What is the minimum price for foreigners buying property in Malaysia?

Checked 20 October 2026 by Seann Siow, REN 34312. Sources are listed at the end of this page.

Short answer: There is no single nationwide minimum. Malaysia's Ministry of Economy leaves foreign purchases of homes worth RM1 million (≈ US$250,000) or more per unit to the state, and each state sets its own minimum price and rules. The state land offices of Penang, Johor and Melaka publish minimums from RM500,000 to RM3 million, depending on where the property is and whether it is an apartment or a landed house. In Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi it is RM1 million (≈ US$250,000) for all property types; in Selangor it is RM2 million (≈ US$500,000) in Zones 1 and 2 and RM1 million in Zone 3, for strata homes only. Parts of Johor go lower: RM600,000 in qualifying JS-SEZ developments and RM500,000 in Forest City's Special Financial Zone.

How the minimum price works

Under section 433B of Malaysia's National Land Code, a non-citizen can acquire land, including a home, only after getting written approval from the state authority where the property is located.

The Ministry of Economy's guideline (in force since 13 July 2022) says a foreign purchase of a home valued at RM1 million or more per unit does not need the Ministry's approval: the decision sits with the state authority. Each state then publishes its own minimum price, and some set a different figure from the federal one.

Where the federal and state figures differ, ask the state land office, or your conveyancing lawyer, which figure applies to the exact unit before you pay a booking fee.

Minimum price by state

Minimum price for a foreign individual buying a home, as published by each state's Land and Mines Office. "Strata" means apartments and condominiums; "landed" means houses on their own land. Rows marked "from recent transactions" come from deals I have handled rather than a published document.

State	Apartments (strata)	Landed homes	Other rules for foreigners
Penang Island	RM1,000,000 (≈ US$250,000)	RM3,000,000 (≈ US$750,000), landed strata included	No low-cost or medium-cost homes; may sell only 3 years after the sale and purchase agreement
Penang, Seberang Perai	RM500,000 (≈ US$125,000)	RM1,000,000 (≈ US$250,000)	Same as Penang Island
Johor	RM1,000,000 (≈ US$250,000)	RM1,000,000 (≈ US$250,000), houses of two storeys or more	Single-storey and one-and-a-half-storey terrace houses not open to foreigners
Johor, JS-SEZ	RM600,000 (≈ US$150,000) in qualifying developments	Johor statewide rule applies	Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone. From recent transactions; confirm with your lawyer
Johor, Forest City Special Financial Zone	RM500,000 (≈ US$125,000)	Johor statewide rule applies	Through the MM2H Special Financial Zone pathway. From recent transactions; confirm with your lawyer
Johor, Medini (Iskandar Puteri)	No RM1,000,000 minimum and no 3% state levy when bought from the developer	—	A resale (sub-sale) follows Johor's statewide limits, unless held under a qualifying structure. From recent transactions; confirm with your lawyer
Melaka	Above RM500,000 (≈ US$125,000)	Above RM1,000,000 (≈ US$250,000), landed strata included	No transfer or lease for 5 years after registration; no ownership in the Melaka heritage zone
Langkawi (Kedah)	RM1,000,000 (≈ US$250,000)	RM1,000,000 (≈ US$250,000)	Same RM1,000,000 for shoplots and factories. From recent transactions; confirm with your lawyer
Kuala Lumpur	RM1,000,000 (≈ US$250,000)	RM1,000,000 (≈ US$250,000)	Same RM1,000,000 for shoplots and factories. From recent transactions; confirm with your lawyer
Selangor, Zones 1 and 2	RM2,000,000 (≈ US$500,000)	Landed strata RM2,000,000; houses on their own title not open to foreigners	Zone 1: Petaling, Gombak, Hulu Langat, Sepang and Klang. Zone 2: Kuala Selangor and Kuala Langat. Shoplots and factories RM3,000,000 (≈ US$750,000). From recent transactions; confirm with your lawyer
Selangor, Zone 3	RM1,000,000 (≈ US$250,000)	Landed strata RM1,000,000; houses on their own title not open to foreigners	Hulu Selangor and Sabak Bernam. Shoplots and factories RM3,000,000 (≈ US$750,000). From recent transactions; confirm with your lawyer
Other states	Not verified — confirm with the state land office	Not verified — confirm with the state land office	—

Checked 18 October 2026 against each state's published guideline. Johor's figure applies whether you buy from a developer or on the secondary market.

What foreigners can't buy anywhere in Malaysia

The Ministry of Economy's guideline lists four things foreign buyers may not acquire:

property valued under RM1 million per unit;
homes in the low-cost and low-medium-cost categories set by the state;
property on Malay Reserved Land;
units allocated to Bumiputera buyers in a development.

Individual states add their own rules on top, as the table above shows.

Before you choose a unit

Check the state. The minimum price is set by the state where the property is.
Check the price of the exact unit, not the project's starting price. A project can start below the foreign minimum and still have units above it.
Check the unit isn't reserved for Bumiputera buyers or in a low-cost category.
Budget for the state approval fee and for stamp duty: from 1 January 2026, transfers of homes to foreign buyers carry stamp duty of 8% of the price or market value, whichever is higher.
Ask about resale limits. Penang and Melaka restrict selling or transferring in the first years.

