JAKARTA/KUALA LUMPUR – For many migrant workers from Southeast Asia, overseas employment promises a path to a better life. With wages often several times higher than in their home countries, destinations like Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, and Hong Kong are seen as lands of opportunity. But the reality is far more complex: many still live paycheck to paycheck, burdened by rising costs, family remittances, and financial insecurity.
On the streets of downtown Penang, Malaysia, Rosa Angelina calls out to tourists in Malay, English, and Mandarin, promoting her restaurant’s signature noodle dish. The 32-year-old Indonesian has worked in Malaysia for nearly a decade, earning RM2,000 (US$443) a month—more than triple what she’d make at home and above the minimum wage thanks to her multilingual skills.
Still, Rosa struggles to stay afloat. Half of her income goes to her family in North Sumatra. What remains covers meals, transport, and a shared room more than an hour from work.
“I used to live closer to the city, but rent’s just too high now,” she said. “Even when I’m exhausted after a long day, I remind myself why I’m here — for my family.”
Her story is echoed across the region.
In Kuala Lumpur, a Myanmar worker named Kyaw earns the same monthly wage sweeping floors in a Chinese mixed-rice shop. Despite being undocumented and having only one day off per month, he sends RM1,000 home. But bribes to avoid arrest and other unexpected expenses frequently cut into what little he has left.
“I came here legally in 2017,” he said. “But my permit expired, and I couldn’t afford to renew it. Now I’m stuck. If I go back, there’s no work.”
Wages Rise, But So Do Prices
Millions of workers from countries such as Indonesia, Myanmar, and the Philippines migrate to escape poverty. While they earn more abroad, that money is often quickly consumed by housing, food, and family support.
In Hong Kong, the minimum wage has climbed 33% since 2013, but housing and food prices have surged at a similar pace. In the UAE, monthly wages for laborers rose from 1,100 to 1,500 dirhams (US$408), while rent has increased 5–10% annually. Malaysia’s minimum wage rose from RM900 in 2013 to RM1,500 today—and is set to increase again next year—but rent and food prices have grown even faster.
“Everything’s more expensive now—both here and in Indonesia,” said Rosa. “Even with a raise, I’m still struggling.”
Chasing Survival, Not Prosperity
For some, earning more hasn’t improved their standard of living. Kurnia Adi, a construction foreman from Indonesia, has worked in Malaysia for over 30 years.
“There’s less overtime now,” he said. “Many workers rely on that extra income. And with living costs going up, what we send home is shrinking.”
Kurnia, who holds a valid work visa, hopes to return home and start a business. “We came here to improve our lives, but it’s becoming harder and harder to do that,” he said.
Undocumented migrants face the harshest conditions. Ari Yulianto, 40, spent nearly 20 years doing odd jobs in Malaysia, often going hungry and being underpaid—or not paid at all.
“I had to live on instant noodles—sometimes nothing,” he said. “One boss paid me RM25 a day instead of RM100. Another never paid me for three months. But I couldn’t report it — I was undocumented.”
Without legal protections, many undocumented workers endure exploitation, unsafe workplaces, and withheld wages.
The Invisible Costs of Migration
Beyond wages and rent, many migrants face hidden costs. Upfront recruitment fees, debts to agencies, and the pressure to appear successful on social media all contribute to long-term financial strain.
A lack of financial literacy also plays a role. Many workers fail to budget or save effectively, even when their earnings exceed what they made back home. The result is a cycle of hard labor with few long-term gains.
According to Channel News Asia, while migration continues to offer opportunity, the promise of prosperity often fades under the weight of real-life pressures.
For Rosa, Kyaw, and countless others, the dream of financial freedom abroad remains elusive — a goal pursued at great personal cost, with no guarantee of ever arriving.
