Every buyer I speak to has the same first question, and almost no agency answers it honestly on their website: what does it actually cost to buy, on top of the price? So let’s do the arithmetic properly, on a real example.
Take a €350,000 resale apartment — a very typical Costa del Sol purchase. Here is what you should budget on top.
The resale numbers, line by line
- Transfer tax (ITP) — 7%: €24,500. In Andalucía, resale property carries a 7% transfer tax. This is the big one, and it is paid by the buyer.
- Independent lawyer (abogado) — ~1% + IVA: ~€4,200. Your own lawyer, never the seller’s, checks the title, debts, licences and community situation before a cent is committed. It is the best money you will spend.
- Notary — ~€1,000. The escritura (deed) is signed before the notario. The fee is set on a public scale.
- Land registry — ~€700. Registering you as the new legal owner.
- Gestoría / admin — ~€400. The paperwork wrangling that makes the rest happen smoothly.
That comes to roughly €30,800 — about 8.8%. In practice I tell buyers to budget 10–11% on a resale, because currency movement, a survey, or a mortgage will use up the difference, and it is far better to have money left over than to be caught short at the notary.
On a resale, budget 10–11% on top of the price. On a new build, 12–14%. Anyone who quotes you less is leaving something out.
Why a new build costs more
New-build property is taxed differently, and it works out higher:
- IVA (VAT) — 10% of the price, instead of the 7% ITP.
- AJD (stamp duty) — 1.2% in Andalucía, which resale doesn’t pay.
- Plus the same notary, registry and lawyer fees as above.
All in, a new build lands at roughly 12–14% on top of the price. The show flat rarely mentions it — I always do the sum with you before you fall for one.
The invisible cost: currency
If your money is in pounds, the exchange rate is a real cost that moves daily. On a €350,000 purchase, a few cents on the euro is thousands of pounds. It is worth using a proper currency service rather than a high-street bank, and timing the transfer deliberately — I can introduce you to people who do only this.
Ongoing costs, so there are no surprises
Once you own, budget for the annual IBI (council tax), community fees if it’s an apartment, home insurance, and utilities. None are large, but buyers consistently forget them, so I put them on the table early.
The honest bottom line
On a €350,000 resale, plan for the price plus about €35,000 all in to be comfortable. Know that number before you book a flight, and the rest of the process stops being frightening. That is the whole point of the buying service — no nasty surprises, ever.
Figures are 2026 guidance for Andalucía and move over time; always take independent legal and tax advice before you commit.
What this relates to
