Calculator
Property buying costs calculator: Spain, Portugal, Greece and Cyprus
Enter a purchase price and see the estimated transaction costs (transfer tax, notary, registration, legal fees) side by side, computed from our sourced country data.
Compare the four countries on your own price
Indicative ranges based on our sourced country data. Agent commission, mortgage costs and VAT regimes for new builds are not included; regional rates vary.
What each of these four costs actually is
- Transfer tax
- The tax the state charges for moving the title into your name, and in every country here the largest single line by a wide margin. It is also the least predictable, because Spain sets it per region, Portugal charges non-residents a different rate from residents, and Cyprus waives it entirely when VAT was paid on a new build instead. Get this number right for your specific region and property type before you budget anything else.
- Notary
- The public official who witnesses and formalises the deed. Fees are regulated rather than negotiated, and because they are largely fixed amounts they shrink as a percentage on a more expensive property. Cyprus has no notary at all. Worth repeating: the notary does not check the property on your behalf in any of these countries. That is what your own lawyer is for.
- Registration
- Entering the deed in the land registry, which is what actually makes your ownership enforceable against third parties. Usually a modest fixed fee, and in Portugal it is bundled into the Casa Pronta one-stop service along with the deed itself.
- Legal fees
- An independent lawyer acting for you alone, typically 1 to 2 percent plus VAT. This is the only line on the list that is genuinely optional and the only one you should never skip. They check the registry entry, debts attached to the property, building licences and planning status. Do not use a lawyer recommended by the seller or the agent.
A worked example at EUR 250,000
On an identical EUR 250,000 purchase, the same house costs a different amount to buy in each country before you have negotiated anything. These are the ranges the calculator produces, ordered from cheapest to most expensive.
- CyprusEUR 6,250 to 15,000
- GreeceEUR 13,750 to 20,000
- PortugalEUR 7,500 to 27,500
- SpainEUR 20,000 to 32,500
Indicative ranges based on our sourced country data. Agent commission, mortgage costs and VAT regimes for new builds are not included; regional rates vary. The underlying percentages and their sources are listed on each country page, and the ordering is explained in lowest property buying costs in southern Europe.
The next step
Get introduced to a buying agent
Tell us what you are looking for and we will put you in touch with an independent buying agent or adviser in that country. Free for you. We are paid a referral fee by the professional if a purchase completes, which is set out in full on our about page.