Property Ownership Rules for Foreigners, by State
Malaysia does not have one single minimum price for foreign property buyers — each state (and Kuala Lumpur/Putrajaya/Labuan as Federal Territories) sets its own minimum purchase price threshold, and several states also split the threshold by property type (strata vs. landed) or by zone. These figures are revised periodically by state authorities. We could not locate a live, publicly indexed primary government page or gazette for any individual state’s current threshold — the figures below come from cross-checked secondary sources (Malaysian property-law and industry publications), not a state Land Office page directly. Treat every figure here as indicative, not gazette-verified, and confirm the current threshold with a Malaysian conveyancing lawyer or licensed agent before relying on it for a purchase decision.
Higher-confidence states (checked against 2+ independent secondary sources)
| State / Territory | Strata minimum | Landed minimum | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kuala Lumpur (Federal Territory) | RM1,000,000 | RM1,000,000 | |
| Selangor — Zone 1 & 2 (Petaling, Gombak, Hulu Langat, Sepang, Klang, Kuala Selangor, Kuala Langat — covers PJ, Subang, Shah Alam, Cyberjaya) | RM2,000,000 | RM2,000,000 (gated-strata landed only — ordinary individual-title landed is closed to foreign buyers regardless of price) | |
| Selangor — Zone 3 (Hulu Selangor, Sabak Bernam) | RM1,000,000 | RM1,000,000 | |
| Penang Island | RM1,000,000 | RM3,000,000 | A 3% state levy applies on the island |
| Penang — Mainland (Seberang Perai) | RM500,000 | RM1,000,000 | A 2% state levy applies on the mainland |
| Johor | RM1,000,000 | RM1,000,000 | Reportedly no minimum threshold for new strata units bought direct from a developer in the Medini zone of Iskandar Puteri specifically (not subsale, not the rest of Iskandar Puteri). A state foreign-buyer levy of 3% (or RM30,000, whichever is higher) reportedly applies from 1 July 2025. |
Sources (secondary, cross-checked): propcashflow.my — minimum price by state, and industry reporting from EdgeProp.my.
Other states (single-source only — lower confidence, not independently corroborated)
The following figures come from one secondary source only and could not be cross-checked against a second independent source or any primary government page. Listed for reference, but treat these as more uncertain than the states above:
- Perak — RM1,000,000 (both strata and landed; freehold/subsale reportedly barred for foreign buyers)
- Negeri Sembilan — RM650,000 (strata), RM1,000,000 (landed)
- Melaka — RM500,000 (strata), RM1,000,000 (landed)
- Kedah (mainland) — RM600,000; Langkawi — RM1,000,000
- Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan — RM1,000,000 (both types; Kelantan’s stock is additionally limited since most land is Malay Reserve land, generally closed to foreign buyers regardless of price)
- Perlis — RM500,000
- Sabah — RM600,000 (strata), RM1,000,000 (landed); an additional state-level ministry approval is reportedly required
- Sarawak — Kuching Division RM600,000; other divisions RM500,000; approval from the Land Custody and Development Authority (LCDA) is reportedly required
- Putrajaya, Labuan (Federal Territories) — RM1,000,000
Source (single, uncorroborated): propcashflow.my — minimum price by state.
This page relays publicly published information from the official sources linked above. It is general context, not financial, legal, immigration, or investment advice — Home Hunter Malaysia does not verify, endorse, or guarantee figures published by third-party government agencies, and rules/figures change over time. Always check the source directly for the current position, and consult a licensed professional (lawyer, licensed financial adviser, or the relevant government agency) before acting.