How much tax do you pay when buying a house in Spain?

On a resale property in the Comunidad Valenciana you pay 9% transfer tax (ITP) as of June 2026. On a new build you pay 10% VAT (IVA) plus stamp duty (AJD): 1.4% on a second home, or 0.1% if it becomes your main residence (as of 11 August 2026).

How much comes on top of the asking price in total?

Budget 10 to 13 percent on top of the asking price: tax, notary, land registry, lawyer and gestoría. On a €300,000 resale property that is roughly €31,500 to €34,000.

Are the annual running costs in Spain high?

IBI (council property tax) is usually modest: a few hundred euros up to just over a thousand per year depending on the municipality and the value. Add community fees, insurance and, for non-residents, the annual income tax return on a notional rental benefit.

Guide › The real costs

What does buying a house in Spain really cost?

The asking price is not the price. Every Spanish property carries another 10–13% in taxes and fees on top — money many buyers only discover at the notary's office. Here is the full breakdown for the Costa Blanca (Comunidad Valenciana), updated for 2026.

The big one: transfer tax or VAT

Resale property: you pay ITP (Impuesto de Transmisiones Patrimoniales). In the Comunidad Valenciana this was cut from 10% to 9% in June 2026 — on a €300,000 property that saves you €3,000, but it remains the largest single cost: €27,000. Where the value (the purchase price or, if higher, the valor de referencia) exceeds €1 million, the rate is 11% ITP on the full amount.

New build: no ITP, but 10% VAT (IVA) plus 1.4% stamp duty (AJD) on a second home; if it becomes your main residence, that has been 0.1% since 11 August 2026 — 11.4% combined on a second home (since 1 June 2026; previously 1.5% AJD). New build is therefore slightly more expensive in tax terms than resale, unless it becomes your main residence.

The rest of the bill

Cost	Indication
Notary (statutory scale)	€800 – €1,500
Registro de la Propiedad (registration)	€500 – €1,000
Independent lawyer (due diligence + guidance)	±1% of the purchase price, min. ±€1,500
Gestoría & administrative fees	€300 – €500
Survey (recommended on older property)	±€500
With a mortgage: valuation	€300 – €600

Worked example: a €385,000 villa (resale)

ITP 9%: €34,650
Notary + land registry: ±€1,750
Lawyer: ±€3,850
Gestoría & fees: ±€400
Total on top of the asking price: ±€40,650 → all-in ±€425,650

Want to see this for your own price bracket? Use the calculator — it works out ITP, new-build VAT and every associated cost in ten seconds.

Don't forget the annual costs

IBI (council property tax): a few hundred euros up to ±€1,200 a year in the corridor.
Comunidad (community fees) for apartments and urbanisations: €30 – €150 a month.
Non-resident income tax: an annual return on a notional rental benefit, even if you never let the property — usually a few hundred euros.
Insurance, water, electricity and, where applicable, pool maintenance.

Where is there room to save?

Not on the lawyer — that is your insurance against the pitfalls that cost tens of thousands. There is room on the purchase price itself: asking prices on the coast are often negotiable, certainly on properties that have been listed for a long time. And check that the nota simple is clean before you are emotionally committed; you will negotiate far more sharply.

No surprises at the notary

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