The true cost of buying property in Costa Blanca 2026

Plan for:
Purchase price + 10–15% buffer

That buffer usually covers taxes + the basic professional fees (notary, registry, legal support). Multiple 2025–2026 buying guides repeat this range for foreign buyers in Spain, with the final number depending on region and whether it’s new build or resale. Costa Blanca+1

This is where most people get confused

A) Resale (second-hand home)
You usually pay ITP (property transfer tax), not VAT.
In the Valencian Community (Costa Blanca), many 2026 guides still use 10% as the general planning rate for resale purchases. Costa Blanca+1

B) New build (buying from a developer)
You usually pay VAT (IVA) at 10% on residential property.
Then you also pay AJD (stamp duty), which varies by region. Lawants+1

For Costa Blanca new builds, some 2026 planning guides suggest budgeting about 11.5% for taxes alone (10% VAT plus roughly 1–1.5% AJD). Costa Blanca
Other guides cite Valencia AJD closer to 1.0% as a reference point. Lawants

The takeaway:
Do not guess.

Ask your real estate agent or lawyer for the current tax rate for your exact purchase.

Here is the practical checklist most buyers need

Taxes (the big one)
Resale: ITP (often planned at 10% in Valencia for 2026 guides)
New build: VAT 10% + AJD (often planned around 1–1.5% for Costa Blanca) Costa Blanca+2Euro Javea Real Estate+2

Notary and land registry
Notary fees are regulated and commonly budgeted around:

Land registry is often budgeted around

Legal help (highly recommended)

Many guides use a simple planning rule:
legal fees around 1% of the purchase price, plus VAT (and sometimes 1–2% depending on complexity and firm). Costa Blanca+1

Mortgage-related extras (only if you finance)
A typical “do not forget this” item is the valuation:
roughly 300 to 600 euros is commonly cited. Costa Blanca+1

Some banks may charge an opening fee (often 0.5% to 1%, though some products offer 0%).
And some planning guides suggest adding 2–4% of the loan amount to cover mortgage-related costs, depending on your bank and structure. Costa Blanca+1

Small but real extras people forget
These are not always “purchase costs,” but they hit your budget fast:

You do not need to overthink these now.

Just leave room for them.

Example A: 250,000 resale apartment

Planning logic (high level):

So your mental model should be:
250,000 purchase price can easily mean 275,000 to 287,500 total budget.
Exact number depends on your case and the final tax rate. Costa Blanca+1

Example B: 350,000 new build townhouse

Planning logic (high level):

So your mental model should be:
350,000 purchase price can easily mean 395,000+ total budget once you include taxes and the basic professional fees.
Again, the exact number depends on your situation and the specific AJD rate used. Costa Blanca+2Lawants+2

Use this before you pay a deposit.

Some local sources report a planned change from June 2026:

a general ITP reduction from 10% to 9% for second-hand properties valued up to 1,000,000 euros, with 11% applying above 1,000,000 euros. Euro Javea Real Estate

If this applies when you buy, it can materially change your total budget.

But do not plan your purchase around rumors.

Plan around what your lawyer confirms at the time you sign.