Free Tool · Buying Costs
Cost of Purchase Breakdown
See all costs when buying a property in Australia — stamp duty, legal fees, bank charges, inspections, insurance, and moving costs. State-specific estimates.
See all costs when buying a property in Australia — stamp duty, legal fees, bank charges, inspections, insurance, and moving costs. State-specific estimates.
Last reviewed 12 July 2026 · rates and thresholds verified against official FY2026-27 sources.
In Australia, the contract price on a property is only part of what leaves your bank account on the way to settlement. Alongside your deposit, you need a separate pool of cash for government taxes, professional fees, lender charges, inspections, insurance and the practical cost of physically moving. Buyers who plan only for the deposit are routinely caught short — sometimes by tens of thousands of dollars — and either delay settlement, scramble for extra funds, or borrow more than they intended.
These upfront costs matter because most of them are not financed. Your loan covers a percentage of the purchase price; the cash costs of transacting generally sit on top and come out of your own savings. Knowing the full figure before you make an offer tells you the deposit you can actually afford, how much "buffer" you need left over after settlement, and whether a 5% or 10% deposit strategy genuinely works once every cost is counted. This calculator estimates each line item, varies the largest of them by state and buyer type, and totals the cash you realistically need at the table.
The calculator builds your total from your purchase price, your deposit percentage and your state, then adds the standard transaction costs. In words, the core relationships are:
Stamp duty is almost always the biggest single line item, so it deserves the most attention. It is set by each state and territory revenue office (for example, Revenue NSW, the State Revenue Office Victoria and the Queensland Revenue Office) and is calculated on a sliding scale, not a flat rate. First home buyer concessions and foreign-purchaser surcharges are also state-based, which is why your buyer type changes the result so dramatically.
Two buyers paying the same price in different states can face very different bills, almost entirely because of stamp duty. Each state and territory sets its own duty scale, its own first home buyer thresholds and concessions, and its own foreign-purchaser surcharge. The figures below are indicative ranges to show how the levers move — always confirm the current rates with the relevant state revenue office, as thresholds and rates change between budgets.
| State/Territory | Revenue authority | FHB concession (typical lever) |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | Revenue NSW | Full exemption then phased concession under a price threshold |
| VIC | State Revenue Office Victoria | Full exemption then sliding concession under a price threshold |
| QLD | Queensland Revenue Office | First home concession under a price threshold |
| SA | RevenueSA | Relief targeted at first home buyers (often new builds) |
| WA | RevenueWA | First home owner rate of duty under a price threshold |
| TAS | State Revenue Office Tasmania | Concession for eligible first home buyers |
| ACT | ACT Revenue Office | Income-tested duty concession scheme |
| NT | Territory Revenue Office | House-and-land and first home incentives |
Buyer type also matters. First home buyers may pay little or no stamp duty under a threshold, and may be eligible for the First Home Guarantee (buy with as little as a 5% deposit and no LMI, subject to eligibility and property price caps), the First Home Super Saver scheme (withdraw eligible voluntary super contributions toward a deposit), or shared-equity programs such as Help to Buy. Foreign buyers, by contrast, typically pay a foreign-purchaser stamp duty surcharge on top of standard duty.
Assume a non-first-home buyer purchasing an established home in New South Wales for $650,000 with a 10% deposit ($65,000), so the loan is $585,000 and the LVR is 90%. Because the deposit is under 20% and no no-LMI scheme is used, LMI applies. Using typical, illustrative figures:
That gives total buying costs of roughly $38,565, or about 5.9% of the price. Add the $65,000 deposit and the cash needed is approximately $103,565. The same purchase by an eligible first home buyer under a state stamp duty exemption — and using the First Home Guarantee to avoid LMI — could cut the upfront cash by more than $30,000. These figures are illustrative; your actual duty, LMI and fees will differ.
This tool estimates the upfront cash needed to buy, using typical fee ranges and state-aware stamp duty logic. It is designed to size your savings target and compare scenarios. It does not calculate your ongoing loan repayments, council rates, strata or body corporate levies, land tax, ongoing insurance renewals, or the capital gains tax position on a future sale. It cannot read your specific contract, lender pricing or eligibility for government schemes, and it is not a substitute for an exact quote from your conveyancer, a duty assessment from your state revenue office, or advice from a licensed professional. Treat the output as a planning estimate, not a settlement figure.
As a rule of thumb, allow roughly 4–7% of the purchase price for total buying costs, with stamp duty driving most of the variation. The figure is lower for first home buyers who qualify for a duty exemption and higher where LMI or a foreign-buyer surcharge applies. Always confirm with your state revenue office and lender.
Sometimes. Many states fully waive transfer duty for eligible first home buyers under a price threshold, then taper a concession above it. Eligibility usually depends on price, residency and whether you have owned property before. Check the current rules with your state revenue office, as thresholds change between state budgets.
Yes, in some cases. LMI normally applies once your LVR is above 80% (a deposit under 20%). Eligible first home buyers can use the First Home Guarantee to buy with around a 5% deposit without paying LMI, subject to eligibility rules and property price caps set under the scheme. Some buyers also avoid LMI with a family guarantor.
Use the official calculator published by your state or territory revenue office — Revenue NSW, the State Revenue Office Victoria, the Queensland Revenue Office, RevenueSA, RevenueWA, the State Revenue Office Tasmania, the ACT Revenue Office or the Territory Revenue Office. For general consumer guidance on home loans and buying, the federal Moneysmart website (moneysmart.gov.au), run by ASIC, is a reliable starting point.
For independent, government-issued information, consult:
This page provides general information only and is not personal financial advice. Figures here are illustrative and rounded; confirm every cost with the relevant authority and your own lender, conveyancer and adviser before committing to a purchase.