🇸🇬➡️🇲🇾 The COE Escape: Trading Our Car for a JB Golf Life (And Should You Retire Here Too?)
Every Singaporean golfer knows the feeling. You love the game. You crave those beautiful, open courses. You look across the Causeway. Malaysia offers prime golf and incredible value.
But then reality hits. You calculate the transport cost. You consider the time commitment. Then, the true financial giant looms: the Certificate of Entitlement (COE).
For my husband and me, the renewal shock was too much. The cost was simply astronomical. So, we made a radical choice. We eliminated the car. Crucially, we didn’t give up our golf life. We gained access to more golf. We decided to trade the COE pain for a semi-retirement golf dream across the border.
1. The Catalyst: COE Shock & The Great Downsize
The math was inescapable. The price to renew our car’s COE was staggering. It demanded too much of our retirement capital. It would only buy us ten more years of city driving. We had to ask: What is that money better spent on?
The decision became clear. We chose a more comfortable retirement. The immediate financial relief was immense.
The big question followed quickly: How do we get our golf life established across the Causeway before the car is scrapped?
The answer became our new retirement blueprint. We would use a fraction of the COE money to fund a more golf-centric life. We made a strategic move. We rented a small, comfortable 1-bedroom condo in JB. This gives us a permanent base. Therefore, we traded the constant expense of car ownership for guaranteed access to better practice.
2. The Logistics Challenge: The Final Run
This was the final mission for our old car. It was simple logistics. We loaded the car one last time. It carried the essentials. Crucially, it carried our two golf bags. We drove across the Causeway. We cleared customs one last time in our own car. We delivered all the luggage directly to our new JB apartment.
After this final, optimized move, we scrapped the car in Singapore.
The Permanent Solution: Our golf bags are now stored permanently in the secure JB apartment. Our trip is now simple. We take the bus or taxi to the CIQ. We clear customs smoothly. Then, we use Grab to the apartment. Essentially, our most bulky items are already waiting for us. This makes every future border crossing fast and light.
The Ultimate Local Fix: Buying a Cheap Car
But a new idea emerged. So, why not buy a cheap local car? A reliable used sedan or local car that easily fits our two golf bags can cost only from RM 40,000 (about S$11,000). A model like the Proton Saga has the boot space we need. This one-time purchase is vastly cheaper than the COE. It gives us total freedom during our week-long stays. This solves the transport problem entirely!
3. The JB Golf Lifestyle: Week On, Week Off
We are now retired. This means we can stay a full week every other week. This is our perfect rhythm.
The Accommodation & Recovery: We found a great 1-bedroom apartment. Crucially, this rental offers resort-style amenities. It has a great swimming pool and a balcony with a very nice view of greeneries. We chill there after a morning round. Many units are available for under RM2,000 per month (about S$600). This is a tiny fraction of the COE cost.
Game Improvement Focus: This is the biggest gain. A round at a top JB course can cost less than S$60. That’s cheaper than a driving range session in Singapore! Our financial pivot allows us to play two or three rounds per week. This constant access is the true secret to finally improving our game.
The Financial Pivot: We traded hundreds of thousands of dollars in COE debt for a RM40,000 asset and cheap rent. Our retirement fund stretches far here. The exchange rate is strong. In short, we can save thousands of dollars yearly.
4. The Retirement Question: Can We Really Retire in Johor Bahru?
The quality of life here is high. The cost is low. This leads to the big question: Should we retire here permanently?
The main obstacle is the visa. Tourists are limited to 30-day stays. For a longer residency, we need the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) program.
For those over 50, the requirements are still steep. The Silver Tier requires a USD 150,000 fixed deposit and a minimum RM600,000 property purchase.
However, a potential loophole exists. The Special Economic Zone (SEZ) MM2H offers a lower threshold. For those over 50, the fixed deposit drops to USD 32,000. But note this: Property purchase is restricted to designated zones (currently only at Forest City).
This is the trade-off. Do we use our savings for the MM2H program? Or do we stick to our current week-on/week-off pattern, complete with our cheap local car? For now, the flexibility of our current plan and the immediate cost savings are appealing.
What’s Your Play?
Our COE sacrifice turned a costly problem into a rewarding lifestyle change. We are playing more golf. We are spending less money. Crucially, we are going to play enough to finally improve our scores. We are loving the vibrant, affordable life in JB.
Have you or someone you know made the move to semi-retire in JB for the golf life? Did you buy a local car? What’s the best way to get a big golf bag across the Causeway without a car? Share your tips in the comments below.
Also read about Golf at Johor