📅 Last verified: June 2026. State prices, consent levies and loan margins move often. Anything marked † is most likely to have changed — confirm with the state land office (PTG — Pejabat Tanah dan Galian), LHDN (the tax authority) or your bank before you commit.
The short version
- Yes, foreigners can buy — in your own name, freehold or leasehold, no visa needed.
- But: each state sets a minimum price (usually RM1m, higher in some places), and every purchase needs state consent.
- Your buying tax doubled in 2026: a flat 8% stamp duty as an international buyer.
- On exit, your RPGT (Real Property Gains Tax) eases to a 10% floor the longer you hold.
Can foreigners buy? Yes — with two gates
You can own property here in your own name, freehold or leasehold. No visa or MM2H (Malaysia’s long-stay residence visa) needed, and no limit on how many you own.
But every purchase passes through two gates: a minimum price, and state consent (written approval from the state).
What you can and can’t buy
Minimum price — and it swings a lot by state. † Each state sets its own floor. Right now:
| State | Strata (condo / serviced apt) | Landed (house) |
|---|---|---|
| Kuala Lumpur | RM 1m | RM 1m |
| Selangor | RM 2m (Zones 1 & 2) · RM 1m (Zone 3) | Not allowed — only strata / gated-strata, statewide |
| Penang | Island RM 1m · Mainland RM 500k | Island RM 3m · Mainland RM 1m |
| Johor | RM 1m (Medini: no floor) | RM 2m in designated zones (Iskandar Puteri, JB centre) |
Bottom line: strata (condos) is the easy path. Landed is restricted — and in Selangor, basically off-limits to international buyers outside gated-strata.
What you can’t buy at any price: Malay Reserved land, Bumiputera-quota units, some low-cost / affordable homes, and agricultural land.
💡 One trap: a few prime KLCC-area projects sit on Malay Reserved or Bumi land (Armani Kg Baru, for one). A famous address doesn’t mean you can hold the title. Check first.
The full cost breakdown (verified, June 2026)
This is the part no one adds up for you:
| Cost | What you pay |
|---|---|
| Stamp duty (transfer) | Flat 8% of the full price (from 1 Jan 2026) → on RM1.5m that’s RM120,000. |
| Loan stamp duty | 0.5% of the loan |
| Legal fees | ~1–1.25% sliding scale (SRO 2023 — the official scale for lawyers’ fees) |
| State consent fee / levy | Varies. Penang and Johor charge a 3% levy † (Johor since 1 Jul 2025). KL and Selangor charge a flat fee, not a %. |
⚠️ The 8% is triggered by the transfer date — not the date you signed. Sign in 2025, transfer in 2026 → you pay 8%.
→ Get the exact figure on the stamp duty calculator — the state line moves the total.
Can foreigners get a loan? Yes — up to about 70%
How much you can borrow depends on your profile — much as it does for a local. As an international buyer, expect up to ~70%, and that’s the ceiling, not the norm. †
- Foreign-friendly banks (HSBC, Standard Chartered, OCBC): closer to 70%.
- Local banks (Maybank, CIMB): often ~60%.
- First-time applications: frequently 50–60%.
Rates are similar to local loans (~4–4.5%), and MM2H can help your case. There’s no fixed legal cap — it’s the bank’s call.
The exit tax everyone forgets — RPGT
You plan the entry costs for months. Then you sell, and RPGT lands.
As an international owner: 30% in years 1–5, then 10% from year six onward. The longer you hold, the lower the rate — exit timing is the lever in your hands.
On sale, the buyer’s lawyer also holds back 7% of the price and sends it to LHDN as a deposit against your bill.
How the process works, step by step
Plan for roughly 3–6 months from signed contract to completion. State consent is usually the step that sets the timeline, and how long it takes depends on how complete your documents are and the particulars of each case.
- Shortlist a project that clears your state’s minimum price.
- Book / EOI (Expression of Interest) — pay the deposit.
- SPA (Sale and Purchase Agreement) — appoint a lawyer (not optional).
- State consent (Section 433B, National Land Code) — required for every international purchase. This is the step that adds time — weeks to months.
- Loan, if you need one.
- Stamp duty + transfer executed.
- Done.
Plan around step 4. State consent is where your timeline quietly stretches.
In Malaysia, international buyers are welcome — at a price the brochure never prints. Total the bill before you fall for the view.
Looking at a specific KLCC or TRX project? Message me on WhatsApp — or price your full entry and exit cost on the calculators first.
General information only — not tax or legal advice. State prices, levies, loan margins and a project’s land status (Bumi / Malay Reserved) change and vary case by case; confirm with the state land office, a licensed professional and LHDN. Figures marked † move most often. Author: Jacky Yong, licensed real estate negotiator (REN 77674), Vivahomes Realty Sdn Bhd (E(1)1670).
See this in real projects
Live listings where this applies: