Formerly a district of Petaling Jaya, Subang Jaya is one of the largest cities in the Klang Valley. It has seen significant development since the 1970s. It is now home to some of the best schools, colleges and universities in the country. The city has also brand-new infrastructure, new buildings, well-equipped medical centers, cafes, shopping malls, and other places of entertainment. As an industrial center in the Klang Valley, Subang Jaya offers various professional opportunities and remains a very popular residential hub among expats, students and young professionals from Malaysia and beyond.
As one of the most popular and bustling cities in the state of Selangor, Subang Jaya stands out from other major cities in Malaysia for its relatively small size compared to its population. In fact, the city area does not exceed 70 square kilometers, for a total population of nearly 710,000 inhabitants, or more than 10,000 inhabitants per square kilometer. This is one of the highest population densities to be found in Malaysia.
As you might expect from these numbers, Subang Jaya is therefore a heavily residential city. The old district acquired the title of city in 1974, following a sudden increase in its population. Built over very quickly from then on, the city reached approximately its current size by the end of the 1980s. It continues to host construction sites from time to time, which aim to particularly improve infrastructures, replace old buildings with new and more modern constructions, and especially develop new residential districts. The density of its population means that the vast majority of buildings in Subang Jaya are mostly residential in nature. These are mainly housing estates made up of houses attached to each other, which gives this urban landscape a very particular and unique feel in Malaysia.
Despite its large population, Subang Jaya is also a thriving industrial area. The city is home to the offices and factories of many companies specializing in manufacturing most of which are gathered within several very well-known industrial zones in the business world in Malaysia, for instance, Subang Industrial Park, Subang UEP Industrial Park, Kampung Baru Subang, Kampung Melayu SUBang, Subang 2 and USJ 1 Industrial Park. Being within the Greater Kuala Lumpur Urban Influence Area, Subang Jaya hosts many people who work in or around Kuala Lumpur.
Thanks to numerous national roads and highways, and to the KTM Komuter train as well as the Kelena Jaya LRT extension, Subang Jaya is also very well connected to other cities and major places of interest in the Klang Valley.
Since Subang Jaya has more than 700,000 inhabitants, the roads are generally quickly congested during rush hours, and it is often very difficult to park in the city. To solve this congestion problem, the local authorities launched a vast transport development plan a few years ago. This plan is an integral part of an urban revitalization strategy for downtown Subang Jaya, with the main mission of creating a comprehensive transportation hub incorporating a mix of world-class infrastructure and amenities. The aim is to increase the attractiveness of Subang Jaya by creating a link between businesses and the community.
Where to live in Subang Jaya
The high population density in the city means that most residents of Subang Jaya live in tall buildings, townhouses, and condominiums, as opposed to ground-level properties one can find elsewhere in Malaysia.
Additionally, as the city is renowned for its excellent tertiary educational institutions, a lot of students as well as professionals live in the area. Flat-sharing is a popular accommodation option among young professionals and students on a budget. Even if rents in Subang Jaya are generally cheaper than in Kuala Lumpur, they are among the most expensive in the country.
Subang Heights and USJ Heights are considered to be the main upscale neighborhoods in Subang Jaya, amongst others. These controlled-access neighborhoods offer the best infrastructure in the city and have many facilities such as common swimming pools, sports halls, tennis courts and various equipment. If you can afford it and are looking to live somewhere affluent and secure, these Gated Communities, as they are known in Malaysia, are for you.
The Tropicana Metropark, close to these neighborhoods, is also worth considering. It is a vast real estate development carried out recently and which includes a complete range of educational, medical and commercial infrastructures intended for the general public. The construction of this vast subdivision was completed in 2018, and most of the residences have been sold like hotcakes. This residential area has modern condominiums and garden villas, which is rather rare in Subang Jaya. Secure and very well equipped, these types of accommodation are prized by single workers, young couples and families. The Tropicana Metropark also includes an excellent educational institution, the GEMS International School Metropark, to which many expatriate children attend. Ideally located, this residential area has direct access to the new national road, the construction of which was completed at the end of 2017.
