Expat living, tax and money
The questions that arrive straight after the visa question — tax residency and offshore income, property thresholds by state, opening a bank account, schools and healthcare.
2 articles, newest first. Every figure is traced to an official government document and carries the date it was checked.
Malaysian Tax for Expats: What You Actually Pay in 2026
Most Malaysian tax guidance is written for Malaysians, and the parts aimed at foreigners are usually a year out of date or quietly describe a company rule as though it applied to you. Here is the picture for a foreigner specifically — which reliefs you can actually claim, the two rules that exist only because you are not a citizen, and the tax everyone warns you about that does not reach you at all.
10 min read · Reviewed 29 August 2026
Is Foreign Income Taxed in Malaysia? The Territorial Rule and the 182-Day Test
Malaysia is sold as a territorial-tax country where offshore money goes untouched. That is close to true for individuals and no longer true for companies. The line between them is a day count rather than a visa — and the exemption everyone is relying on now runs to 2036.
6 min read · Reviewed 2 August 2026
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