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Taxes for expats in Malaysia

Cheryl

Hello everyone,

When settling in and living in Malaysia, you will also need to navigate the local tax system. In order to help newcomers and expats ease their tax-related experience, we would like to invite you to share your experience.

What are the taxes applicable to expats in Malaysia?

Have there been any recent changes in tax regulations that expats should know about?

Are there any local tax incentives or agreements with your home country?

Have you come across any unexpected or unusual local tax?

What do you wish you had known earlier about taxes in Malaysia?

Share your insights and experience.

Thank you for your contribution.

Cheryl
É«»¨Ìà Team

See also

The tax system in MalaysiaSwiss pension in MalaysiaMalaysia Income TaxÉ«»¨Ìà living in another country while doing the Malaysian job remotelyEP cancelation and Tax Clearance time and other queries
wyngrove60

Just got back from holidays in Malaysia. I think I noticed a 6% VAT tax on my bills when eating out.


When I was into property investment I always paid 5% RPGT.


I think these taxes are very reasonable.

daviddomoney

Yeah usually they add on 6% SST when eating out and also 10% service charge. That being said in general places that don't have air conditioning like food courts (the ones not in malls) and the 24-hour nasi kandar places (if you tried one of those) don't usually charge service charge. These places are actually probably some of the best places to try authentic local food.


That being said I think alot of the small food courts don't charge SST as I think it depends upon how much revenue they make although not sure. 

daviddomoney

@Cheryl

Take a look of what can be claimed for tax relief and keep receipts for those and claim relief each year.


There is a tourism tax in Malaysia although it is only 10 ringgit per night I think for staying in hotels for domestic tourism.


Worth checking if your country has a double taxation agreement with Malaysia.

wyngrove60

True, I ate at a Nasi Kandar place and paid just Rm5 for a dosai masala and a hot teh tarik. Can't see any SST being added on there.

daviddomoney

Dosai masala are fantastic!

wyngrove60

Yeah I love it. The best I've tried was at a place previously called SK on Jalan Tengkat Tong Shin, that place was replaced by another nasi kandar restaurant called Al Sarifa. The dosai masalas there are fantastic and filled with thick masala. Same for the maggi goreng, roti canai and teh tarik. Many of the nasi kandar places don't do dosai masala but just the cooked bread with a couple of curry gravies. Al Sarifa is more expensive than many other places but the food is a lot better.


Then there are banana leaf restaurants, I love the food at Sri Nirwana Maju in Bangsar. It's the best. Didn't get to eat there this time, but we did eat at BananaBro at MyTOWN mall and it was also pretty amazing. Banana leaf food is really the best.


Oh and the Hainan Chicken Rice at the Signatures Food Court in KLCC is also amazing. We ate here twice while the kids had roti canai and teh tarik, teh o limau from a nearby place. We get Hainanese chicken rice here in Bandung, Indonesia but it's dry and hard and nothing compared to what you get in Malaysia or Singapore.

daviddomoney

Interesting. Need to check that one out been to Devi's corner there.


Should be some great food in Bandung? Had Nasi Timbal think it was called there was very good, Sundanese food is excellent!