Independent guide to living in Asia long term, for 5 to 20 years.
Want to live in Thailand or Malaysia long term? Here is what each programme really costs, side by side.
Thailand charges a one-time membership fee. Malaysia asks for a bank deposit that stays your money, plus the purchase of a home.
We help you choose and connect you with a licensed agent.
Thailand Privilege (formerly Thailand Elite) is the Thai government's long-stay membership. It lets foreigners live in Thailand for 5 to 20 years and is run by a state-owned company.
MM2H = Malaysia My Second Home, the government long-stay programme. You need both: buy a home in Malaysia and keep a deposit in a Malaysian bank.
Checked against the official sources on 2 November 2026: official Thailand Privilege membership packages, official MM2H requirements (MOTAC) and the official MM2H terms, July 2024 (PDF). Euro and dollar amounts are approximate. Prices can change; we confirm current figures in every reply.
A few questions: where, who is moving, how long, whether you will work, your budget and when. No documents needed.
You get a personal reply by email within 48 hours: which country and tier fits you and why, and your total cost in euros for your household. We also list what you will need, the honest downsides and the next steps.
If you want to go ahead, we introduce you to an authorised agent who prepares and files your application.
Our help is free for you: the agent pays us a commission, so going through us never costs you more.
| At a glance | Thailand Privilege | Malaysia MM2H |
|---|---|---|
| Cost model | One-time membership fee | Bank deposit (stays yours) + property |
| Entry price | €17,200 / 650,000 THB (Bronze, until 31 Dec 2026), then €23,800 / 900,000 THB (Gold) | €134,000 deposit (US$150,000) + home from €131,700 (RM600,000) |
| Length of stay | 5 to 20 years | 5 to 20 years, renewable |
| Spouse & children | From Platinum: €19,800 (750,000 THB) each until 31 Dec 2026, normally €26,400 (1,000,000 THB) | Spouse, children under 21 and parents, as dependants |
| Property purchase | Not required | Required |
| Extras | VIP airport fast track, personal assistant, privilege points | Up to 50% of deposit usable towards your home |
| Apply through | Official operator or authorised agent | Licensed MM2H agent |
Answer a few quick questions about your plans. You get a personal recommendation with the full cost for your situation, and you can ask us anything.
Every official cost, line by line, and what you get back. Your own figures come with your recommendation.
Covers one person only. The fee is not refundable. Until 31 Dec 2026 the Bronze tier (€17,200 / 650,000 THB, 5 years, no privilege points) is a cheaper alternative.
Children and parents can be added on the same terms. Bronze and Gold cover one person only. After 31 Dec 2026 the partner fee returns to €26,400 / 1,000,000 THB (total €66,100 / 2,500,000 THB).
You need the deposit and the money for the home up front. Up to 50% of the deposit can go towards buying the home.
Not included: flights, health insurance, the MM2H medical check-up, the MM2H entry fee (up to about €11 / RM50, depending on nationality), living costs and any agent service fees. Euro amounts at November 2026 rates, rounded. Sources: Thailand Privilege, MM2H fees overview, MM2H Silver.
Two more long-stay routes in the region, worth a look if you want a lower entry cost or a specific lifestyle. The Philippines is the cheapest of all four countries to start, and Indonesia lets you live in places like Bali for up to 10 years without buying property. Prices checked on 2 November 2026; euro amounts are approximate.
Run by the Philippine Retirement Authority, a government agency. Open from age 40.
The lowest entry cost of all four countries. Higher deposits apply between ages 40 and 49.
Official source: Philippine Retirement Authority
Issued by Indonesian Immigration for 5 or 10 years. Popular with people buying a home in Bali.
No state agent pays commission here, so we help mainly with comparing it to the other options.
Official source: Indonesian Immigration e-service
Missing your question? Ask it in the free check and we answer personally.
Ask your questionNo. It is a one-time membership fee for the whole term of 5 to 20 years. Each entry normally gives a stay of up to one year. If you stay longer without leaving, you extend at the immigration office where you live for about €50 (1,900 THB) per person, paid in cash. If you stay more than 90 days in a row, you also file a 90-day report; filing late costs a fine of about €53 (2,000 THB).
Official source: Thailand Privilege: stay extension
Yes, for a limited time. Thailand Privilege Card Co., Ltd. extended Bronze (about €17,200 / 650,000 THB, 5 years, one person, no privilege points) until 31 December 2026 (announcement ref. SD26/4288, 30 September 2026). After that, Gold at about €23,800 (900,000 THB) becomes the cheapest option.
