George Town’s population is just 740,000—small enough that it’s easy to make friends and meet people, yet large enough to have health care that meets international standards and to have easy availability to all the other goods and services you might need. Year-round sunny, warm weather, First World infrastructure, easy permanent residency, and English-speaking locals make the living here easy.
The island of Penang, including its capital city of George Town, is a paradise for food lovers. Many publications rate Penang as a top food destination in the world.
ECA International rated George Town as being the most livable city in Malaysia. We agree (and so do our taste buds). In our opinion, Penang is one of the top spots in all of Southeast Asia for long-term living and retirement.