The 'everything in' Spanish purchase budget — what really sits on top of the asking price
ITP, IVA, AJD, lawyer, notary, registry. Buying property in Andalucía costs more than the asking price. Here's the honest 10–13% breakdown, as of May 2026.
The single most useful question for an international buyer planning a Costa del Sol purchase is: what does it actually cost in total? The asking price is rarely the full picture. In Andalucía, the all-in cost of buying typically runs 10–12% on top of the asking price for resale property, 12–13% for new-build. Here’s exactly what makes up that gap, as of May 2026.
Resale property — the 10–12% breakdown
If you’re buying an existing property from a private seller (not the developer), this is what you’ll pay on top of the agreed price:
ITP — Impuesto de Transmisiones Patrimoniales — 7% of the declared price.
This is the Andalusian transfer tax on resale property purchases. The rate is 7% across Andalucía as of May 2026. It’s payable to the Junta de Andalucía within 30 days of the escritura (title deed at the notary) and your lawyer files it on your behalf.
Notary fees — typically 0.5–1% of the price.
The notary’s arancel (statutory tariff) is set nationally and runs on a sliding scale. Higher-priced property pays a higher absolute fee but a lower percentage; expect closer to 1% on a €300k purchase, closer to 0.5% on a €1m+ purchase.
Land Registry — Registro de la Propiedad — typically 0.4–0.6%.
The registry charges to inscribe the new ownership. Same sliding scale as the notary, similar absolute size.
Legal fees — typically 1–1.5%, with a minimum.
A Spanish lawyer represents you through reservation, due diligence, contract review, escritura and post-completion filings. Most Costa del Sol property lawyers quote a fixed 1% of the price with a floor (typically €1,500–2,000 minimum) plus IVA (Spanish VAT) at 21% on the legal fee itself.
Total — resale, no mortgage: around 10% of the purchase price.
New-build property — the 12–13% breakdown
If you’re buying directly from a developer for a property that has never been sold before, the tax structure is different.
IVA — Impuesto sobre el Valor Añadido (Spanish VAT) — 10% on residential new-build.
Replaces ITP. Paid to the developer at each stage payment.
AJD — Actos Jurídicos Documentados (stamp duty) — 1.2% in Andalucía.
A documented-acts tax payable on the escritura itself for new-build purchases. Paid to the Junta.
Notary, Registry, Legal fees — same as resale, 1.5–2.5% combined.
Total — new-build, no mortgage: around 12–13% of the purchase price.
If you’re taking a Spanish mortgage, add roughly 1%
A non-resident mortgage on a Spanish property typically adds:
- Bank arrangement fee — 0.5–1% of the loan amount, charged by the bank at origination.
- Independent valuation (tasación) — typically €300–500, paid to a registered valuation company.
- Mortgage notary and registry costs — most of these are now legally borne by the bank since the 2018–2019 reforms, but a few minor administrative costs may still appear on your closing statement.
In practice, mortgaged buyers should budget another 1% on top of the figures above.
What this looks like in real numbers
A €600,000 resale apartment in Benalmádena, no mortgage:
- ITP (7%): €42,000
- Notary, Registry, Lawyer (~3%): €18,000
- All-in cost: €660,000 (10% on top)
A €800,000 new-build apartment on the New Golden Mile, no mortgage:
- IVA (10%): €80,000
- AJD (1.2%): €9,600
- Notary, Registry, Lawyer (~2%): €16,000
- All-in cost: €905,600 (13% on top)
Two specific gotchas
The Junta valuation. The Junta de Andalucía publishes its own valor de referencia — a reference value — for each property, derived from cadastral records and recent comparables. Your ITP is calculated on the higher of the declared sale price or the Junta reference value. If a seller declares the price below the reference value, the Junta will demand the tax difference plus interest. Your lawyer should always check the valor de referencia before any offer goes in.
Capital gains tax retention (3% rule). If the seller is a non-resident, the buyer is legally required to withhold 3% of the purchase price and pay it directly to the Spanish tax authority (Hacienda) as a capital-gains-tax payment on account, on the seller’s behalf. This is your obligation as buyer, not the seller’s. Your lawyer handles the filing (Modelo 211). The seller can claim this back if their actual capital gains tax is less. (You’ll also need an NIE in your own name before you can complete any of this — start it early.)
What we do, in practice
At the discovery call we walk you through the all-in cost for the specific property — including ITP/IVA, professional fees, the Junta reference value check, and any mortgage costs — before you make an offer. The 10–12% figure is reliable for resale, the 12–13% figure for new-build. We’d rather you see the real number up front than discover it at the escritura.
Figures and rates above are correct as of May 2026. Spanish and Andalusian tax law changes; we refresh quarterly and walk every buyer through the live position before any offer.