished | Custom kid-proof furniture, lower rent over horizon. |
| EU e-resident juggling visas (see our comparison) | Furnished | You’ve already got admin fatigue; skip the Allen keys. |
| Bootstrapping SaaS founder (reading our VAT primer) | Unfurnished in fringe suburb | Funnel savings into runway. |
Frequently Asked (and occasionally odd) Questions
Q: Can I request the landlord to partially furnish an unfurnished unit?
A: Absolutely. Many owners will throw in white goods or beds to secure a tenant—just stipulate these in the inventory list.
Q: Who fixes broken appliances in furnished flats?
A: By convention, mechanical failures (compressor kaput) are landlord’s duty; wear-and-tear parts (light bulbs, remote batteries) are yours. Again: spell it out in the tenancy.
Q: Any legal cap on deposit deductions?
A: Malaysia lacks a central tenancy deposit scheme. Itemised invoices are your only shield; keep every receipt like it’s crypto seed phrases.
Q: Are pets a no-go in condos?
A: Cats slide under the radar. Dogs depend on building bylaws—Mont Kiara is pet-friendlier than KLCC. Confirm before signing.
Parting Thoughts from Your KL Relocation Agent
When the calculators are closed and the packing tape is peeled off your fingers, the furnished vs unfurnished debate boils down to liquidity of time versus liquidity of cash. Both paths can be budget-wise if you plan exits as carefully as entries.
If you’re still torn—or you’d rather have someone crunch the numbers and line up vetted listings—BorderPilot’s free relocation plan takes five minutes to generate and might save you five weeks of scrolling property portals.
Safe landings, and see you at the mamak stall.