MM2H cost in 2026: what every tier actually costs, all in
The deposit is not the cost. MM2H Silver is usually quoted as a USD 150,000 deposit. The real up-front commitment is closer to $283,000 once the mandatory RM 600,000 property and 8% foreign-buyer stamp duty are counted — and roughly $133,000 of that is not refundable. The cheapest genuine route into Malaysian residence is Sabah at about $33,000, all of it refundable.
Almost every published MM2H cost figure is the savings deposit alone. That is the number agents lead with, and it is the number that appears in most comparison tables. It is also the smaller half of the story for four of the eight visas, because since the 2024 revamp the mainland tiers carry a mandatory property purchase that must be held for ten years.
This page prices each route the way you would actually experience it: deposit, plus property, plus the fees and duty that leave your account permanently.
What goes into the number
Four components, only one of which comes back:
- Savings deposit — refundable, and up to 50% is withdrawable after a year for approved purposes including property, medical care and education.
- Mandatory property — not a cost exactly, but capital you cannot access for ten years, in a market where resale is not guaranteed.
- Stamp duty — from 1 January 2026 foreign buyers pay a flat 8% on residential transfers, double the previous 4%. There is no grandfathering by sale agreement date; what matters is when the transfer is executed.
- Participation and agent fees — RM 1,000 for Silver and SEZ, RM 3,000 for Gold, RM 200,000 for Platinum, plus the agent's own fee.
Route by route
| Route | Deposit | Property | Stamp duty at 8% | Total | Not refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sabah MM2H | RM 150,000 | None | — | ~$33k | ~$0 |
| Sarawak S-MM2H | RM 500,000 | None | — | ~$111k | ~$0 |
| Forest City SEZ, 50+ | USD 32,000 | RM 500,000 | RM 40,000 | ~$143k | ~$111k |
| Forest City SEZ, under 50 | USD 65,000 | RM 500,000 | RM 40,000 | ~$176k | ~$111k |
| Premium Visa (PVIP) | RM 1,000,000 | Optional | — | ~$267k | ~$44k |
| MM2H Silver | USD 150,000 | RM 600,000 | RM 48,000 | ~$283k | ~$133k |
| MM2H Gold | USD 500,000 | RM 1,000,000 | RM 80,000 | ~$722k | ~$222k |
| MM2H Platinum | USD 1,000,000 | RM 2,000,000 | RM 160,000 | ~$1.44M | ~$444k |
Property figures are the legal minimum. Actual purchase prices in Kuala Lumpur and Penang frequently exceed the state minimum. Agent fees are excluded because they vary; budget separately.
The comparison nobody in the industry makes
Look at the Premium Visa row against MM2H Platinum. PVIP delivers a 20-year visa, full work and business rights, and no minimum number of days, for a total commitment around $267,000. Platinum delivers a 20-year visa and work rights for around $1.44 million.
PVIP's RM 200,000 government fee is genuinely painful and money you never get back, which is why it is often dismissed. But on total capital tied up, it is roughly a fifth of Platinum. If your reason for considering Platinum is the work rights, price PVIP first.
The ten-year property lock is the real cost
The stamp duty is visible and the deposit comes back. The part that is hard to price is a decade of illiquidity in a market where condominium occupancy in parts of Kuala Lumpur and Johor runs well below capacity. If you would not buy that property as an investment on its own merits, treat the whole purchase price as at risk, not just the duty.
If you want this framed as a single question rather than a table, see how much money you need for MM2H.
Where each route makes sense on cost alone
- Under $50,000 available — Sabah MM2H, or DE Rantau if you work remotely and can show USD 24,000 a year.
- $100,000 to $150,000 — Sarawak S-MM2H if you are content living in Sarawak, or Forest City SEZ if you are 50 or over and want peninsular access.
- $250,000 to $300,000 — MM2H Silver, or PVIP if you need to work.
- Above $700,000 — Gold and Platinum buy term length and, for Platinum, work rights. Check whether PVIP does the same job for less.
Common questions
How much does MM2H cost in total?
For MM2H Silver, roughly USD 283,000 all in: a USD 150,000 refundable savings deposit, a mandatory property of at least RM 600,000, and 8% foreign-buyer stamp duty of about RM 48,000, plus the RM 1,000 government fee and your agent's fee. Around USD 133,000 of that is not refundable. Sabah MM2H is the cheapest route at roughly USD 33,000, effectively all of it refundable because no property purchase is required.
Is the MM2H savings deposit refundable?
Yes. The savings deposit is returned when you exit the programme, and up to 50% may be withdrawn after the first year for approved purposes including property purchase, medical treatment, children's education and domestic travel. The property purchase, stamp duty, government fee and agent fee are not refundable.
Do I pay stamp duty as a foreign buyer in Malaysia?
Yes. From 1 January 2026 foreign buyers pay a flat 8% stamp duty on residential property transfers, doubled from the previous 4%. Malaysian citizens and permanent residents remain on the tiered 1% to 4% scale. The rate is determined by when the transfer is executed, not when the sale agreement was signed.
Which MM2H tier is cheapest?
Among the mainland MM2H tiers, Forest City SEZ is cheapest: a USD 65,000 deposit, or USD 32,000 if you are 50 or over, plus a RM 500,000 property in Forest City, Johor. Across all Malaysian long-stay routes, Sabah MM2H is cheaper still at RM 150,000 with no property purchase, but it restricts you to Sabah.
Figures verified July 2026 against the official MM2H portal and Malaysian budget announcements. Ringgit conversions at USD 1 = RM 4.50 and will drift. Property figures are legal minimums, not market prices. Verify before committing money.