MM2H vs Other Countries
MM2H or Greece Golden Visa: Which One Actually Fits You
A buyer-fit summary weighing MM2H against Greece Golden Visa across cost, tax, duration and family — for people who want the conclusion before the full comparison.
Quick summary
Quick answer
A practical summary before reading the full article.
Best for
Risk level
Lewis verdict
I don't sell immigration advice — I sell Malaysian property.
But because MM2H ties directly into a property purchase, I end up walking a lot of prospective applicants through exactly this kind of comparison before they commit to either program.
Buyer action
| Best for | People weighing MM2H against another country's residency-by-investment program and trying to work out which actually fits their budget and goals. |
|---|---|
| Risk level | Medium |
| Lewis verdict | I don't sell immigration advice — I sell Malaysian property. But because MM2H ties directly into a property purchase, I end up walking a lot of prospective applicants through exactly this kind of comparison before they commit to either program. |
| Buyer action | MM2H's property purchase requirement means qualifying is also a real estate decision — ask Lewis which current Penang projects clear your tier's minimum value and make sense as a long-term hold. |
The Short Version
Greece's Golden Visa suits a family that wants an EU foothold and eventual citizenship and can put down EUR 250,000-800,000 in real estate — MM2H suits a family prioritising Asia-Pacific access, a lower cost of living and a program that doesn't demand near-permanent physical presence for the visa itself to stay valid.
How the Four Dimensions Stack Up
On cost: Greece's Golden Visa runs EUR 400,000-800,000 (~USD 435,000-870,000) for standard real estate depending on the region, or as low as EUR 250,000 for heritage conversions and approved startup investments — its cheapest route undercuts MM2H Gold, its priciest exceeds it. On tax: Greece's Golden Visa doesn't trigger Greek tax residency unless the holder spends 183+ days a year there, and even then offers a flat EUR 100,000/year non-dom regime or a 7% flat rate on foreign pensions for 15 years — options MM2H doesn't have, though MM2H's exemption applies without needing a separate flat-tax election.
The Rest of the Picture
On duration and citizenship: Greece's Golden Visa gives an immediate 5-year renewable permanent residence permit and a citizenship path after 7 years of genuine physical residence (183+ days/year) plus B1 Greek and a history exam — a real EU passport route MM2H cannot match at any tier. On family: Greece's Golden Visa covers spouse, children under 21 (24 if studying) and dependent parents of both the applicant and spouse under one investment — a family list nearly as broad as MM2H's, layered on a program that also leads to citizenship.
Buyer checklist
Greece's Golden Visa suits a family that wants an EU foothold and eventual citizenship and can put down EUR 250,000-800,000 in real estate — MM2H suits a family prioritising Asia-Pacific access, a lower cost of living and a program that doesn't demand near-permanent physical presence for the visa itself to stay valid.
1
2
3
4
5
| 1 | Clarify your actual goal: long-stay lifestyle vs a second passport |
|---|---|
| 2 | Compare your realistic budget against each program's real cost |
| 3 | Check which family members you need covered and how |
| 4 | Decide how important a citizenship path is to you |
| 5 | Get current figures confirmed by a licensed advisor for each program |
Common questions
So which is actually better, MM2H or Greece Golden Visa?
Neither is universally better — it depends on your budget, whether citizenship matters to you, your family composition, and which region you actually want to live in. Use the comparison above to match the program to your specific goals.
Can I qualify for both and decide later?
In principle yes, since they're independent programs in different countries — but each has its own capital commitment, so most people choose based on where they actually intend to spend most of their time.
Related reading
Use one buyer framework across different news.
MM2H vs Thailand Elite Visa: Cost Comparison
How MM2H's fixed deposit and property requirement stack up against Thailand Elite Visa's cost structure.
Lewis verdict
Sticker price alone doesn't tell the full story — I always weigh the headline cost against what you actually get for it: visa length, family coverage, tax treatment and whether there's a citizenship path at the end.
MM2H vs Thailand Elite Visa: Tax Treatment Compared
How Malaysia's tax rules for MM2H holders compare to Thailand Elite Visa's tax treatment of foreign income.
Lewis verdict
I'm not a tax advisor and this isn't tax advice — but understanding how conditional an exemption is (or isn't) changes how much weight you should put on the 'tax-free' headline of any of these programs.
MM2H vs Thailand Elite Visa: Duration & Citizenship Path
Comparing how long each visa lasts and whether it leads anywhere beyond long-stay residency.
Lewis verdict
If a second passport is the actual goal, the visa duration number matters far less than whether the program has a citizenship path at all — that's the question I'd answer first before comparing years.
Decision check
Want Lewis to apply this to your shortlist?
Send your budget, preferred area, purpose and timeline. Lewis can turn the news into a practical project comparison.
Send
Clarify your actual goal: long-stay lifestyle vs a second passport
Send
Compare your realistic budget against each program's real cost
Send
Check which family members you need covered and how
Send
Decide how important a citizenship path is to you