Costa Blanca Buying Costs Calculator: Taxes, Fees & What You'll Actually Pay
See exactly what you'll pay in taxes and fees — with €0 commission built into the total
On a €200,000 resale apartment on the Costa Blanca, expect total buying costs of roughly €21,000–€22,000 on top of the price — about 10.5–11%. That figure covers Property Transfer Tax (9%), notary and Land Registry fees, and independent legal advice. It does not include agent commission, because DirecSpain doesn't charge buyers one.
What actually makes up your buying costs
Every resale purchase on the Costa Blanca carries four cost lines: a regional transfer tax, notary fees, Land Registry fees, and (optional but strongly advised) independent legal fees. A fifth line — agent commission — appears on many overseas-facing listings but doesn't have to. Here's what each one actually costs.
- Property Transfer Tax (ITP) — 9% of the purchase price for resale homes up to €1 million in the Valencian Community, as of 1 June 2026
- Notary fees — a regulated, fixed tariff based on property value, typically €600–€900 for a mid-market property
- Land Registry fees — roughly 0.1%–0.25% of the property value to register the deed
- Independent legal fees — typically 1% of the price plus 21% VAT, covering due diligence, debt checks and contract review
- Agent commission — often 3%–5% built into the price or charged separately on overseas-facing listings; €0 through DirecSpain
Worked example: a €200,000 resale apartment
Here's how those lines add up on a typical €200,000 resale apartment in an area like Torrevieja or Orihuela Costa, bought through DirecSpain rather than a commission-charging agency.
| Cost item | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Property price | — | €200,000 |
| Property Transfer Tax (ITP) | 9% | €18,000 |
| Notary fees | Fixed tariff | ~€700 |
| Land Registry fees | ~0.25% | ~€500 |
| Independent legal fees | 1% + 21% VAT | ~€2,420 |
| DirecSpain agent commission | — | €0 |
| Total buying costs | ~10.8% | ~€21,620 |
Many overseas-facing agencies on the Costa Blanca and Costa Cálida build a 3%–5% buyer-side fee into the price or charge it separately, which would add roughly €6,000–€10,000 to a purchase this size. Because DirecSpain lists directly with no buyer commission, that line simply isn't there.
Why ITP is 9%, not 10%, from mid-2026
The Valencian Community — which covers the entire Costa Blanca, from Alicante city down through Torrevieja, Orihuela Costa and Guardamar — cut its standard Property Transfer Tax from 10% to 9% on 1 June 2026, under Law 5/2025. Stamp duty (AJD) on related notarial deeds dropped from 1.5% to 1.4% on the same date. The 9% rate applies to resale homes valued up to €1 million; above that threshold, the rate stays at 11%. New-build properties aren't affected by ITP at all — they're taxed under national VAT rules instead (see below).
Resale vs. new-build: the tax picture is different
If you're comparing a resale apartment to a new-build unit, the tax treatment changes completely — new builds are never subject to ITP.
| Property type | Tax | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Resale (up to €1m) | ITP | 9% |
| Resale (over €1m) | ITP | 11% |
| New-build (any value) | VAT (IVA) + Stamp Duty (AJD) | 10% + 1.4% |
On paper, new-build looks slightly more expensive in tax terms (11.4% combined vs. 9% ITP), but new-build purchases often come with fewer legal due-diligence costs since there's no existing debt or ownership history to