Not sure which units qualify? Tell me the project and your budget and I'll confirm which units are open to foreign buyers. Ask on WhatsApp →

Before you pay a booking fee

Foreign Investor's Due Diligence Checklist (free)

The checks to make before you commit to any property in Malaysia.

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Prefer to talk it through? Ask Seann on WhatsApp

Frequently asked questions

Is the minimum price for foreigners in Malaysia RM1 million?

Not everywhere. Malaysia's Ministry of Economy leaves homes of RM1 million or more per unit to the state, and each state sets its own minimum. Penang's land office, for example, sets RM500,000 for apartments in Seberang Perai and RM3 million for landed homes on Penang Island.

What is the minimum price for foreigners in Penang?

Penang's Land and Mines Office sets RM1 million for apartments and RM3 million for landed homes on Penang Island, and RM500,000 for apartments and RM1 million for landed homes in Seberang Perai (guideline updated 1 August 2024).

What is the minimum price for foreigners in Johor?

Johor's Land and Mines Office lists RM1 million for every type of home a foreigner may buy, from apartments to houses of two storeys or more, whether bought from a developer or on the secondary market. Single-storey and one-and-a-half-storey terrace houses are not open to foreigners.

What is the minimum price for foreigners in Kuala Lumpur?

RM1 million (≈ US$250,000) per unit, for all property types, based on recent transactions I've handled. The written circular hasn't been checked for this page, so confirm the figure for the exact unit with your lawyer before you commit.

What is the minimum price for foreigners in Selangor?

RM2 million (≈ US$500,000) per unit in Zone 1 (Petaling, Gombak, Hulu Langat, Sepang and Klang) and Zone 2 (Kuala Selangor and Kuala Langat), and RM1 million (≈ US$250,000) in Zone 3 (Hulu Selangor and Sabak Bernam). Foreigners can buy strata homes only, landed strata included; houses on their own title are not open to them. Shoplots and factories start at RM3 million. This is based on recent transactions I've handled; confirm the exact unit with your lawyer.

Is the minimum price lower in Johor's special zones?

Yes, in some. Qualifying developments in the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) start at RM600,000 (≈ US$150,000), and Forest City's Special Financial Zone at RM500,000 (≈ US$125,000) through the MM2H Special Financial Zone pathway. In Medini, Iskandar Puteri, a purchase from the developer is exempt from the RM1 million minimum and the 3% state levy, but a resale follows Johor's statewide limits unless it is held under a qualifying structure. These come from recent transactions I've handled, not a published notice, so confirm the exact unit with your lawyer.

Can I sell soon after buying?

It depends on the state. Penang's guideline lets a foreign buyer sell only three years after the sale and purchase agreement, and Melaka bars transfer or lease for five years after registration. Check the rule for your state before you buy.

Do foreigners pay extra stamp duty?

Yes. Under Malaysia's Finance Act 2025, from 1 January 2026 the stamp duty on transferring a home to a person who is neither a Malaysian citizen nor a permanent resident is 8% of the price or the market value, whichever is higher.

Keep reading

About the author

Seann Siow is a registered estate negotiator in Kuala Lumpur (REN 34312) with more than 10 years in property. He helps foreign buyers and relocating families buy new condominiums in Kuala Lumpur.

More about Seann

Sources

Checked 20 October 2026.

National Land Code (Revised 2020), section 433B, as reproduced in Penang Land and Mines Office's guideline, paragraph 1.0(a).
Ministry of Economy, Garis Panduan Perolehan Hartanah (Guideline on the Acquisition of Properties), in force 13 July 2022, paragraphs 2.3 and 10 — ekonomi.gov.my.
Pejabat Tanah dan Galian Pulau Pinang, guideline on acquisition of property by non-citizens and foreign companies, updated 1 August 2024, paragraphs 2.2, 2.3, 3.2, 4 and 5 — ptg.penang.gov.my.
Pejabat Tanah dan Galian Johor, "Perolehan Hartanah Oleh Kepentingan Asing" — ptj.johor.gov.my.
Pejabat Tanah dan Galian Melaka, Dasar Pemilikan Hartanah oleh Warganegara Asing / Syarikat Asing (provisions dated 1 January 2014, 20 July 2016 and 1 October 2022) — ptg.melaka.gov.my.
Pejabat Tanah dan Galian Selangor, foreign acquisition page (updated 2 April 2026) — ptg.selangor.gov.my. Its threshold circular (Pekeliling Bil. 1/2014) has not been checked for this page.
Kuala Lumpur, Selangor (zones, landed and commercial figures), Langkawi, Johor's JS-SEZ, Forest City Special Financial Zone and Medini: from recent transactions handled by Seann Siow (REN 34312). The written circulars and notices have not been checked for this page.
Finance Act 2025 (Act 874), sections 25, 26 and 29(b), amending the Stamp Act 1949 from 1 January 2026.
US dollars: converted at RM4 = US$1 and rounded, a rough guide only.

General information, checked on the date shown, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and fees change; confirm them for your purchase with the state land office, a lawyer or a tax adviser. Seann Siow, REN 34312.