What does buying a home in Spain really cost?
On top of the price you'll pay another 8% to 14% in taxes and fees. Pick your region and property type and get the full breakdown: taxes, notary, registry, agency and appraisal.
Indicative estimate: notary and registry are regulated fees that depend on the amount and deed length; agency fees are unregulated. With a mortgage, the bank pays the loan's notary, registry, agency and AJD (Ley 5/2019) — only the purchase costs are counted here. The ITP shown is your region's general rate: if you qualify for reductions (young buyers, large families…), calculate yours with the ITP calculator.
What it includes (and what it doesn't)
The breakdown covers the costs of the purchase: the tax (ITP at your region's general rate for resale homes; 10% VAT plus AJD stamp duty for new builds), the notary and registry — regulated fees that grow with the price — and, if you buy with a mortgage, the agency and the appraisal. Since Ley 5/2019, the loan's costs (its notary, registry, agency and AJD) are paid by the bank, so they are not added here: the details are in the purchase costs guide.
The ITP applied is the general rate: if you're a young buyer, a large family or qualify for other reliefs, your tax can be considerably lower — check it with the ITP calculator or in your region's guide. And if you don't yet know how much a bank would lend you, start with how much can I borrow?.
A worked example: €250,000 flat in Madrid
Resale home, bought with a mortgage. This is the breakdown the calculator would give you, line by line:
- ITP (6%, Madrid)€15,000
- Notary (purchase deed)≈ €825
- Land Registry≈ €355
- Gestoría (agency)≈ €350
- Appraisal (required by the bank)≈ €400
- Total costs and taxes≈ €16,930 (6.8%)
Add the 20% down payment banks don't finance (€50,000) and the total savings needed come to around €66,900. Notice the weight of each line: the tax is 89% of the total costs. That's why the region matters so much — the same flat in Catalonia, at a 10% general rate, would pay €25,000 in ITP alone — and why new builds cost more: 10% VAT (€25,000) plus the regional AJD stamp duty (0.5-1.5%: €1,250-€3,750).
Where you can cut costs (and where you can't)
Notary and registry fees are regulated tariffs: they barely vary between offices and aren't negotiable. The real margin is in the tax:
- Reduced ITP rates. Buyers under 35, large families, people with disabilities or subsidised housing pay less in almost every region — in some, half. Check your case with the ITP calculator.
- The reference value. Since 2022 the tax is charged on the higher of the price and the cadastral reference value (valor de referencia): look it up before signing, because if it exceeds the agreed price, you'll pay tax on that larger figure.
- The loan's costs are no longer yours. Since Ley 5/2019 the bank pays the mortgage's notary, registry, agency and AJD; you only pay the appraisal. If a quote includes them, something's off.
Buying from abroad? The full picture for international buyers is in the taxes guide and the step-by-step process. And if you're selling to buy, don't forget the plusvalía you'll pay as the seller.
Frequently asked questions about purchase costs
How much do the costs of buying a home in Spain add up to? ▼
Between 8% and 12% of the price for resale homes (the bulk is the regional ITP, from an effective 3% up to 13%) and 12-14% for new builds (10% VAT plus AJD). On top of that comes the 20% down payment banks don't finance.
Which costs does the bank pay and which does the buyer pay? ▼
Since Ley 5/2019, the bank pays the notary, registry, agency and AJD of the mortgage loan; the buyer pays the appraisal and all the purchase costs: taxes, notary and registry of the sale itself.
Does the calculator include ITP reductions? ▼
No, it applies each region's general rate to give you the base scenario. If you qualify for reduced rates (young buyers, large families, disability, subsidised housing…), use the ITP calculator, which does apply them, and subtract the difference.
Why are the notary and registry figures approximate? ▼
They are regulated fees that depend on the transaction amount and the deed's length (pages, copies). The calculator uses a realistic banded estimate; the exact figure comes from the notary when preparing the signing.