Buying costs by country: cheapest and priciest to buy

The price on the listing is rarely what leaves your account. Transfer tax, VAT, notary, registry, lawyer and agent costs differ sharply between countries, and they decide how long it takes to recover the entry cost. This article compares the buying costs in the countries we cover, using the figures in our own dated price and buying-cost guides (October 2026) and a few official portals. It ranks countries by total friction, but the ranking is rough: new build and resale are taxed differently, agent fees are sometimes included and sometimes not, and several items could not be confirmed. Ask a local lawyer for a written estimate for your property. Start from total cost of ownership abroad.

How to read the numbers

• Transfer tax usually applies to resale; VAT applies to new builds from a developer. The two rarely stack.
• Percentages are on the price unless stated, and ranges come from market and professional sources, not an official tariff.
• Annual holding costs and the tax on a later sale are separate; they are in each country guide.

Lowest friction: Georgia, Cyprus resale, Bulgaria, Turkey

Georgia: our guide budgets about 1-1.5% on top of the price (notary under 0.1%, legal about 0.5-1%, agent separate). We found no stamp duty or transfer tax on a purchase in the sources we checked, and ask you to confirm this with a lawyer (Georgia costs). Cyprus: on a resale, transfer fees of 3% on the first EUR 85,430, 5% up to EUR 170,860 and 8% above are reported to be halved, which with legal fees of about 1% plus VAT gives roughly 4% before agent commission; stamp duty is reported abolished from 1 January 2026 (Cyprus costs). Bulgaria: local transfer tax is reported at about 1.3-3% (Sofia 3%), and sources put total buyer costs at roughly 4-8%; we did not confirm notary, registry or agent amounts (Bulgaria costs). Turkey: the title-deed tax is 4% of the declared value, split by law but often paid entirely by the buyer, plus valuation, translation and notary fees; on a EUR 200,000 flat our example gives about EUR 209,000 or more all in, before agent commission (Turkey costs).

Middle: Montenegro, Dubai, Greece

Montenegro: a resale is reported at about 5-8% on top. Most agency sources describe a progressive transfer tax since 1 January 2024 (3% up to EUR 150,000, then 5% and 6% bands) while some still say a flat 3%; we could not settle this from a primary source, so ask which applies. On a first sale by a VAT-registered developer, 21% VAT is reportedly inside the price and no transfer tax is added (Montenegro costs). Dubai: the Dubai Land Department fee is 4% (legally shared, usually paid by the buyer), plus a trustee office fee and an agent at customarily 2% plus 5% VAT; our worked examples land at about 6.3-7.1%, and guides budget 7-10%, with no annual property tax but service charges (Dubai costs; fee rules at the Dubai Land Department). Greece: transfer tax of 3.09% plus notary about 2%, registry about 0.5%, lawyer 1-2% plus VAT and agent 2-4% plus VAT, so about 7-12% in total. For qualifying new builds the 24% VAT is suspended up to 31 December 2026; what applies after that was not confirmed. A rise of the transfer tax to 15% for non-EU buyers from 1 July 2027 was announced but we found no confirmation that it is law (Greece costs).

Highest friction: Portugal, Spain, Italy

Portugal: since 25 May 2026 a flat 7.5% IMT applies to residential purchases by buyers who are not Portuguese tax residents (with exceptions), plus 0.8% stamp duty, notary and registry, and a lawyer; our worked example gives roughly 9.7-10.5% on a EUR 300,000 purchase. Tax residents pay the progressive scale, so run the official simulator on the Portuguese Tax Authority portal (Portugal costs). Spain: roughly 10-13% on a resale, driven by regional transfer tax: 6% in Madrid, 7% in Andalucia, 6.5% in the Canaries, 10% in the Valencian Community (a cut was reported from June 2026, confirm the current rate), 10-13% in Catalonia and 8-13% in the Balearics. A new home pays 10% VAT plus stamp duty of about 1-1.5% (Spain costs). Italy: registration tax of 2% for a main home or 9% for a second home on the cadastral value, notary roughly 1-3%, agent about 3% plus IVA and legal fees, so roughly 10-15% in total, with some guides quoting up to 20% (Italy costs).

Illustration: a EUR 200,000 purchase

This is our own arithmetic on the ranges above, not a quote. Friction on EUR 200,000 would be roughly:

• Georgia: EUR 2,000-3,000
• Cyprus resale: about EUR 8,000 before agent commission
• Turkey: about EUR 9,000 (our example; agent extra)
• Bulgaria: EUR 8,000-16,000
• Montenegro: EUR 10,000-16,000
• Dubai: about EUR 12,600-14,200 (at 6.3-7.1%)
• Greece: EUR 14,000-24,000
• Portugal (non-resident): about EUR 19,400-21,000 (at 9.7-10.5%)
• Spain: EUR 20,000-26,000
• Italy: EUR 20,000-30,000

Why the cheapest is not always the best

• A low entry cost is not a low total cost. Cyprus has no annual property tax, but Spain's IBI is 0.4-1.1% of cadastral value and Portugal's IMI about 0.3-0.45% of tax value.
• Buying costs matter most if you plan to sell soon; over ten years a 3-point difference is small next to price movement and rent. See liquidity costs and break-even time.
• Rules change: Portugal's non-resident rate, Greece's announced non-EU rate and the Valencian cut all moved within 2026.

Who should choose which

• If you plan a short hold or a small budget, the lowest-friction markets (Georgia, Cyprus resale, Bulgaria, Turkey) leave more of your money in the asset, with their own market and currency risks.
• If you buy a new build, compare VAT rather than transfer tax: Cyprus 19% (5% reduced rate under conditions), Spain 10%, Montenegro 21% inside the price, Greece 24% suspended to end-2026.
• If you plan a long hold in a market you like, accept higher friction in Portugal, Spain or Italy and spend the effort on location and title instead.
• If you are a non-EU buyer in Greece, check the date of the deed against the announced July 2027 change.

FAQ

Which country has the lowest buying costs? On the figures we have, Georgia, then Cyprus on a resale, but check the unconfirmed items. Which has the highest? Italy and Spain, by the ranges above. Does an agent fee count? Sometimes: in Portugal the seller usually pays, elsewhere the buyer, so confirm in writing. Are these rates fixed? No; several changed in 2026.

How we help

We are a trilingual platform that finds properties and coordinates independent local lawyers and tax advisers. We help you compute the all-in cost of a specific property, not an average. This text is informational and is not legal, tax or investment advice; verify current rates before you sign.