If you sleep in Johor Bahru and work in Singapore, three money questions come up again and again. Each has a short answer here and a full guide behind it.
- Will I be taxed twice on my salary?Usually not. Both countries can count you as a resident, but Malaysia exempts Singapore-taxed salary that you bring home.
- EPF or CPF?CPF applies to Singapore citizens and permanent residents. Otherwise EPF only grows if you pay in yourself, through i-Simpan.
- What does it cost to send money home?A fee plus a margin in the exchange rate. The cost is the gap between the mid-market rate and what lands in your account.
1. Tax: two countries, one salary
Malaysia counts any part of a day spent in the country as a whole day, so a daily commuter passes its 182-day residence test easily. Singapore taxes the salary you earn there. The guide explains why that rarely means paying twice, and the one condition.
Read: Tax residency for Johor to Singapore commuters
- 60 days or less 60 days
- 61 to 182 days 122 days
- 183 days or more 183 days
2. Retirement: EPF or CPF?
CPF contributions are payable only for Singapore citizens and permanent residents. If you are neither, you can keep saving in EPF yourself through i-Simpan, up to the RM100,000 a year that all voluntary contributions share.
Read: EPF or CPF when you work in Singapore
3. Sending money home: what it really costs
The World Bank put the average cost of sending S$260 (the equivalent of US$200) from Singapore to Malaysia at 4.59% in the third quarter of 2025. The guide shows how to work out your own cost.
Read: What it costs to send Singapore dollars to Malaysia
To see today's Singapore dollar to ringgit rate, use our SGD to MYR rate page.