Thinking of returning to Malaysia after years abroad, will I regret the pay cut?

Came back after 8 years, here's my honest reflection. The pay cut is real, don't sugarcoat it, headline salaries here are lower. But you must compare cost of living adjusted, your ringgit stretches much further at home, housing, food, help, family support, so the 'cut' in lifestyle terms is smaller than the number suggests, especially if you saved abroad. What people underestimate: (1) Being near ageing parents is priceless and time-limited, many who stayed abroad for money regret not being there when it mattered, that's the recurring theme I hear. (2) Reverse culture shock is real for a few months (efficiency, driving, bureaucracy) but you readjust. (3) Career-wise, your overseas experience is actually an asset here, many MNCs and local firms value returnees, negotiate on your experience. My regret would've been NOT coming back in time for my parents. Money you can always make more of, time with family you cannot. If your finances are stable, home and family often win. Plan the transition, maybe secure a job before returning, but don't let salary alone decide.

Balik for good 3 years ago, no regret about the family part, got to be there for my dad's health issues, that alone worth everything. Career did slow slightly at first but my overseas experience opened doors after a year, now doing fine. Tips: (1) Line up a job or plan before you fully move back, don't come home jobless with a foreign lifestyle budget. (2) Reset your spending expectations, the reverse shock is partly financial, adjust and it's fine. (3) Use your savings wisely, maybe property while you had strong currency income. Homesickness doesn't go away with more money, but being present with parents, that you can't buy back later.

Different take, don't romanticise it either. Some friends came back purely emotional then struggled with the pay and got restless within a year, a couple went abroad again. So be realistic: can you accept the salary and pace here long term, or are you running on emotion? What made it work for those who stayed happily: a clear reason (parents, kids, quality of life), financial cushion from the abroad years, and a job that uses their overseas edge. If you have those, the homesickness answer is clear. If purely money-driven, you might not settle. Weigh honestly what you value most at this stage of life.