Moving from Singapore to Johor Bahru (2026): a practical checklist

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By Jason Lim, REN 84424 · IQI Realty · Checked on 13 November 2026

This checklist is for anyone moving their home from Singapore to Johor Bahru: Malaysians coming back, Singapore citizens and Singapore permanent residents (PRs) of any nationality. The short answer: sort out your legal status first (Malaysians need nothing in Malaysia, but a Singapore PR needs a valid re-entry permit; Singapore citizens can visit for up to 30 days at a time and need a long-term pass to live here). Then check your tax residency on both sides, your CPF and HDB position, and how you will cross the border each day. Banking, utilities, schools and healthcare are straightforward once those are settled.

Step 1: your status in Malaysia and Singapore

You are	Living in Malaysia	On the Singapore side
Malaysian citizen (with or without Singapore PR)	No pass needed	If you hold Singapore PR and want to keep it, hold a valid re-entry permit (REP)
Singapore citizen	No visa needed for visits of up to 30 days; passport valid more than six months; exempt from the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card. For long stays you need a long-term pass	Nothing changes with citizenship
Singapore PR of another nationality	Malaysian entry rules for your own passport, then a long-term pass to live here	Valid REP to keep PR status

The PR rule changed. From 1 December 2025, a Singapore PR outside Singapore without a valid REP has a prescribed 180 days to apply; if no application is made in time, PR status ends and there is no reinstatement route (MHA, September 2025). Living in JB and crossing daily does not remove the need for an REP, so renew it before it lapses.

Long-stay passes for non-Malaysians. The main routes are MM2H (Silver, Gold, Platinum and the SEZ/SFZ tier, which in Johor means Forest City) and the DE Rantau Nomad Pass for remote workers earning from abroad (at least USD24,000 a year in tech roles or USD60,000 otherwise, valid 3 to 12 months and renewable once, per MDEC’s FAQ of August 2026). A foreign spouse of a Malaysian has a separate pass; ask the Immigration Department. For MM2H I coordinate with a MOTAC-licensed MM2H agent and handle the property side; approval rests with the authorities. Start with my MM2H 2026 guide and the eligibility checker.

Step 2: tax residency on both sides

• Malaysia (LHDN). Residence follows physical presence, not passport: under section 7 of the Income Tax Act 1967, 182 days or more in Malaysia in a calendar year generally makes you resident, with other tests linked to neighbouring years. Foreign-sourced income received by resident individuals is exempt until 31 December 2036 under the Budget 2025 extension, subject to conditions (The Star, October 2024).
• Singapore (IRAS). You are a Singapore tax resident if you were physically present or exercised employment in Singapore for at least 183 days in the year, or if you reside in Singapore apart from temporary and reasonable absences. So a full-time daily commuter may remain a Singapore tax resident while living in JB.
• Both at once is possible. The Malaysia-Singapore double tax agreement decides which country may tax which income; ask a tax adviser on both sides about your own facts.

If you keep a home in one country and let it out, rent is taxed where the property is; my guide to Singapore tax and JB rental income explains the Malaysian side. This is general information, not tax advice.

Step 3: CPF, HDB and your Singapore home

• CPF for housing is Singapore-only. The CPF Board says Ordinary Account savings can be used for residential property in Singapore under its housing scheme (page updated October 2026), so a JB home is paid from cash and a Malaysian or Singapore loan. See CPF and JB property and financing a JB home from Singapore.
• HDB minimum occupation period (MOP). HDB states that owners, spouses and occupiers cannot acquire private residential property, in Singapore or overseas, during the MOP, and periods when the flat is not occupied or is rented out in full do not count towards it. Check your MOP end date before signing for a JB home; see HDB, ABSD and JB property.
• Giving up Singapore PR. Former PRs can close their CPF accounts and transfer the savings; CPF has a separate online form for Malaysian citizens and gives an average processing time of about 12 weeks (page updated 1 October 2026).

Step 4: rent first or buy

Malaysians can buy anywhere in the market. Foreigners, Singaporeans included, can generally buy Johor homes only from RM1 million, with designated zones such as Medini as exceptions (New Straits Times, April 2026), need Johor state consent, and pay stamp duty at 8% on residential transfers from 1 January 2026 (LHDN guideline, June 2026). Many families rent first to test the commute and the school run before buying. See rent or buy in JB, renting as a foreigner, buying as a Singaporean, PR or expat and Johor’s minimum price for foreigners.

