Career Advice
I quit my stable job to freelance full-time — one year later, honest update
by Suraya Kamarulzaman·May 24, 2026
Left a RM7,000/month salaried role to freelance as a UX consultant. Here are the actual numbers.
Income:
- Month 1—3: RM2,500—4,000 (terrifying)
- Month 4—6: RM5,500—7,000 (stabilising)
- Month 7—12: RM8,000—14,000 (better than salaried)
What I got right: Started building my client pipeline 6 months before quitting. Didn't jump cold.
What was harder than expected: Taxes and financial planning. No automatic EPF, no medical benefits, no PCB. You manage all of this yourself.
What was better than expected: The autonomy. Choosing clients, hours, and location. Quality of life improvement was real.
Would I go back to salaried? Right now, no.