MM2H Tiers & Costs Explained: SEZ, Silver, Gold & Platinum (2026)

Most people researching Malaysia My Second Home hit the same wall: there isn’t one MM2H, there are several, and each one asks for a very different amount of money. The headline question — “how much do I need?” — has at least four answers, and they range from a deposit of around USD 32,000 to a full USD 1 million.

This article lays the tiers side by side: the Johor SEZ tier (tied to Forest City) and the three federal tiers — Silver, Gold and Platinum. For each one you’ll see the fixed deposit, visa length, fees and minimum property, plus an honest read on who it suits and what you’re really trading away. If you want the broader programme overview first — what MM2H is, the process, the documents — start with the complete 2026 guide and the wider MM2H hub.

Read this first: the figures below are as of May 2026 and the programme has been rewritten more than once in recent years. Treat the numbers as the shape of each tier, not a quote. Confirm current requirements on the official portal, mm2h.gov.my, before you commit a single ringgit.

The four tiers at a glance

Tier	Age	Fixed deposit	Visa length	Participation fee	Renewal	Min property
SEZ (Forest City)	21+	USD 32k (50+) · USD 65k (21–49)	10 yrs, renewable	RM 1,000 one-off	RM 300 / 5 yrs	Must buy in Forest City (~RM 500k level)
Silver	25+	USD 150k	5 yrs	RM 1,000	RM 1,500 / 5 yrs	RM 600,000
Gold	25+	USD 500k	15 yrs	RM 3,000	RM 3,000 / 5 yrs	RM 1,000,000
Platinum	25+	USD 1m	20 yrs	RM 200,000 one-off	RM 5,000 / 5 yrs	RM 2,000,000

Figures as of May 2026. The SEZ tier numbers are published on the official portal (mm2h.gov.my); the federal tier figures are cross-checked but, like everything in this programme, can move. Always confirm on the official portal before budgeting.

A few rules apply across all tiers and shape the real cost picture:

• After one year, you may withdraw up to 50% of the fixed deposit for property, medical or education — not before.
• Incoming offshore funds are tax-exempt.
• Dependants can include your spouse, unmarried children under 21 (children aged 21–34 must be single and unemployed while in Malaysia), disabled children (no age limit), and parents or parents-in-law.
• A compulsory medical check at a panel clinic plus approved Malaysian health insurance are required.
• Applications go through a licensed MM2H agent.
• MM2H is not a work permit and not permanent residency.

SEZ tier (Forest City) — cheapest in, but a long lock-in

The Johor SEZ/SFZ tier is the lowest financial bar by a wide margin. The fixed deposit is USD 32,000 if you’re 50 or older, or USD 65,000 for ages 21 to 49 — a fraction of any federal tier. The participation fee is a one-off RM 1,000, renewal is just RM 300 every five years, and the visa runs 10 years, renewable.

The catch is location and commitment. You must buy property in Forest City, the floor price sits around the RM 500k level (subject to Johor state policy), and you cannot sell that property for 10 years. There’s also a minimum stay of 90 days per year, cumulative.

Who it suits: cost-sensitive applicants who are genuinely happy to base themselves in Forest City and don’t mind their capital sitting in a property they can’t exit for a decade. The real trade-off: you’re swapping a low deposit for almost no flexibility — one development, one ten-year hold, no early sale. For the bigger picture on this specific tier, watch for our dedicated Forest City SEZ MM2H guide (coming soon).

Silver — the federal entry point

Silver is the most accessible federal tier. The fixed deposit is USD 150,000, the visa runs 5 years, the participation fee is RM 1,000, renewal is RM 1,500 every five years, and the minimum property is RM 600,000. Minimum age is 25.

Who it suits: people who want to live anywhere in Malaysia, not just Forest City, and can park USD 150k without straining. The real trade-off: the shortest visa of the federal tiers at five years, so you re-qualify and renew sooner than on Gold or Platinum — but you keep full freedom over where you live and what property you buy (as long as it clears the RM 600k floor).

Gold — longer runway, bigger commitment

Gold steps the fixed deposit up to USD 500,000 in exchange for a 15-year visa. Participation is RM 3,000, renewal RM 3,000 every five years, and the minimum property is RM 1,000,000. Minimum age 25.

Who it suits: financially comfortable families who want a long, stable runway and won’t feel the bigger deposit. The real trade-off: you’re locking up more than three times the Silver deposit to buy roughly a decade of extra visa length. Whether that’s worth it depends entirely on how much the renewal cycle bothers you and what else that USD 350k difference could be earning elsewhere.

Platinum — most freedom, most capital

Platinum is the top tier: a USD 1,000,000 fixed deposit for a 20-year visa. The participation fee is a steep one-off RM 200,000, renewal is RM 5,000 every five years, and the minimum property is RM 2,000,000. Minimum age 25. Platinum is also reported to permit some work or business activity, which the other tiers do not.

Who it suits: high-net-worth applicants who want the longest visa, the fewest renewals, and possibly the ability to work or run a business here. The real trade-off: the sheer capital. Between a USD 1m deposit, an RM 200k participation fee and an RM 2m property, you’re committing serious money up front — most of it locked or illiquid for years.

The costs people forget

The fixed deposit and property price are only the visible part of the bill. Three things quietly cost more than people expect:

1. The opportunity cost of the locked deposit. A USD 150k–USD 1m deposit sitting in a Malaysian fixed deposit isn’t free — it’s money not earning whatever it could earn elsewhere. On Gold or Platinum especially, that foregone return over 15–20 years can dwarf the participation and renewal fees. Count it as a real cost, not a refundable formality.

2. Participation and renewal fees. These are easy to skim past. Silver and SEZ are light (RM 1,000 to join), but Platinum’s RM 200,000 one-off participation fee is a number in its own right, and renewals recur every five years for the life of the visa.

3. The 50% withdrawal is only after a year. You can eventually pull up to half the deposit for property, medical or education — but not until 12 months have passed. For the first year, the full deposit is untouchable. Don’t plan on using that money for your property purchase on day one; it won’t be available.

There’s also the unavoidable admin: the compulsory medical check at a panel clinic, approved health insurance, and the licensed agent you must apply through. None of these are huge, but they’re real, and they recur (insurance especially).

Which tier fits you?

A rough steer, not a verdict:

• Tightest budget, happy in Forest City, in for the long haul → SEZ tier. Lowest deposit by far, but accept the 10-year property lock and the 90-day-a-year stay.
• Want to live anywhere in Malaysia, moderate funds → Silver. Full location freedom at the lowest federal deposit; just expect a five-year renewal cycle.
• Comfortable capital, want a long runway → Gold. Fewer renewals, but only worth it if the bigger locked deposit doesn’t sting.
• High net worth, want maximum length and possible work rights → Platinum. The most freedom, the most money tied up.

The honest move is to model the tier you’re leaning towards with real, current numbers — deposit, property, fees and the opportunity cost of the locked capital — before you decide. And to say it once more: these figures are as of May 2026 and change, so confirm everything on the official portal at mm2h.gov.my before committing.

Still unsure which route matches your situation? Get in touch.