Step 5: car, licence and the daily crossing

Option	What to know in 2026
Malaysian car into Singapore	VEP S$35 a day, with the first 10 chargeable days a year and weekends not charged; from 1 January 2027, S$50 a day on every weekday except Singapore public holidays, plus the S$6.40 Reciprocal Road Charge per entry
Singapore car into Malaysia	A registered and activated VEP RFID tag from JPJ (fully enforced since 1 July 2025), RM20 Road Charge per entry, and leave Singapore with at least three-quarters of a tank
Motorcycle	Singapore VEP S$4 a day, rising to S$7 on weekdays from 2027; dedicated lanes and QR clearance
Bus	Many routes over the Causeway, with weekday departures from the JB checkpoint from 4.50am on some Singapore routes; fewer over the Second Link
KTM Shuttle Tebrau	About 5 minutes from JB Sentral to Woodlands, RM5 one way from JB; due to stop six months after the RTS Link starts
RTS Link	Bukit Chagar to Woodlands North, expected February 2027 subject to safety certification (Malaysian Transport Ministry and LTA, 2 October 2026); the minister said on 20 October 2026 that fares should be announced by year-end

Driving licence. A Singapore licence can be used in Malaysia for stays under 12 months under the ASEAN agreement; since 19 May 2025 JPJ converts foreign licences only for MM2H participants, diplomats and Malaysian citizens, and it began taking conversion applications from Malaysians nationwide from 1 June 2026 (Malay Mail, May 2026). See foreign driving licences in Malaysia. For the commute itself, read living in JB and working in Singapore, the motorcycle commute and homes near the RTS Link station.

Step 6: money, utilities and paperwork

• Bank account. Malaysians open one with their MyKad; foreigners usually need a passport and a valid pass. See opening a bank account as a foreigner and paying for Johor property from abroad.
• Electricity, water and internet. TNB and Ranhill SAJ accounts, deposits and fibre set-up are covered in my utilities and internet guide; typical bills are in electricity and water bills in JB.
• Addresses. Update your address with your Singapore employer, banks, CPF and insurers, and with JPJ and LHDN if you are Malaysian.

Step 7: schools and healthcare

Schools. JB has national and Chinese-medium government schools, private schools and international schools, many around Iskandar Puteri’s EduCity, Mount Austin and the city. Non-Malaysian children usually go to private or international schools; Malaysian children can enrol in government schools through the state education department. Apply early, because popular schools fill up, and test the school run at the real hour.

Healthcare. JB has public hospitals and many private hospitals; see hospitals and healthcare in JB. For Singapore citizens and PRs, MediSave can be used for elective hospitalisation and day surgery at accredited overseas hospitals through an approved referral centre (CPF, April 2026), but MediShield Life does not cover Malaysian hospital bills (Singapore MOH parliamentary reply, 9 September 2024). Check your private health insurance covers treatment in Malaysia.

Step 8: moving your belongings

Malaysian customs exempts used personal effects that travel with you, have been in your own regular use and are for your own use (Customs Duties (Exemption) Order 2017, item 9). For a separate lorry or container of furniture, I could not confirm a general exemption for foreigners, so ask the Royal Malaysian Customs Department in writing before you book. On the Singapore side, personal effects carried as a passenger’s luggage do not need an export permit, but dutiable or controlled goods do (Singapore Customs, February 2026).

The checklist, in order

1. Three months before: confirm your pass or REP, your HDB MOP date, your notice period on any Singapore lease, and school places.
2. Two months before: view areas at your real commuting hour; shortlist rentals or homes; check the tenancy or SPA terms.
3. One month before: sign and stamp the tenancy; open a Malaysian bank account; book utilities and fibre; register the car or VEP tag.
4. Moving week: photograph meters and the inventory at handover; collect keys and access cards; carry personal effects across.
5. First three months: track your days in each country for tax, register with a clinic, and decide whether to buy once you know the area.

Where to live if this matters to you

• JB Sentral and Bukit Chagar: walk to the Causeway checkpoint and the RTS Link station.
• Mount Austin and Tebrau, Setia Indah and Molek: family areas for those who drive or ride across.
• Iskandar Puteri and Bukit Indah and Gelang Patah: the Second Link side, for jobs in western Singapore.
• Danga Bay: waterfront condos close to the city.

Compare them on my JB property map, or estimate costs in Singapore dollars with the JB property cost calculator.

More Johor living guides: Cost of living in JB · Best areas to live in JB · Estate issues for Singaporeans owning JB property · Malaysians overseas buying a home in Johor

Frequently asked questions

Can a Singaporean live in Johor Bahru?

