PropertinspainBuying in Spain from abroad

Note

Worked examples of buying costs in Spain

By Inés Arroyo VidalReviewed by Marta Calderón IbáñezPublished Updated Stage 2: Budget and money

Quick answer

These examples apply verified rates to an illustrative price, so you can see how the tax part of the cost builds up. They leave out the notary, registry and lawyer, whose fees need written quotes, and they assume the reference value does not exceed the price.

Applies toBuyers who want to see the method before doing their own sums. The figures are illustrations and not a quote.

On this page: 7 sections
  1. Assumptions
  2. Example one: the general rate in six regions
  3. Example two: a new home
  4. Adding the rest
  5. Reduced rates change the picture
  6. Where to go next
  7. How to make your own example
Checked 26 October 2026by Marta Calderón Ibáñez. Claims on this page are tied to the sources listed at the end.

§ 1Assumptions

The examples use an illustrative price of €300,000 for a resale home. They assume the official reference value is not higher than the price, that no reduced rate applies and that the buyer pays the tax. Fees are left out. The tax base for resale is the higher of the reference value and the price, so a higher reference value would raise every figure.

§ 2Example one: the general rate in six regions

The same price gives different tax depending on the region. At the general rates we have verified, the tax on €300,000 is:

Region General rate Tax (illustrative)
Madrid 6% €18,000
Andalusia 7% €21,000
Murcia 7.75% €23,250
Galicia 8% €24,000
Castilla-La Mancha 9% €27,000
Valencian Community 9% €27,000

Catalonia and the Balearic Islands use scales, not a single rate, so they are not in the table. The gap between the first and last rows is the reason the region matters so much, and the reason for costs as a share of the price saying that no single percentage fits.

§ 3Example two: a new home

For a new home at the same illustrative price, the sale carries VAT at 10%, which on €300,000 is €30,000. Stamp duty on the deed is added at the regional rate, and its base is set by the tax rules, so we do not calculate it here. Ask your adviser for the figure for your region.

The comparison with a resale is not simply between the two numbers. A new home has a different price, different guarantees and different costs, so compare whole purchases and not single taxes. The stamp duty question explains the deed tax.

§ 4Adding the rest

Add the notary, registry and lawyer from written quotes, then the set-up costs and a reserve. The total, divided by the price, is your percentage. The items buyers forget are in overlooked costs.

§ 5Reduced rates change the picture

A buyer who qualifies for a reduced rate pays less. Some regions reduce the rate for young buyers, large families or a first main home, with limits on price and income. Check the conditions before you assume a reduction, because a buyer who does not meet them pays the general rate.

§ 6Where to go next

For the full list of costs, see the costs on top of the price, and for how the taxes fit together, the tax overview.

§ 7How to make your own example

Take the price you expect to pay and the rate for your region. Multiply to get the tax. Add a written quote for each professional. Add the set-up costs you expect and a reserve you choose. Divide the total by the price to see your percentage. Then change one assumption at a time: a higher reference value, a reduced rate you might qualify for, a higher quote. Seeing which change moves the total most tells you where to spend your time.

FAQRelated questions

Are these figures a quote?

No. They are illustrations that apply a rate to an assumed price. A real calculation depends on the tax base, any reduction you qualify for and the fees you are quoted. Ask your adviser for a figure on your own purchase.

Why do the examples leave out the fees?

We have not verified a scale for the notary, registry and lawyer, so we do not invent one. The method is simple: add each written quote to the tax. Quotes also show what is included.

What if the reference value is higher than the price?

Then the tax is calculated on the reference value, and the amount is higher than these examples show. Ask your adviser to check the reference value of the home before you agree a price.

Dotted underline marks an illustrative figure. It shows how a calculation works and is not a quote, a rate or a forecast.

Sources

About this page

Written by

Inés Arroyo Vidal

Writer, taxes, legal steps and money

Inés writes the chapters on taxes, the legal process, mortgages and money, renting, owning and selling. She works from the laws and the official pages that apply them, quotes the section she relied on and says plainly what she could not confirm. She is not a lawyer or tax adviser.

Reviewed by Marta Calderón Ibáñez, chief editor and source editor, 26 October 2026. Checked: Figures and rules checked against the official texts listed in the sources

Found an error? Report it. Each report gets a dated reply, and confirmed corrections are logged on the updates page.

Tax note. Rates depend on the region, the type of property and the buyer, and they change. Figures here are dated and sourced; examples are illustrative and show their assumptions. Confirm yours with the regional tax agency or a tax adviser.