Cost of rental in Subang Jaya
Many people choose to invest in the strategic city of Subang Jaya. Its accessibility and its proximity to Kuala Lumpur make it a very coveted city. Therefore, housing costs are relatively high compared to other regions or cities in Malaysia.
The average cost of renting a condominium in this city is around RM660 per month, but prices can be much more expensive, depending on location, size, number of bedrooms, facilities nearby, furnishing and level of luxury of the accommodation. The monthly price of most residences offered for rent in Subang Jaya is between RM500 and RM5,200.
You can also choose to buy a residence in Subang Jaya if you plan to settle in Malaysia in the long term, but be aware that in Malaysia, expats only have access to properties priced above RM 1 million. The advantage, however, is that you will own full ownership of the property you purchase. Beneficiaries of the MM2H (My Malaysian Second Home) program may be offered payment facilities and a reduction in the minimum purchase price, but this is subject to conditions.
The Malaysian real estate market
The real estate market in Malaysia has been in crisis for a few years now. Actually, the supply greatly exceeds the demand throughout the country, and Subang Jaya is not spared. According to Global Property Guide, an online real estate analysis platform, the value of many unsold apartments in Malaysia's biggest cities was estimated to be around RM18.48 billion ($4.41 billion) in August 2021.
The Covid-19 crisis in Malaysia obviously had something to do with it, but the problem dates from before 2020, which means that the coronavirus only had an accelerating effect on the Malaysian housing crisis. This national phenomenon is due to the construction of countless high-end residences over the last decade across the country, especially in large urban centers such as Kuala Lumpur and its outskirts, as well as in Johor Bahru.
To address this issue, the Malaysian government has taken several measures. However, Global Property Guide estimates that the results of such measures would only have mitigated effects. To combat overbuilding, the authorities have, for example, tried to control speculation and reduce the number of additional construction sites by discouraging developers. Stamp duty has been revised upwards on properties worth more than RM1 million, from 3% to 4%, while tax on real estate gains has been increased by 5%. Nevertheless, these measures have been eased following the advent of the pandemic in order to provide a minimum of relief to developers and to promote economic recovery by encouraging investment.
Currently, the average value of a terraced house in Malaysia is around RM400,000. In Subang Jaya, this average is currently around RM 600,000. For comparison, the average price of properties of the same type located in Kuala Lumpur is around RM778,000. Prices continue to fall, creating opportunities for potential investors willing to bet on a recovery in the Malaysian property market soon, but it can be a risky bet. The beneficiaries of this situation are undoubtedly those who plan to settle long-term or permanently in Malaysia and buy a property to live there, but also potential tenants who can negotiate better prices.
There are currently just under 300 accommodations available for rent in Subang Jaya. The city was undoubtedly a little less affected by the national housing crisis, due to its popularity, its small area and its high population density. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that this national phenomenon has had a definite effect on the costs of renting and buying property in this city. It's up to you if you want to buy real estate in Malaysia and if you want to settle in Subang Jaya or elsewhere in the country.
Finding accommodation in Subang Jaya
The Internet remains the best place to start your research for accommodation in Subang Jaya, whatever your needs might be. There are indeed many online real estate platforms that list with great precision all the residences available for rent in this city, whether condominiums, apartments, penthouses or houses. The most popular and frequented specialized sites in Malaysia at Subang Jaya include propertyguru, nextrent, propsocial, iproperty, speedhome, expedia and edgeprop, among others. It is also recommended to consult expat forums such as our Malaysia forum, as this will give you a better idea of the costs and conditions, as well as the experience of other foreigners in terms of negotiation and administrative procedures.
You can also contact real estate agents, who will facilitate the search by advising you of accommodation according to your criteria and your budget. They can also help you negotiate and answer your questions about settling in the neighborhood.
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