Yes, with the right pass. Singapore citizens can visit Malaysia without a visa for up to 30 days at a time; to live here they need a long-term pass such as MM2H, or DE Rantau if they work remotely for an employer outside Malaysia. Check your case with the Immigration Department of Malaysia.

Will I lose my Singapore PR if I live in JB?

Not if you keep a valid re-entry permit. Since 1 December 2025, a PR outside Singapore without a valid REP has 180 days to apply, after which PR status ends with no reinstatement route.

Do I pay tax in Malaysia if I live in JB and work in Singapore?

Singapore taxes your Singapore employment income. Spending 182 days or more in Malaysia generally makes you a Malaysian tax resident, and foreign-sourced income received by resident individuals is exempt until 31 December 2036, subject to conditions. Confirm your own position with a tax adviser.

Can I use CPF to buy a house in Johor Bahru?

No. CPF Ordinary Account savings can be used for residential property in Singapore under the CPF housing scheme, so a JB home is paid with cash or a loan. HDB owners also cannot buy private homes overseas during their minimum occupation period.

When will the RTS Link open?

Malaysia’s Transport Ministry and Singapore’s LTA said on 2 October 2026 that service is expected in February 2027, subject to safety certification and final approvals. Fares had not been announced by 20 October 2026.

How much is the VEP for a Malaysian car in Singapore from 2027?

From 1 January 2027 the VEP rises to S$50 a day for cars, charged on every weekday except Singapore public holidays; weekends are not charged. The S$6.40 Reciprocal Road Charge per entry and checkpoint tolls are extra.

Moving from Singapore to JB?

Tell me your status, where you work, how you will cross and your budget. I will shortlist areas and homes to rent or buy, help you check the tenancy or SPA, and arrange viewings at the hours you will actually commute. You can also book an appointment, or a Zoom consultation while you are still in Singapore.

Sources: Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia travel page, updated 12 November 2026; Ministry of Home Affairs, revisions to the PR re-entry permit process from 1 December 2025, 29 September 2025; MDEC, DE Rantau Pass FAQ v10, 28 August 2026; MM2H official site, requirements and regulations, updated 10 February 2026; The Star, “QuickCheck: Has the tax exemption on foreign-sourced income been extended?”, 19 October 2024; OECD, Singapore tax residency rules (information provided by Singapore), accessed November 2026; CPF Board, “Can I use CPF savings to buy a property?”, updated 23 October 2026; HDB, acquiring private property (MOP rules), checked November 2026; Council for Estate Agencies, “Providing correct advice on HDB’s MOP rules to clients”, July 2024; CPF Board, withdrawing CPF on leaving Singapore, updated 1 October 2026; New Straits Times, “Foreigners hit Johor property resale wall”, 20 April 2026; LHDN, Garis Panduan Pengenaan Duti Setem, First Schedule, Stamp Act 1949, 30 June 2026; LTA OneMotoring, cars and motorcycles registered in Malaysia, updated 23 June 2026; LTA, revised VEP and GVP fees for foreign-registered vehicles, 6 February 2026; LTA OneMotoring, vehicles registered in Singapore, updated 28 May 2025; Bernama, full VEP enforcement for Singapore-registered vehicles, 1 July 2025; The Star, “JB-Singapore RTS Link to commence operations in February 2027”, 2 October 2026; Malay Mail, “Johor-Singapore RTS Link fares expected by year-end, says transport minister”, 20 October 2026; Malay Mail, on the Shuttle Tebrau, 8 October 2026; The Sun, “RM5 one-way KTMB Shuttle Tebrau fare for Malaysians from Aug 1”, February 2024; The Star, cross-border buses to depart the JB checkpoint at 4.50am on weekdays, 4 September 2025; Malay Mail, “JPJ: Foreign driving licence conversions to cease on May 19”, 16 May 2025; Malay Mail, foreign licence conversion for Malaysians from 1 June 2026, 7 May 2026; CPF Board, using MediSave for overseas treatment, updated 13 April 2026; Singapore Ministry of Health, written parliamentary reply on MediSave and MediShield Life for Malaysian hospital bills, 9 September 2024; Customs Duties (Exemption) Order 2017, P.U. (A) 445/2017, item 9 (text via UNEP LEAP), checked November 2026; Singapore Customs, export permit exemptions, updated 11 February 2026

Jason Lim, REN 84424, IQI Realty Sdn. Bhd. E (1) 1584/6. General information checked on 13 November 2026, not legal, immigration, tax or financial advice. Pass, tax, CPF, HDB and checkpoint rules change; confirm your case with the Immigration Department of Malaysia, ICA, LHDN, IRAS, the CPF Board, HDB and LTA before you act.