Portugal
10.3%–11.8%
No licence needed · Transfer tax (IMT) is 73% of it
73%
- Transfer tax (IMT)$37,500
- Notary, deed and land registration$5,000–$10,000
- Legal fees$5,000–$7,500
- Stamp duty (Imposto do Selo)$4,000
What it costs to buy property in the Mediterranean
The asking price is rarely what you pay. Across the Mediterranean the extra runs from 1.1% in Slovenia to 11.9% in Israel — a difference of $53,800 on the same half-million-dollar house.
Where the money goes
The same $500,000 purchase by a foreign buyer in two markets. The total says how much; the bar says what for.
Cyprus
4.2%–4.7%
Licence needed · Land Registry transfer fees is 76% of it
76%
24%
- Land Registry transfer fees$16,139
- Legal fees$5,000–$7,500
On a purchase of
4%8%12%16%
Solid bar is the lower estimate; the lighter extension is the range professional fees create. A dot marks a market where a foreign buyer needs a licence. Pick a market for its full breakdown.
| Market | You pay on top | In cash | Licence needed? | Seller carries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slovenia | 1.1% – 2.5% | $5,500 – $12,500 | No | Real estate transfer tax, Agency commission |
| Albania | 1.3% – 2.4% | $6,650 – $11,750 | No | Agency commission |
| Egypt | 2.0% – 5.0% | $10,000 – $25,000 | No | Real estate disposal tax |
| Cyprus | 4.2% – 4.7% | $21,139 – $23,639 | Yes | Agency commission |
| Turkey | 5.0% – 5.5% | $25,000 – $27,500 | No | Title deed fee (tapu harcı), Agency commission |
| Montenegro | 5.4% – 6.3% | $27,111 – $31,611 | No | Agency commission |
| Tunisia | 5.6% – 6.1% | $28,000 – $30,500 | Yes | — |
| Morocco | 6.0% – 7.0% | $30,000 – $35,000 | No | — |
| Malta | 6.1% – 7.1% | $30,263 – $35,263 | Yes | Agency commission |
| France | 6.1% – 7.8% | $30,450 – $39,100 | No | Agency commission |
| Croatia | 6.5% – 8.8% | $32,500 – $43,750 | Yes | — |
| Lebanon | 6.8% – 7.8% | $34,000 – $39,000 | No | — |
| Spain | 7.5% – 15.5% | $37,500 – $77,500 | No | Agency commission |
| Italy | 8.0% – 14.5% | $40,113 – $72,613 | No | — |
| Greece | 8.0% – 10.0% | $40,225 – $50,225 | No | — |
| Monaco | 9.8% | $49,250 | No | — |
| Portugal | 10.3% – 11.8% | $51,500 – $59,000 | No | — |
| Israel | 10.9% – 11.9% | $54,300 – $59,300 | No | — |
Who pays matters more than the rate
The single most common mistake in property guides is billing the buyer for a charge someone else owes. In Slovenia the 2% transfer tax is the seller's by statute, which is why it is the cheapest market on this page. In Albania and Egypt the transfer tax is the seller's too. The mistake runs the other way as well: in Italy, Greece, Croatia and Monaco the buyer pays the estate agent, 2–4% plus VAT that an Anglo-American or Spanish buyer will not be expecting at all.
Some markets need permission first
A non-national needs permission before taking title in 4 of these markets, and what that means varies enormously — a €233 permit in about 35 days in Malta, ministerial consent on a reciprocity list taking two to six months in Croatia, and in Tunisia a governor's authorisation that takes months and can simply be refused. Others restrict what you may buy rather than whether you may: agricultural land is closed to foreigners in Morocco and Croatia, and Egypt caps a foreign owner at two properties. It belongs in your timeline as much as your budget.
How these figures were put together
Each rate is traced to a published source and dated — statutes and revenue authorities where we could read them, law-firm guides otherwise — and every listing on this site shows the same breakdown with its sources against the actual asking price. Figures are estimates for budgeting, not legal or tax advice, and none has yet been reviewed by a practitioner in the jurisdiction concerned. Professional fees are customary ranges rather than fixed scales, so they are shown as ranges. Confirm the current position with an attorney before you commit.