Official source: Thailand Privilege membership packages
No. Owning a condo in Thailand does not by itself give you the right to live there. Property can only support a stay in these cases: (1) A one-year investment extension if you buy a condo for at least about €264,500 (10 million THB) and enter on a non-immigrant entry permit; the lower 3 million THB rule applies only to people who entered Thailand before 1 October 2006. (2) A newer property route of about €79,300 (3 million THB) run by Thai Longstay Management Co., Ltd., which paused new applications and extensions in October 2026 while the Immigration Bureau clarifies its procedures. (3) The 10-year Long-Term Resident (LTR) programme: buy Thai property worth at least about €446,700 (US$500,000) if you have at least US$1 million in assets, or about €223,400 (US$250,000) if you are 50+ with a yearly pension of at least US$40,000. For most people, Thailand Privilege plus a condo bought separately is the simpler route: the membership needs no property, and you can still buy one.
Official source: Royal Thai Government: stay for investment purposes · BOI: Long-Term Resident programme
In Thailand, Bronze and Gold cover one person. From Platinum you can add your spouse, children and parents. Until 31 December 2026 each family member costs about €19,800 (750,000 THB); the normal fees are about €26,400 (1,000,000 THB) on Platinum, €39,700 (1,500,000 THB) on Diamond and €52,900 (2,000,000 THB) on Reserve. In Malaysia, your spouse, children under 21 (unmarried and unemployed children up to 34), disabled children of any age and your parents or parents-in-law can join as dependants. Each dependant pays a processing fee of about €550 (RM2,500).
Official source: Thailand Privilege packages · MM2H requirements · MM2H fees
No. The fixed deposit stays your money in a licensed Malaysian bank. After approval you may withdraw up to 50% of it for buying your home, education, medical costs or travel in Malaysia. Foreign funds and income brought in under MM2H, such as the deposit, are tax-exempt.
Official source: MM2H requirements · MM2H Silver
Yes, for Silver, Gold and Platinum you must buy and own a home after approval: from about €131,700 / RM600,000 (Silver), €219,500 / RM1,000,000 (Gold) or €439,100 / RM2,000,000 (Platinum). You may not sell it for 10 years, unless you upgrade to a more expensive home.
Official source: MM2H terms, July 2024 (PDF) · MM2H requirements
In Malaysia, applicants aged 25 to 49 must spend at least 90 days a year in the country (counted together for the main applicant, spouse and dependants). From age 50 there is no minimum stay. Thailand Privilege has no minimum stay; you can come and go as often as you like during your membership.
Official source: MM2H fees and stay rules · Thailand Privilege
Thailand Privilege is a long-stay membership, not a work permit; working needs a separate permit. In Malaysia, Silver and Gold do not allow work or business activities without a separate pass. Platinum allows business, investment and career activities.
Official source: MM2H terms, July 2024 (PDF) · MM2H Silver
No. Both are long-stay programmes. New MM2H participants are not eligible to apply for permanent residency, and Thailand Privilege does not grant it either.
Official source: Bernama, Malaysia's national news agency
For MM2H Silver, Gold and Platinum the main applicant must be at least 25 (21 for the Special Economic Zone tier). Thailand Privilege does not publish a minimum age for the main member. Neither programme is only for retirees.
Official source: MM2H requirements
Thailand Privilege: you apply online or through an authorised agent with your passport (valid for at least one more year) and a photo. Approval usually comes within about two months; you pay only after approval, and the membership is activated within a week. MM2H: there is no published processing time. After conditional approval you place the deposit, buy the home and complete a medical check-up at an approved clinic.
Official source: Thailand Privilege packages and application steps · MM2H requirements
For Thailand Privilege, yes: directly with the official operator online, or through an authorised agent, at the same membership price. For MM2H, applications must be submitted through a licensed MM2H company. We help you choose and connect you with a licensed agent.
Official source: Thailand Privilege · MM2H requirements
Licensed agents pay us a referral commission when a client applies. It does not raise your price: for Thailand Privilege you pay the official membership fee, and for MM2H the agent quotes its own service fee in writing before you commit, the same as if you contacted the agent directly.
All prices and rules on this page were checked on 2 November 2026 against these official pages. Programme rules can change, so always confirm before you apply.
A few questions, about a minute. A personal answer within 48 hours.