How much does it cost to buy a home in 2026: taxes and costs on top of the price
PARCERIA ER · Comprar casa · atualizado em 2026-10-28
When you buy a home, the price of the property is only part of the bill. Between taxes, the deed, registration and bank costs, you should normally add between 4% and 8% of the property's value, and as a rule this money is not financed by the bank. It is worth doing the sums before you go ahead.
1. IMT — Imposto Municipal sobre as Transmissões (municipal property transfer tax)
This is the heaviest tax on a purchase. It is calculated on the higher of two values: the purchase price or the property's tax value (valor patrimonial tributário, VPT). For a permanent own home on the mainland, in 2026:
- up to 106.346 €: exempt;
- from 106.346 € to 145.470 €: 2%;
- from 145.470 € to 198.347 €: 5%;
- from 198.347 € to 330.539 €: 7%;
- from 330.539 € to 660.982 €: 8%;
- from 660.982 € to 1.150.853 €: flat rate of 6%;
- above 1.150.853 €: flat rate of 7,5%.
In the progressive brackets there is a deductible amount, so the calculation is not simply "value × rate". For second homes or rentals the rates are slightly higher, and for other urban properties a rate of 6,5% applies. Since May 2026, non-residents generally pay a flat rate of 7,5% when buying a home (there are exceptions).
2. Stamp duty (Imposto do Selo)
- 0,8% on the purchase price;
- 0,6% on the mortgage amount (for loans of 5 years or more).
3. Deed and registration
At the Casa Pronta one-stop counter, the cost is 375 € when there is only the sale and purchase, and 700 € when there is also a mortgage. With a notary or lawyer the fees vary.
4. Bank costs
If you need a mortgage, allow for the bank's valuation of the property (usually between 200 € and 350 €) and for arrangement and processing fees, which vary a great deal from bank to bank. The bank will also require life insurance and buildings insurance, but you can choose the insurer; the bank must tell you how this affects the spread.
Worked example
A 250.000 € home for your own use, with a 90% mortgage (225.000 €):
| IMT | 7.042 € |
| Stamp duty (purchase) | 2.000 € |
| Stamp duty (mortgage) | 1.350 € |
| Deed and registration (Casa Pronta) | 700 € |
| Valuation and bank fees (estimate) | ≈ 700 € |
| Total on top of the price | ≈ 11.800 € |
On top of this comes the 25.000 € deposit (10%). If the buyer is 35 or under and meets the IMT Jovem rules, the IMT and the Stamp Duty on the purchase drop to zero, and the saving in this example is more than 9.000 €.
In summary
- Set aside between 4% and 8% of the price for taxes and costs.
- Simulate the IMT before making an offer.
- Compare insurance and fees from several banks.
