Malaysia · 2026 Rates
The price tag is not the cash you need. Work out the down payment, stamp duty, legal fees and SST you actually pay upfront — including the first-home exemption if you qualify.
Everything below is published, verifiable Malaysian rate — nothing here is our estimate. Rates change with each Budget, so confirm before you commit.
| Item | Rate |
|---|---|
| Transfer stamp duty (MOT) — citizen / PR | 1% on the first RM100,000 · 2% on RM100,001–500,000 · 3% on RM500,001–1,000,000 · 4% above RM1,000,000 |
| Transfer stamp duty — non-citizen | Flat 8%, from 1 January 2026 |
| Loan agreement stamp duty | 0.5% of the loan amount |
| Legal fees (SPA and loan agreement, charged separately) | 1.25% on the first RM500,000 · 1% on the next RM7,000,000 · minimum RM500 per document |
| SST on legal fees | 8% |
| First-home exemption | Stamp duty fully waived on both the transfer and loan agreement, for a purchase up to RM500,000, until 31 December 2027 |
Legal fee scale is the Solicitors' Remuneration Order 2023, Table A. Stamp duty rates and the first-home exemption reflect Budget 2026. The 75% exemption that once applied between RM500,000 and RM1 million expired at the end of 2023 and has not been renewed.
If you are a Malaysian citizen buying your first home and the price is RM500,000 or below, stamp duty on both the transfer and the loan agreement is waived entirely. On a RM500,000 purchase that is around RM11,250 you simply do not pay.
Cross that line and the exemption disappears completely — there is no partial relief above it any more. A property at RM520,000 costs meaningfully more in cash than one at RM495,000, by more than the RM25,000 price difference suggests. Worth knowing before you stretch your budget on a unit that sits just above the cap.
Plenty of what we list in Ipoh sits under RM500,000 — see new launches under RM500k.
On top of your down payment, budget for transfer stamp duty, loan agreement stamp duty, legal fees on both the SPA and the loan agreement, and 8% SST on those legal fees. For a first-home buyer at or under RM500,000 the stamp duty is waived, which cuts the extra cash needed substantially. Renovation and furnishing sit on top of all of this and vary far too much between buyers to estimate.
Transfer stamp duty is tiered for Malaysian citizens and PRs: 1% on the first RM100,000, 2% on RM100,001 to RM500,000, 3% on RM500,001 to RM1,000,000, and 4% above RM1,000,000. Separately, the loan agreement is stamped at 0.5% of the loan amount. Non-citizens pay a flat 8% on the transfer from 1 January 2026.
Malaysian citizens who have never owned a residential property, buying a home priced up to RM500,000. The exemption covers stamp duty on both the transfer and the loan agreement, and runs until 31 December 2027. It does not apply to non-citizens, and it does not apply above RM500,000.
Legal fees follow the Solicitors' Remuneration Order 2023 scale: 1.25% on the first RM500,000 and 1% on the next RM7,000,000, with a minimum of RM500. This is charged separately on the SPA and on the loan agreement, and 8% SST applies on top. Lawyers cannot charge above the scale.
Often, yes — on new launches, absorbing stamp duty and SPA legal fees is one of the most common package incentives. What is covered varies by project and by phase, and it can change month to month. Tick the boxes in the calculator to see the difference, then message us and we will tell you exactly what the current package covers on the project you are looking at.
No, disbursements are not included. They are the lawyer's out-of-pocket costs, charged on top of the legal fee itself — land and bankruptcy searches, registration, stamping, and courier. Unlike the legal fee, disbursements are not a fixed percentage scale, so they vary by firm and by transaction, typically landing somewhere between a few hundred and a couple of thousand ringgit. Ask your lawyer for a full quotation that lists both the legal fee and the disbursements before you budget.
No. Renovation and furnishing depend entirely on the unit, the condition it is handed over in and your own taste, so any number we put here would be guesswork. Budget for it separately, on top of the figure this calculator gives you.
This page covers the cash you need on day one. For what the loan costs you every month after that, use the monthly instalment calculator.
New to this? The step-by-step buying guide for Ipoh walks through the whole process, from booking fee to keys.
Rates compiled and reviewed by MaSk Chan, REN 49335 · IQI Global. Shown for accountability — this is general information, not legal or tax advice.