Cost comparison · ES vs PT
Cost of buying property: Spain vs Portugal
Buying costs differ sharply between Spain and Portugal. Below, the one-off purchase costs and the annual costs of ownership for each — pivoted from the same researched basis as our calculators, side by side, so you can compare like for like.
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All-in one-off cost — side by side
Spain
≈ 10–14% of price (resale, all-in one-off)
All-in one-off cost — side by side
Portugal
≈ 6–8% of price (all-in one-off)
Spain
All-in estimate
≈ 10–14% of price (resale, all-in one-off)
One-off costs — Spain
Regional: ~6% Madrid, 7% Andalucía, 8% Murcia, 10–11% Catalonia & Valencia. The single biggest cost.
New-builds from a developer pay 10% IVA plus ~1–1.5% AJD instead of ITP.
Set by official scale; the notary executes the escritura.
Registering the deed at the Registro de la Propiedad.
Independent lawyer (abogado) — strongly recommended for foreign buyers.
Annual costs — Spain
Annual, on the cadastral value (not market price).
On imputed income (1.1–2% of cadastral value) even if you never rent it. 19% for EU owners, 24% non-EU.
Building/community charges and municipal waste tax.
Portugal
All-in estimate
≈ 6–8% of price (all-in one-off)
One-off costs — Portugal
Progressive. For 2026 the brackets are uplifted so IMT only bites above ~€106,346, rising to a top marginal band of ~7.5–8% on higher-value homes.
Flat, on the deed value.
Notary deed (escritura) and Land Registry / conservatória.
Independent lawyer (advogado); reviews the CPCV and runs title checks.
Required for non-EU non-residents until you become resident.
Annual costs — Portugal
Annual, on the taxable (VPT) value.
Only on the portion of Portuguese property value above €600,000 per owner.
Flat on net rent for non-residents; progressive if resident.
Costs are only half the decision. Get fair-price analysis, legal flags and rental ROI for a specific address.
Run the full dossier on a property →Frequently asked
Is it cheaper to buy property in Spain or Portugal?
Typical all-in one-off costs are ≈ 10–14% of price (resale, all-in one-off) in Spain and ≈ 6–8% of price (all-in one-off) in Portugal. Compare the full breakdowns above and use each country's calculator for a price-specific figure before deciding.
How much are buying costs in Spain on top of the price?
For a resale, budget roughly 10–14% of the purchase price all-in: regional ITP transfer tax (6–11%) is the bulk, plus notary, registry and legal fees of about 2–3% combined. New-builds pay 10% IVA plus ~1–1.5% AJD instead of ITP.
How much does it cost to buy a house in Portugal?
Budget roughly 6–8% of the price all-in: progressive IMT transfer tax (up to ~7.5–8% on higher-value homes, less on cheaper ones), 0.8% stamp duty, plus notary, registration and legal fees of about 1.5–2.5% combined.