Penang new launch guide 2026: island or mainland in Malaysia's north

A Penang new launch on the island starts at a median of RM791k, against RM559k in Seberang Perai on the mainland, across the projects selling now. The mainland has 104 projects selling against 57 on the island, and most of them are landed homes.

The two sides are one state but two different markets. The island is mostly condominiums and serviced residences around George Town and Bayan Lepas. Seberang Perai is mostly terrace and semi-detached homes in townships such as Batu Kawan, Simpang Ampat and Bukit Mertajam.

Quick answer: Island launches selling now have a median entry price of RM791k and are mostly high-rise (48 of 57 projects). Mainland launches start at a median RM559k and are mostly landed (70 of 104). The Mutiara line, which will link George Town and the airport to Penang Sentral in Butterworth, is expected to start services in December 2031.

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Island vs mainland: prices and land

The price gap between the two sides comes mostly from what gets built. On the island, land is scarce and new supply goes up, not out: 48 of the 57 island projects selling are high-rise, and 9 are landed. In Seberang Perai, 70 of 104 projects are landed homes, with 34 high-rise or mixed.

That changes what a given budget buys. A mainland high-rise project starts at a median of RM431k, against RM689k for an island high-rise. Island landed homes are rare and expensive: landed island projects selling (9 at the latest count) start at a median of RM3.32m, while mainland landed projects start at a median of RM729k.

Information, not an offer. Prices are list prices, and the median entry price is the median of each project's lowest list price.

Source: PropLaunch listings (data as of 5 Nov 2026)

Of the projects selling, 10 on the island and 32 on the mainland launched in 2026. Upcoming projects, with a permit issued but no sales yet, number 1 on the island and 25 on the mainland.

The medians include affordable and low-cost units that some projects carry alongside market-priced ones, so a single project can span a very wide range. Many mainland projects also list units at RM1m or more, mostly larger semi-detached homes and bungalows.

In these figures, George Town, Bayan Lepas, Ayer Itam and Gelugor count as the island, and every Seberang Perai area (for example Batu Kawan, Simpang Ampat, Bukit Mertajam, Kepala Batas and Seberang Perai Tengah) counts as the mainland.

How launch prices have moved since 2019–20

New terrace, townhouse and cluster homes in Penang that started selling in the latest period have a median list price of RM399 per sq ft, against RM322 per sq ft for those that started in 2019–20: a change of 24%. Each two-year period is listed with the number of projects behind its figure.

Median list price per sq ft of built-up area for each project, by the year its sales started, with price-controlled affordable schemes left out. These are developers' list prices, not what buyers paid, and each period's mix of projects is different.

Source: PropLaunch listings (data as of 5 Nov 2026)

A higher median can mean prices rose, or that newer launches are in pricier spots or offer different homes, so read it as a guide to direction rather than a precise rise. For what homes have actually sold for, check the transaction data published by NAPIC.

Commute: bridges, ferry and traffic

Living on one side and working on the other means crossing the channel every day. Two road bridges connect the island and the mainland: the Penang Bridge, which lands near Gelugor, and the Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Bridge (the second bridge), which lands at Batu Maung near the airport and Bayan Lepas. For a Batu Kawan home and a Bayan Lepas job, the second bridge is the direct route.

Both bridges are tolled. Toll rates change from time to time, so check the current Class 1 rate with the bridge operators before you build a commute budget.

The ferry is the other option, and it suits people who work near George Town's waterfront. It runs between the Sultan Abdul Halim terminal in Butterworth and the Raja Tun Uda terminal in George Town, daily from 6:30am to 11:30pm, every 20 minutes at peak hours and every 30 minutes off-peak.

Source: Penang Port Commission, ferry services (as of 26 Oct 2026)

Penang Sentral in Butterworth is the mainland bus and rail hub, close to KTM Butterworth station and the ferry terminal. If you would rather not drive, a home near Butterworth, Bagan Luar or Seberang Jaya can reach the ferry and the train without the bridges. Journey times on both bridges vary a lot with the time of day, so drive your own route at the hour you would travel before you book.

Upcoming transport: Mutiara LRT line status

The Mutiara line is the light rail transit (LRT) line now being built by MRT Corp. Under the revised railway scheme, it covers 29.67 km with 20 stations plus 2 provisional stations, linking Penang International Airport, the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone, George Town city centre and Penang Sentral. MRT Corp says construction started in 2025 and rail services are expected to begin in December 2031.

The revision is what brings the line to the mainland. It adds a 6.0 km cross-sea rail link from Macallum in George Town to Penang Sentral, a station at Penang Sentral, a provisional station at Bagan Luar, and a secondary depot at Tapak Pesta in Sungai Dua.

The same notice records that the Penang South Reclamation was scaled down from three islands to one, so 3.15 km of track and three stations (A2, A3 and A4) were dropped. The PSR A station was kept as a provisional station. The revised scheme was open for public inspection from 24 Feb 2026 to 24 May 2026, with feedback going to the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD).

The line is still a plan with a target date. A December 2031 opening is later than the expected completion year of most launches on sale now, so a buyer who relies on the LRT for a daily commute would live in the home for some years before it opens. Check the MRT Corp project page for the latest station plan before you pay for a location near a proposed station.

Foreign ownership thresholds in Penang, briefly

Foreign buyers need the state's approval to buy property under section 433B of the National Land Code, and Penang sets its own minimum prices. Under the Penang Land and Mines Office (PTG) guideline for property purchases by non-citizens and foreign companies, updated 1 Aug 2024, the minimums depend on the side of the channel and the type of title.

