The numbers, before you ask
Most buyers researching one market end up piecing this together from three different lawyers — and most are only looking at one side of the bridge. Here it is in one place: real rates, by market, with the sources behind them.
Figures current as of 27 September 2026 · Spain, UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia — DLD transfer fee (UAE) and REGA disposal fee (Saudi Arabia) re-checked against primary sources, unchanged
01 — Buying
Resale property in Spain is taxed on purchase by Impuesto de Transmisiones Patrimoniales (ITP), set independently by each autonomous region — not by the state. The same property can carry a materially different tax bill depending on where in Spain it sits.
| Region | ITP (resale) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Madrid | 6% | Lowest general rate of any large-market region since Ley 5/2024 |
| Andalucía (Marbella, Málaga) | 7% | Single flat rate since 2021 — no progressive scale |
| Baleares (Mallorca, Ibiza) | 8% → 13% | Progressive by tranche: 8% to €400k, rising to 13% above €2M |
| Cataluña (Barcelona) | 10% → 13% | Progressive by tranche since June 2026; 20% punitive rate for large corporate holders |
New-build property follows a different regime entirely: 10% VAT (IVA) plus Stamp Duty (AJD) of roughly 1–1.5% of the price, instead of ITP.
02 — Holding
Madrid and Andalucía both offer a 100% regional rebate on Wealth Tax (Impuesto sobre el Patrimonio) — on paper, zero. This is the detail most buyers stop reading at, and the one that matters most:
Since 2023, a separate state tax applies to net worth above €3 million, regardless of regional rebates: 1.7% between €3M–€5.35M, 2.1% up to €10.7M, and 3.5% above that. Any regional Wealth Tax actually paid is credited against it — so in regions with a 100% rebate (Madrid, Andalucía, and others), the state tax applies in full above roughly €3.7M net worth. The two regions' tax advantage narrows sharply, and effectively disappears, above that threshold.
This is the kind of detail a family office already expects to hear from us before they have to ask for it.
03 — Selling
On sale, the gain (transmission value minus acquisition value and allowable costs) is taxed differently depending on tax residency:
| Seller | Tax | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Spanish tax resident | IRPF (savings scale) | 19% – 28%, progressive by gain |
| Non-resident, EU/EEA | IRNR | 19% flat |
| Non-resident, outside EU/EEA | IRNR | 24% flat |
In every non-resident sale, the buyer withholds 3% of the price at completion and pays it directly to the tax authority as an advance on the seller's final liability — refundable if it exceeds the actual tax due.
Separately, the Plusvalía Municipal — a local tax on the increase in land value during ownership — is due to the town hall, and is a distinct charge from IRPF/IRNR.
04 — Closing costs
The Spain figures, tied off.
Beyond ITP or IVA, buyers typically budget 1% to 1.5% of the price for notary fees, Land Registry inscription and standard legal/gestoría costs — this varies by province and property value, and is usually the most predictable line in the budget.
A different kind of tax system
No income tax, no capital gains tax, no annual property tax in any of the three markets below — the structural difference is real, not a sales line. What each market charges instead is a transaction-time fee, and it varies more than most buyers expect.
Government transaction cost, buyer side — before agency commission or legal fees, any market.
05 — Buying in the UAE
One headline fee. A handful of smaller ones people forget to budget for.
The Dubai Land Department (DLD) transfer fee is 4% of the purchase price — by law split 2%/2% between buyer and seller, but by long-standing market convention, the buyer pays the full amount. It applies to resale and off-plan purchases alike.
| Cost item | Amount |
|---|---|
| DLD transfer fee | 4% of price |
| DLD admin fee | AED 580 (ready) / AED 40 (off-plan) |
| Trustee office fee | AED 4,000 – 4,200 |
| Title deed issuance | AED 250 |
| Agency commission | ~2% + 5% VAT |
Total buyer-side closing costs typically land at 6% to 7% of the price for a cash purchase, rising to 7–9% where a mortgage is involved (added registration, valuation and bank arrangement fees).
No annual property tax. No personal income tax on rental income. No capital gains tax on sale — this is a structural feature of the UAE tax system, not a promotional claim.
06 — Buying in Qatar
Light on tax. Specific on where you're allowed to buy.
Foreign ownership in Qatar is restricted to designated freehold and usufruct zones under Law No. 16 of 2018, as amended — approximately ten zones as of 2026 (the exact count has grown periodically since the law's introduction), including The Pearl and Lusail. Inside those zones, the transaction cost itself is comparatively light: a property registration fee of 0.25% of the value, paid to the Real Estate Registration Department at the Ministry of Justice.
Legal fees typically add a further 0.5% to 2%. There is no annual property tax. A property investment of QAR 730,000 or more (roughly €185,000) can qualify a foreign buyer for Qatari residency, subject to conditions; higher thresholds apply for enhanced residency privileges.
These remain the two best-established freehold districts for foreign buyers — the reason both appear repeatedly across Qatar's small list of eligible zones, and the reason a property like The Royal Palace sits where it does.
07 — Buying in Saudi Arabia
The market that changed the most this year.
All property transactions in Saudi Arabia carry a flat 5% Real Estate Transaction Tax (RETT), regardless of the buyer's nationality — it replaced a 15% VAT on real estate in 2020, and applies at the time of purchase.
Since the Law of Real Estate Ownership by Non-Saudis took effect in 2026, foreign buyers can own property directly in designated zones across the Kingdom, including Riyadh and Jeddah (Makkah and Madinah remain restricted to Muslim buyers). Saudi Arabia's General Real Estate Authority (REGA) confirmed in July 2026 that a separate 2% disposal fee applies specifically when a non-Saudi owner later sells or transfers a property in Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah or Madinah — on top of the standard 5% RETT due on that same sale. It is an exit-side cost, not a purchase-side one.
There is no personal income tax in Saudi Arabia. Broker commission typically runs around 2.5% of the property value.
Trump Tower Jeddah sits within one of the four cities where the 2026 framework now applies.
This information is provided for general guidance only and does not constitute legal, tax or financial advice. Tax rates cited (ITP, RETT, DLD transfer fee, Qatar registration fee) are the statutory rates in effect at the time of writing, per the official sources listed in each section. Thresholds, zone counts, residency requirements and administrative fees are approximate and may be updated by the relevant authority between publication and your transaction — always confirmed with us and your own advisor at the time of enquiry. Rules, fees, exemptions and eligibility requirements may change. Independent professional advice should be obtained before any transaction.
Talk it through
This page is informational, not tax advice — every case is verified with your own advisor before any decision. But most conversations start here, not with a property.
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