Money & Practical
SST vs Tourism Tax Calculator
Malaysia replaced GST with SST in 2018, expanded it in 2024-2026, and stacks it with a flat RM10/night tourism tax. The total hotel bill is now meaningfully higher than the listed rate. This tool calculates what you'll actually pay.
Your hotel stay
Nights5
What this solves
Malaysia's tax stack is messy:
- Service Tax (ST) 8%: charged on room rate, F&B in hotels, telecommunications.
- Sales Tax 5%/10%: on goods, but most services are now under ST.
- Tourism Tax: flat RM10 per night per room (foreigners). For 5-star: RM10. For all categories: RM10 flat.
- Effective room markup: 8% + RM10/night = total 18-25% over listed rate for budget, 10-12% for luxury.
- OTAs (Booking.com) sometimes include SST in displayed price; sometimes not. Always check the final price.
How to read results
- Total cost: the actual amount you pay per night.
- Tax line items: SST + tourism tax separately.
- Effective rate: base rate + all taxes combined.
Limitations
- SST rates and exemptions change. Verify with hotel directly.
- Some OTAs add their own service fee.
- Tourism tax exemption for Malaysian citizens — not relevant for foreign tourists.
- Promotional/discounted rates may be calculated differently.
FAQ
Is tourism tax per person or per room?
Per room. RM10 flat per night regardless of guests.
Are Airbnb / homestays taxed?
Registered homestays may charge tourism tax. Informal Airbnb hosts often don't — but technically they should.
Can I claim SST back as a tourist?
No SST refund scheme for tourists (unlike GST before). The tourism tax is also non-refundable.
Sources
- Royal Malaysian Customs — SST rules
- Ministry of Finance Malaysia — Tourism Tax order 2017
- Tourism Malaysia — visitor guide