Costs for Singaporeans Buying in JB: Beyond the Price

The short answer

The price is not the whole bill. A Singaporean buying a home in Johor Bahru also pays:

• Stamp duty on the transfer: 8% of the price or market value, whichever is higher, for a home sold to a non-citizen, non-PR from 1 January 2026. The buyer pays it.
• Stamp duty on the loan: 0.5% of your loan, if you borrow.
• Legal fees under the Solicitors' Remuneration Order 2023, on the SPA and on the loan, plus disbursements and tax.
• Consent and approval fees for foreign acquisition in Johor. No verified current figure; your lawyer quotes it.
• Maintenance fees from handover, usually quoted per square foot.
• Real property gains tax when you sell: 30% of the gain within five years, 10% from the sixth year.

On a generic RM 1,000,000 home with a RM 600,000 loan, the main upfront items (stamp duties and scale legal fees) come to about RM 101,500, before disbursements, tax on fees and consent fees.

This is part 3 of our four-part series for Singaporeans buying in JB. Want me to work it out for your own case? WhatsApp +60 17-279 8932.

The costs at a glance

Not sure which one here suits you? WhatsApp +60 17-279 8932.

Stamp duty on the transfer: 8%

The Finance Act 2025 added a new item to the Stamp Act 1949. For residential property sold from 1 January 2026 to a foreign company, or to a person who is neither a Malaysian citizen nor a permanent resident, the duty is RM 8 for every RM 100. That is 8% of the consideration or the market value, whichever is greater.

Two details matter for a Singaporean buyer.

It covers most homes. "Residential property" here means a house, condominium, apartment, flat, service apartment or SOHO used solely as a home.

The buyer pays it. The same Act names the transferee, the person receiving the property, as liable. Do not expect the developer to absorb it unless your written terms say so.

Because it is the higher of price and market value, a lower purchase price on paper does not lower the duty if the market value is higher.

Our stamp duty guide sets out the rates for Malaysian buyers, so you can see the difference.

Stamp duty on the loan: 0.5% of your loan

If you take a Malaysian home loan, the loan agreement is stamped at 0.5% of your loan. This is separate from the transfer duty.

How much you can borrow is each bank's decision. See margin of finance and the foreign buyer home loan guide.

Legal fees under the 2023 scale

The Solicitors' Remuneration Order 2023 has applied since 15 July 2023. The scale fee for a sale and purchase agreement and for a loan agreement is:

It applies twice if you borrow: once on the SPA, based on the price, and once on the loan agreement, based on the loan amount.

On a RM 1,000,000 price:

• First RM 500,000 × 1.25% = RM 6,250
• Next RM 500,000 × 1% = RM 5,000
• SPA legal fee: RM 11,250

On a RM 600,000 loan:

• First RM 500,000 × 1.25% = RM 6,250
• Next RM 100,000 × 1% = RM 1,000
• Loan legal fee: RM 7,250

These are scale fees only. Disbursements (searches, filing, courier and the like) and tax on the fees are billed on top. Our legal fees guide explains more.

Some new launches advertise that the developer pays certain legal fees. If so, get it in writing and check which fees are covered.

Consent and approval fees in Johor

A non-citizen needs the State Authority's approval to acquire land, under section 433B of the National Land Code. In Johor, that approval runs through the state land office. Approval can carry fees.

We could not verify a current official Johor fee schedule. Older circulars exist, but their figures may be out of date, so we do not quote them. Ask your lawyer or PTG Johor for:

• The current application fee, if any.
• Any other state charges tied to foreign acquisition.
• Whether the developer pays any of these for the project you are looking at.

Put a line for this in your budget and fill it with the figure your lawyer gives you in writing.

Maintenance fees after handover

Maintenance fees start when you get vacant possession. JB projects quote them per square foot of built-up area, and some include the sinking fund while others add it on top. Here is what projects we cover list, as quoted:

Rates can change after handover, once the management body sets its budget. Use the listed rate as a starting point only.

A simple illustration. An 800 sq ft unit at RM 0.36 psf works out to RM 288 a month. At RM 0.51 psf, the same size is RM 408 a month. Check whether the sinking fund is inside or on top of the quoted rate. See maintenance fees and sinking funds.

Other running costs, such as quit rent, assessment, utilities and insurance, vary by property and are billed by the relevant bodies. Ask the developer or management office for current figures for your unit.

Worked example: a RM 1,000,000 home

A generic home, not a specific project. Assume a price of RM 1,000,000 and a loan of RM 600,000. The loan figure is just an assumption for the arithmetic, not a bank limit.

Stamp duty on the transfer is the largest item by far. It is 8% of the price or market value, whichever is higher, so if the market value were assessed above RM 1,000,000, the duty would rise with it.

If you buy without a loan, drop the two loan lines. The subtotal becomes RM 91,250 before disbursements, tax on fees and consent fees.

Use the calculator to try other prices and loan amounts.

In Singapore dollars?

We keep the costs in ringgit, because that is how you will be billed. The exchange rate moves daily. When you budget from Singapore, convert on the day, using your own bank's rate, and leave a margin for movement between now and each payment.

When you sell: RPGT

Real property gains tax applies to the gain when you sell. For non-citizens, LHDN's current rates are:

Illustration only, not a forecast. If you had a chargeable gain of RM 100,000, RPGT would be RM 30,000 if you sold in year 3, or RM 10,000 if you sold in year 7. Allowable costs and how the gain is worked out are explained in our RPGT guide.

Taking the money home: under Bank Negara Malaysia's foreign exchange policy, non-residents are free to remit divestment proceeds abroad, provided it is done in foreign currency. Check the current notice with your bank before the sale.

Budget checklist

• 8% stamp duty on the transfer, set aside from the start.
• 0.5% of your loan for loan stamp duty.
• SPA and loan legal fees on the 2023 scale, plus disbursements and tax.
• Johor consent and approval fees, in writing from your lawyer.
• Maintenance fee from handover, using the listed psf rate, and whether it includes the sinking fund.
• RPGT if you might sell within five years.
• Exchange rate margin, if your income is in Singapore dollars.

Next in this series

Part 1 covers the full buying process for Singaporeans. Part 2 covers RTS Link opening status. Part 4 groups JB new launches by buyer type, including which projects list units at or above RM 1,000,000.