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 2% 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: 2%) | RM 16,000 | RM 893,800 |
| State consent (COSA) fee | RM 15,000 | RM 908,800 |
| MOT / disbursements | RM 6,000 | RM 914,800 |
| Cash to close (100% cash buyer) | — | RM 114,800 above purchase |
| — with 70% bank loan option — | ||
| Down payment (30%) | RM 240,000 | |
| Above-price costs | RM 114,800 | |
| Cash needed at signing (70% LTV) | — | RM 354,800 |
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 one of the best sea-view positions launched in Tanjung Tokong in years — a 588-unit tower in the Seri Tanjung Pinang precinct, developed through a joint venture including Chin Hin Property Berhad. Important correction: this is commercial title under HDA, not residential title — it cannot be converted to residential later, so factor in commercial-rate utility tariffs (TNB) and confirm current LTV and foreign buyer consent terms specifically for commercial-title purchases before committing. The genuine draw here is location, not tenure classification: Straits Quay retail and F&B are a short distance away, Penang Chinese Girls' High School is 1.2km, Uplands International 2.8km, Island Hospital 3.4km, Gleneagles 4.1km, Gurney Plaza ~2km. Drive-dependent but the immediate walkability around Straits Quay marina is real. Unit configuration sweet spot: the 1,281 sqft Type A layout is worth shortlisting — sized for own-stay, positioned at the accessible end of the price range, with a reasonable resale profile. The 1,539 sqft Type B is the upgrader's pick; penthouses are trophy buys with thinner liquidity. Target buyer: HK/SG investor comfortable with commercial title near Straits Quay; MM2H family looking at own-stay plus rental flexibility; Penang upgrader trading out of older Tanjung Tokong stock. Not for: buyers who specifically need residential title (look elsewhere in this corridor), yield-only investors (PSF doesn't deliver headline 6%+ gross), or own-stay families who need rail access (the funded Mutiara Line does not serve the northern corridor at all — there is no Gurney station on it). Genuine concern: low-floor units face the existing car-park deck — view, light and resale-PSF all step down meaningfully below Level 18-20. Mitigation: do not buy below Level 20 unless the discount is severe and you're own-staying.
tanjung tokong
The Tamarind
E&O Property Development
From RM 780k
The Tamarind is freehold Tanjung Tokong at a sensible RM745 psf, and it is also one of the densest buildings on the island at 1,104 units. Both facts matter. Completed 2019, verified asking from RM780,000 with the typical unit near RM894,000 — a tight range, which makes it easy to benchmark and easy to resell. The density is the trade-off: lift waiting, common-area load and a lot of comparable units listing at once when the market softens. Against that, a large building with consistent stock is a liquid one, and liquidity has real value when you come to sell.
pulau tikus
Arcadia
From RM 800k
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 honest take: prime Kelawei/Pulau Tikus prestige, strong expat rental pull, high psf (RM940–1,106) for the location. 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 914,800 in total. With a 70% bank loan, cash needed at signing is RM 354,800. 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?
No. Penang Island has a hard RM1M minimum for foreign buyers. At RM800K you are restricted to mainland Penang (Seberang Perai), where the state floor is RM600K.
What is the state consent (COSA) fee at this price?
The Penang state consent processing fee is a flat RM10,000–RM15,000 charged by the state authority regardless of purchase price, plus solicitor handling. This sheet uses RM15,000 as a realistic all-in figure. It typically takes 3–4 months.
Why is the foreign levy 2% instead of 3%?
Penang state levies foreign buyers 3% of the purchase price on the island and 2% on the mainland. At RM800K you are buying on the mainland, so the levy is 2% — RM16,000 on an RM800K purchase.
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 RM114,800 = around RM354,800 cash at signing, before you receive keys. See the sheet below for the full breakdown.