Foreign Buyer · Full Cost Sheet
The Foreign Buyer's Full Cost Sheet — RM800K in Penang
Every ringgit above the purchase price. Printable, saveable, and honest about what nobody else shows you.
RM800K is a genuine price point in Penang — mainland is straightforward for foreigners, and the island has real subsale stock at this level (Malaysians can buy any of it; foreigners must stretch to a RM1M+ unit within the same building). The cost math below assumes mainland at the 3% levy; the RM1.2M sheet has the island-stretch math.
The full cost stack
Every line item a foreign buyer clears at RM 800,000, in the order it hits your bank account. This is what you will actually pay — not what the sales gallery told you.
| Line item | Amount (RM) | Running total |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase price | RM 800,000 | RM 800,000 |
| SPA stamp duty (foreign: flat 8%) | RM 64,000 | RM 864,000 |
| Loan stamp duty (0.5% on RM 560,000 at 70% LTV) | RM 2,800 | RM 866,800 |
| Legal fees (SPA + Loan) ~1% | RM 8,000 | RM 874,800 |
| Valuation fee | RM 3,000 | RM 877,800 |
| Foreign buyer levy (Penang Mainland: 3%) | RM 24,000 | RM 901,800 |
| State consent (COSA) fee | RM 10,000 | RM 911,800 |
| MOT / disbursements | RM 6,000 | RM 917,800 |
| Cash to close (100% cash buyer) | — | RM 117,800 above purchase |
| — with 70% bank loan option — | ||
| Down payment (30%) | RM 240,000 | |
| Above-price costs | RM 117,800 | |
| Cash needed at signing (70% LTV) | — | RM 357,800 |
Loan stamp duty and legal fees assume 70% LTV; a cash buyer drops the loan stamp line and pays roughly two-thirds of the legal fees. COSA is a Penang state fee — foreign buyers only.
Year-1 holding costs
What you pay just to keep the keys in your pocket for the first twelve months. Modelled on a typical 1,050 sqft unit at this price band.
| Item | Annual |
|---|---|
| Assessment (MBPP) | ~ RM 1,200 |
| Quit rent | ~ RM 200 |
| Maintenance (RM 0.35 / sqft × 1,050 sqft × 12) | ~ RM 4,410 |
| Home insurance | ~ RM 500 |
| Total year-1 holding cost | ~ RM 6,310 |
Exit RPGT preview (foreign owner, +20% hypothetical)
If you sold this RM 800,000 unit at RM 960,000 (a hypothetical +20%), your gain would be RM 160,000. The Malaysian RPGT bill by holding year:
| Sold in | RPGT rate | RPGT bill | Net after RPGT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 30% | RM 48,000 | RM 912,000 |
| Year 3 | 30% | RM 48,000 | RM 912,000 |
| Year 5 | 30% | RM 48,000 | RM 912,000 |
| Year 6+ | 10% | RM 16,000 | RM 944,000 |
This is a preview. The RPGT calculator has the full grid — including allowable costs and the year-5 vs year-6 comparison for your exact numbers.
Penang Island projects worth seeing at RM800K
A short list of Penang Island projects that price in at or around RM800K today. Foreign buyers note: these buildings have entry units at this price, but the island’s RM1M foreign-buyer floor means you must select a unit priced at RM1M or above within the same project. See the RM1.2M sheet for the cost math at that stretch. Malaysian citizens can shop the full stack.
tanjung tokong
Crown Penang
Chin Hin Group Property Berhad (JV)
From RM 704k
Crown Penang is a freehold serviced-residence tower in Seri Tanjung Pinang, Tanjung Tokong, by Chin Hin Property with Ivory Properties: 588 suites over an eight-level car park podium on a 2-acre site between The Tamarind and Marinox Sky Villas, looking out over the STP2 island. It's due in 2029. Suites run from 614 sq ft studios to 1,851 sq ft three-bedrooms, priced from about RM704,000. Straits Quay's shops and restaurants are a short walk away. It suits buyers who want a new home with a sea view near Straits Quay at a lower ticket than the seafront condos. The catch is the commercial title: expect commercial utility rates and tighter loan terms at some banks. Foreign buyers need a unit priced at RM1M or more, so mostly the larger layouts. Floor matters here, since the lower levels look onto the podium rather than the sea.
tanjung tokong
The Tamarind
E&O Property Development
From RM 780k
The Tamarind is E&O's freehold project in Tanjung Tokong, completed in 2019, and its size cuts both ways. With 1,104 homes, it's one of the biggest buildings on this stretch of coast. The homes are fairly uniform, about 1,047 to 1,372 sq ft, with 2026 listings of roughly RM780,000 to RM1.3M and rents of about RM2,200 to RM3,100 a month. That makes it easy to compare prices and easy to sell. The catch is the crowd: busier lifts and shared spaces, and many similar units listed at once when the market slows. If you value an easy resale more than exclusivity, it's a sensible choice.
pulau tikus
Arcadia
From RM 850k
Arcadia is a tiny freehold low-rise on Jalan Kelawei, in the heart of Pulau Tikus — just 30 units, completed 1989. You buy it for the address and the density, not the vintage. My take: prime Kelawei/Pulau Tikus prestige, strong expat rental pull, a high price per square foot (roughly RM850–1,100). It's an older low-rise, so it's a location-and-scarcity play, not a spec play. From around RM850K. For a buyer who wants a foothold in the best part of Pulau Tikus, it's rare stock. Ask me what's listing.
Want the full sheet as a printable PDF + Zac's notes on the 3 specific projects at this price band?
I'll send you the RM800K sheet as a proper PDF, plus my private notes on the specific units, floors and stacks that are worth looking at right now — including what I'd skip.
Send me the RM800K sheet on WhatsAppZac usually replies within a few hours during Penang business hours.
Bottom line at RM800K: cash buyer clears RM 917,800 in total. With a 70% bank loan, cash needed at signing is RM 357,800. Year-1 holding around RM 6,310. If you sold at +20% in year 6, RPGT bill would be RM 16,000.
FAQ — RM800K foreign buyer
Can a foreigner buy Penang Island property at RM800K?
Not as an ordinary foreign buyer: Penang Island has a RM1M minimum for condos. At RM800K you are looking at mainland Penang (Seberang Perai), where the condo minimum is RM500K. MM2H participants are the exception, with a RM500K minimum on the island too (residential, up to two units).
What is the state consent (COSA) fee at this price?
The Penang land office charges a RM10,000 application fee per title for an individual foreign buyer of residential property, regardless of price; your lawyer's handling is on top. It typically takes 3–4 months.
How much is the foreign levy on the mainland?
On the mainland the state levy is 3% of the purchase price for condos and landed homes alike, so RM24,000 on an RM800K purchase. Only island condos between RM1M and RM1.5M get the reduced 1.5% rate.
Can a foreigner still get a 70% bank loan on the mainland at this price?
Yes, most Malaysian banks that lend to foreigners will do 70% LTV on mainland Penang provided your DSR clears, your income documentation is complete, and the property is completed or from a bank-panel developer. Some tighten to 60% for offshore-only income.
How much cash do I actually need at signing?
For a 70% LTV loan on RM800K: down payment RM240,000 plus above-price costs of about RM117,800 = around RM357,800 cash at signing, before you receive keys. See the sheet below for the full breakdown.