Source: PTG Pulau Pinang guideline (as of 1 Aug 2024)

The same guideline sets the other conditions. Foreign buyers and permanent residents cannot buy low-cost, low-medium-cost or medium-cost homes, or Bumiputera quota units. Applications go through a lawyer at PTG, with an application fee of RM10,000 per title for a foreign individual (RM2,000 for a permanent resident). An approval levy of 3% of the purchase value applies, except for island strata units of RM1m to RM1.5m, where it is 1.5% for SPAs signed from 1 Jul 2017. A foreign buyer may only sell after three years from the date of the sale and purchase agreement (SPA).

For a foreign buyer, this narrows the island to strata units of RM1m and up. Many island projects list some units at RM1m or more, but only the units priced at RM1m and up meet the island strata minimum. Confirm the rules for your case with a lawyer before you book, because the state reviews purchase prices from time to time.

New launches on each side

The tables below show the projects launched this year and the upcoming projects on each side, with list-price ranges and units left. A project's range runs from its lowest to its highest list price, so it can include very different unit types. Confirm prices and availability with the developer before you book.

Penang island: launched in 2026

These are the island projects first sold in 2026, newest launch first. Island launches are mostly condominiums and serviced residences in and around George Town and Bayan Lepas.

Source: PropLaunch listings (data as of 5 Nov 2026)

The island's upcoming list (permit issued, no sales recorded yet) has 1 at the latest count, against 25 in Seberang Perai. Upcoming projects on both sides are on the Penang page.

Seberang Perai: launched in 2026 and upcoming

These are the mainland projects first sold in 2026, newest launch first. Many are terrace, cluster and semi-detached homes, alongside larger serviced residence projects in Batu Kawan's Bandar Cassia. You can see every Penang project on the Penang page.

Source: PropLaunch listings (data as of 5 Nov 2026)

On the mainland, 25 projects have a permit but no sales recorded yet, with 8,357 units between them and a median entry price of RM704k.

Source: PropLaunch listings (data as of 5 Nov 2026)

If you look at upcoming projects in Seberang Jaya or Bagan Luar, note that they sit along the planned cross-sea section of the Mutiara line, with Bagan Luar a provisional station only.

Who each side suits

Each side tends to fit a different kind of buyer, going by the prices, housing types and transport above.

The island tends to fit buyers who:

• work in George Town, Bayan Lepas or the Free Industrial Zone and want to avoid a daily bridge crossing;
• want a condominium or serviced residence, which make up most island supply;
• have a budget around the island's median entry price of RM791k or above;
• are foreign buyers, for whom island strata starts at RM1m and island landed at RM3m.

Seberang Perai tends to fit buyers who:

• want a landed home with land of their own at a price the island rarely offers (a median entry price of RM729k for mainland landed projects);
• work on the mainland, for example around Batu Kawan, Bukit Mertajam or Butterworth;
• would use the ferry from Butterworth, or plan around the Mutiara line's cross-sea link once it opens;
• want more choice: 104 projects selling and 25 upcoming, against 57 and 1 on the island.

Whichever side you look at, the questions are the same: what the commute costs in time and tolls, when the project hands over, and how much you can borrow. Run the numbers with the affordability calculator before you shortlist, and confirm loan approval with your bank.

Frequently asked questions

Is a Penang new launch cheaper on the mainland than on the island?

Usually, yes. Across projects selling, the median entry price is RM559k in Seberang Perai against RM791k on the island. For landed homes, it is RM729k on the mainland against RM3.32m on the island.

When will the Penang Mutiara LRT line open?

MRT Corp expects rail services to begin in December 2031. Construction started in 2025, and the revised scheme adds a cross-sea link from Macallum to Penang Sentral. Dates can move, so check MRT Corp's project page for updates.

Will the Mutiara line reach Seberang Perai?

Under the revised scheme put on public inspection in February 2026, yes. It adds a 6.0 km cross-sea rail link from Macallum to Penang Sentral in Butterworth, with a provisional station at Bagan Luar.

What is the minimum price for a foreigner to buy a condo in Penang?

Under the PTG guideline updated 1 Aug 2024, a foreign citizen must pay at least RM1m for a strata unit on the island and RM500,000 in Seberang Perai. Landed homes need at least RM3m on the island and RM1m on the mainland. Low-cost, low-medium and medium-cost homes and Bumiputera quota units are not open to foreign buyers.

How much is the Penang ferry, and how often does it run?

An adult fare is RM2.00 and a child aged 5 to 11 pays RM1.00, per the Penang Port Commission. The ferry runs daily from 6:30am to 11:30pm, every 20 minutes at peak hours and every 30 minutes off-peak.

Are there many landed new launches on Penang island?

Very few. 9 of the 57 island projects selling are landed, with a median entry price of RM3.32m. On the mainland, 70 of 104 projects selling are landed.

Which mainland areas have the most new launches?

New launches are spread across Seberang Perai Tengah, Batu Kawan, Simpang Ampat, Seberang Perai Utara and other townships, and the Penang page shows the current count for each area. Batu Kawan's Bandar Cassia is a centre for larger serviced residence projects.

Before you book

Start by deciding which side of the channel your daily life sits on, then compare projects on that side by price range, handover year and units left. Check the developer's licence and the project's advertising and sales permit, and have a lawyer review the SPA before you sign. Viewings and price lists are arranged by a registered estate agency; PropLaunch does not sell or negotiate on any project.

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This guide is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Rules and rates change; confirm the figures that apply to you with your bank, your lawyer or LHDN before you commit. PropLaunch is not a real estate agency.

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• Checking a developer before you book