Home buying budget
See how much cash you really need to buy a home: down payment, stamp duty, legal fees and all. Just tick what applies to you.
Your answers:
You can type 650000, 650k or 1.2m.
Loan margin
How much the bank lends. You pay the rest.
Buying
New launch means buying from a developer.
First home?
First-time buyers may pay no stamp duty.
Buyer
PR means permanent resident.
For your electricity and water deposits.
Cash you need upfront
RM77,225
From booking to getting your keys.
Later: when your title is issued
When you pay
This is the usual order. Your lawyer will tell you the exact dates for your purchase.
How a RM500,000 subsale home adds up
90% loan of RM450,000, Malaysian citizen. These are the planner's starting ticks.
| Signing the SPA | RM56,250 |
|---|---|
| Down payment ↗ | RM50,000 |
| Legal fees for the SPA ↗ | RM6,250 |
| Signing the loan | RM8,875 |
| Stamp duty on the loan agreement ↗ | RM2,250 |
| Legal fees for the loan agreement ↗ | RM5,625 |
| Bank valuation fee optional ↗ | About RM1,000 |
| Completion | RM11,500 |
| Stamp duty on the transfer (MOT) ↗ | RM9,000 |
| Disbursements ↗ | About RM2,500 |
| Getting the keys | RM600 |
| Electricity deposit optional ↗ | About RM500 |
| Water deposit optional ↗ | About RM100 |
| Cash you need upfront | RM77,225 |
Cash upfront
RM77,225
list.my · Printed 16 October 2026
Home buying budget
| Item | When | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cash you need upfront | ||
| Later, when your title is issued | ||
| Loan amount | ||
| Total cost incl. price | ||
The rates we use
- Stamp duty on the transfer (MOT) for citizens and permanent residents: 1% of the first RM100,000, 2% up to RM500,000, 3% up to RM1 million and 4% above, on the price or the market value, whichever is higher. Source: LHDN (opens in a new tab)
- Foreign buyers pay a flat 8% stamp duty on the transfer of a home, for SPAs signed from 1 January 2026. Sources: MOF (opens in a new tab) LHDN (opens in a new tab)
- Stamp duty on the loan agreement: a flat 0.5% of the loan amount. Source: LHDN (opens in a new tab)
- First-time buyer exemption: Malaysian citizens buying their first home at RM500,000 or less pay neither stamp duty, for SPAs signed by 31 December 2027. Sources: MOF (opens in a new tab) Malaysian Bar (opens in a new tab)
- Budget 2027 proposes relief for first homes up to RM750,000, for SPAs signed from 1 January 2027. We do not apply it until it is gazetted. Source: MOF (opens in a new tab)
- Legal fees (Solicitors' Remuneration Order 2023): 1.25% of the first RM500,000, at least RM500, then 1% on the rest. One set for the SPA on the price, one for the loan agreement on the loan. Source: Malaysian Bar (opens in a new tab)
- Down payment: whatever your loan margin leaves. From your third housing loan, banks can lend at most 70%. Source: Bank Negara (opens in a new tab)
- Electricity and water deposits: set by your state's providers. Choose your state in the planner to see who you pay, their rule and a link to it. Source: SPAN (opens in a new tab)
The full explanations are in the real cost of buying a house, stamp duty and MOT and first-time home buyer schemes. Before you agree a price, check it against recorded subsale prices or the property valuation tool.
Common questions
How much cash do I need to buy a house in Malaysia?
For a RM500,000 subsale home with a 90% loan, budget about RM73,000 for the down payment, stamp duty and legal fees, plus disbursements. A first-time buyer who qualifies for the stamp duty exemption needs about RM62,000. Put your own price into the planner for your figures. Sources: LHDN (opens in a new tab) LHDN (opens in a new tab) Malaysian Bar (opens in a new tab)
Do first-time buyers pay stamp duty?
Malaysian citizens buying their first home pay no stamp duty on the transfer (MOT) or the loan agreement if the price is RM500,000 or less, for SPAs signed by 31 December 2027. Choose Citizen and First home: Yes, and the planner waives both. Sources: MOF (opens in a new tab) Malaysian Bar (opens in a new tab)
Why are the legal fees optional for a new launch?
On a new launch, a developer's "free legal fees" offer usually covers the SPA, but it may not cover the loan agreement. Check your offer in writing and tick what you pay. Subsale buyers pay their own. Source: EdgeProp (news) (opens in a new tab)
Which figures are estimates?
Disbursements, the bank valuation fee, the agent fee and loan insurance vary by firm, bank and buyer, so the planner starts with rough figures you can change. The electricity and water deposits follow your state's provider where it publishes a figure. Stamp duty and the legal fee scale follow the published rates.
Do I pay the agent fee when I buy a subsale home?
Usually not. The seller normally pays the agent they appointed. You pay an agent fee only if you appoint your own agent to find a home, so agree the fee in writing first. Source: EdgeProp (news) (opens in a new tab)
General information only, not financial, legal or tax advice. Stamp duty, legal fee and exemption rates are the ones in our guides, checked against the linked sources on 15 October 2026; they change with each Budget. Items marked as estimates vary by firm, bank and buyer. Confirm your figures with your bank and lawyer before you sign.