Buying costs in Marbella — the complete breakdown.

The two purchase categories and why they matter

All Spanish property purchases fall into one of two categories, and the tax treatment differs entirely:

Secondary market (resale): any property that has previously been sold or occupied. The main tax is ITP (Impuesto sobre Transmisiones Patrimoniales — Property Transfer Tax), levied at 7% of the declared purchase price in Andalucia as of 2026. ITP is paid to the Junta de Andalucia (not the national government) within 30 working days of the notarial signing.

New build (primera transmision): any property sold by a developer or promoter as its first commercial transfer. The main tax is IVA (VAT), levied at 10% of the purchase price for residential property, plus AJD (Actos Juridicos Documentados — Stamp Duty), levied at 1.2% of the price in Andalucia. Total: 11.2% of the new-build price in Andalucia.

The practical implication: for a €5 million new-build apartment, the tax line alone is €560,000. For a comparable €5 million secondary-market villa, it is €350,000. The difference — €210,000 — is entirely a function of new-build vs. resale status. Buyers who are flexible on this distinction should factor it into their budget model.

Line-by-line cost breakdown

The full cost stack for a Marbella secondary-market purchase:

ITP (Transfer Tax): 7% of declared price. On a €2M property: €140,000. On a €5M property: €350,000. On a €10M property: €700,000. This is the largest cost line in a resale transaction.

Notary fees: set by a regulated Spanish scale (Aranceles Notariales). Typical range for properties at the €1.5M-€10M band: €2,000-€5,000. The notary is the official party who witnesses the signing and verifies the title chain.

Land registry fees (Registro de la Propiedad): also on a regulated scale. Typical range: €1,500-€4,000. The registrar inscribes the transfer and issues the updated title extract.

Legal fees (buyer's lawyer): market rate in Marbella is 0.5-1% of the purchase price plus VAT. On a €3M transaction: €15,000-€30,000 plus 21% IVA. Using a qualified buyer's lawyer is not legally mandatory but is strongly recommended — the lawyer performs due diligence on the title, outstanding charges, community debts, and planning permissions.

NIE (Numero de Identificacion de Extranjero): mandatory for any non-Spanish buyer before the notarial signing. Cost: approximately €10 per person if applied for in Spain at a Comisaria; somewhat higher if handled via a Spanish consulate abroad. The process takes 2-10 business days depending on the route.

Survey/technical inspection: optional but recommended for older stock. Cost: €500-€2,000 depending on property size and inspector scope.

Currency conversion costs: for buyers purchasing in non-euro currencies, the spread on large transfers can be material. Working with a specialist FX provider (rather than a retail bank) on a €2M-€10M transfer can save €10,000-€60,000 versus spot bank rates.

Worked examples at three price points

The following examples use 2026 Andalucian rates. All are secondary-market (resale) purchases.

Example 1 — Villa in Nueva Andalucia at €2,000,000: -- ITP (7%): €140,000 -- Notary: €3,000 -- Land registry: €2,000 -- Legal fees (0.75%): €15,000 + €3,150 IVA -- NIE (2 persons): €20 -- Total acquisition costs: approximately €163,170 -- Total cost: €2,163,170 (8.2% over purchase price)

Example 2 — Villa in Sierra Blanca at €5,000,000: -- ITP (7%): €350,000 -- Notary: €4,000 -- Land registry: €3,000 -- Legal fees (0.75%): €37,500 + €7,875 IVA -- NIE (2 persons): €20 -- Total acquisition costs: approximately €402,395 -- Total cost: €5,402,395 (8.0% over purchase price)

Example 3 — New-build apartment in Golden Mile at €5,000,000: -- IVA (10%): €500,000 -- AJD (1.2%): €60,000 -- Notary: €4,000 -- Land registry: €3,000 -- Legal fees (0.75%): €37,500 + €7,875 IVA -- NIE (2 persons): €20 -- Total acquisition costs: approximately €612,395 -- Total cost: €5,612,395 (12.2% over purchase price)

Note on declared value: since 2022, the Agencia Tributaria uses "valor de referencia" (reference values from the Catastro) as the minimum ITP base, even if the declared purchase price is lower. For premium properties at market value, this rarely produces a material difference — the declared price typically exceeds the reference value.

Ongoing ownership costs (not acquisition)

Distinct from one-time acquisition costs, buyers should budget the following recurring annual costs:

IBI (Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles — council tax): set by the Marbella municipality. On a €3M property, IBI typically runs €2,000-€5,000 per year depending on the cadastral value.

Community fees (gastos de comunidad): applicable to any property within a residential complex or urbanisation. Range: €300-€2,500 per month depending on services (security, pool, garden, concierge). Standalone villas outside gated communities have minimal or no community fees.

Maintenance: for standalone villas with pool and garden, budget €15,000-€40,000 per year for groundskeeping, pool maintenance, general upkeep.

Wealth Tax (Patrimonio): Andalucia's 100% rebate for residents was in place as of 2026, effectively eliminating the tax for Andalucian residents on all asset classes. Non-residents pay Patrimonio on Spanish assets above €700,000 at progressive rates (0.2%-2.5%). Buyers structuring as non-residents should confirm the current rate with their tax advisor.

Non-Resident Income Tax (IRNR): non-residents who do not rent their property still owe a deemed-income tax on the imputed rental value — typically 19% (EU/EEA residents) or 24% (non-EU) on 1.1% of the cadastral value per year. This is a small amount on most properties.

Structuring the purchase: cash vs. mortgage

Most Muse Selection clients in the €1.5M+ register purchase with cash or through corporate/trust structures. Spanish mortgages for non-residents are available from Spanish banks (Santander, BBVA, CaixaBank and their private banking arms) at loan-to-value ratios of 60-70% for non-residents.

When a mortgage is involved, additional costs apply: -- Mortgage arrangement fee (comision de apertura): 0.5-1% of the loan amount -- Mortgage AJD: as of 2019 reform, the AJD on the mortgage is paid by the bank, not the buyer -- Property valuation (tasacion): required by the bank; cost €500-€2,000 depending on property size -- Life insurance (often required): varies

For corporate or trust structures, additional legal advisory, notarial, and registry costs apply depending on the complexity of the holding vehicle. Tax and legal advisory from the desk is available at introduction stage.

Timing and payment logistics

The payment sequence in a Spanish property purchase:

1. Offer accepted: no legal commitment yet. Verbal agreement only. 2. Contrato de arras: private purchase contract. Buyer pays typically 10% of the price as a deposit. If the buyer withdraws, the deposit is forfeited. If the seller withdraws, the seller repays double the deposit. 3. Notarial signing (escritura publica): balance due on this day. ITP (or IVA) is due within 30 working days of signing, though some notaries and lawyers prefer to arrange payment on the same day via a certified funds transfer. 4. Land registry inscription: takes 1-6 weeks after signing. The buyer owns the property from signing, but the inscription finalises the public record.

Buyers purchasing from outside Spain should ensure their NIE is obtained, their bank account in Spain is open (Spanish banks require in-person KYC for accounts above certain thresholds), and their funds are cleared in a Spanish or EEA account before the signing date. Muse Selection's legal introductions can coordinate the timing across all steps.

Frequently asked questions