Most buyers know their purchase price and their deposit to the forint. Far fewer have a ready figure for how much money must actually be available on the day they get the keys, and in the months that follow. The gap is not small change: on a typical Budapest purchase it easily runs to several million forints.
So let's take a concrete example: a 70 m² resale flat in a brick-built building in District VII, at HUF 1.4 million per m², or HUF 98 million in total. According to ingatlan.com, the median price per m² for resale condominium flats in District VII was HUF 1.47 million in March 2026, so the example is realistic. We have used 2026 fees and the financial press's 2026 cost round-ups; every figure is indicative.
The biggest item: property transfer tax
When you buy a home in Hungary, you pay 4% of its market value as property transfer tax (vagyonszerzési illeték). In our example that is HUF 3,920,000. You do not pay it at signing. The purchase is reported to the tax authority (NAV) on form B400 together with the land registry filing (your lawyer usually handles this), and NAV then issues a decision setting the amount and the deadline. According to the financial press, the decision can arrive months later, but it is wise to set the money aside on the day you buy.
NAV assesses the tax on market value. If the contract price is well below market value, the authority may apply its own valuation, so a contract that is "cheaper on paper" is not a saving but a risk.
When do you pay less?
- Replacement purchase. If you sell another home before or after buying, you pay tax only on the difference between the two market values. Since 1 January 2026, the window before the purchase has grown from 3 to 5 years; for a sale after the purchase you still have 1 year. If the home you sold was worth more, no tax is due. You must claim this relief on the reporting form; it is not automatic.
- CSOK Plusz. Buying a home with a CSOK Plusz family loan is exempt from transfer tax.
- Young first-time buyers and new builds. The relief for first-time buyers under 35 and the relief for new-build homes are tied to value limits of HUF 15 and 30 million. At Budapest price levels they rarely apply in practice.
- Between relatives and spouses, transfers are exempt.
Lawyer's fees and official costs
In Hungary, a property purchase agreement must be countersigned by a lawyer. According to the financial press's 2026 round-up, typical Budapest fees are 0.3–0.8% of the price, with a minimum of around HUF 100,000–150,000. VAT is added on top. The fee often covers drafting the contract, the countersignature, the land registry filing and holding funds in escrow, but always ask for this in writing.
At 0.5% in our example: HUF 490,000 + 27% VAT = HUF 622,300.
Land registry fees and copies of the title deed are small by comparison, in the range of a few thousand to a few tens of thousands of forints.
In practice, usually the buyer, because the security of the contract and the registration matters most to them. But it is a matter of agreement. If the seller also has a lawyer, each side pays their own.
If you are taking a mortgage
A mortgage has its own entry costs. Based on 2026 market round-ups, plan for:
- Valuation: HUF 30,000–80,000.
- Disbursement fee: typically 0.5–1% of the loan, though many banks waive it in promotions.
- Notarial deed: HUF 60,000–120,000.
- Home insurance: required by the bank, HUF 30,000–80,000 a year.
- Registering the mortgage at the land registry.
On a HUF 40 million market-rate mortgage in our example, these add up to roughly HUF 0.3–0.7 million, depending on the bank's discounts.
The bigger issue is valuation risk: if the bank values the flat below the price, you get a smaller loan and must cover the gap from your own funds. This is more common with old or poorly maintained flats, so plan a larger cash buffer for those. It pays to get a mortgage pre-approval before you make an offer.
Technical checks and moving
- Building survey: HUF 50,000–150,000. In an older building this is the best-value spend of all, because fixing hidden defects can cost many times more.
- Energy performance certificate: the seller's responsibility, and the rating must appear in the listing. Under the current government decree, a certificate is valid for five years.
- Removals: typically HUF 80,000–250,000 with a moving company.
- Transferring utilities: minor admin fees; record the meter readings in the handover protocol.
The renovation reserve: the most underestimated item
It is rare for a resale flat in Budapest to need nothing at all. According to 2025 construction price round-ups, renovation costs per m² look like this:
| Level | What it covers | HUF/m² (2025) | For 70 m² |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | Painting, small repairs | 30,000–60,000 | HUF 2.1–4.2m |
| Medium | Tiling, flooring, bathroom | 80,000–150,000 | HUF 5.6–10.5m |
| Full | Plus plumbing, wiring, windows | 150,000–300,000 | HUF 10.5–21m |
Construction labour rates rose by 6–7% in 2025, so for a 2026 quote it is safer to work from the upper half of each range. We wrote a separate guide on the pitfalls of renovating in an older building.
The example in full
| Item | Cash buyer | Mortgage buyer |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase price | HUF 98,000,000 | HUF 98,000,000 |
| Transfer tax (4%) | HUF 3,920,000 | HUF 3,920,000 |
| Lawyer (0.5% + VAT) | HUF 622,300 | HUF 622,300 |
| Building survey | approx. HUF 100,000 | approx. HUF 100,000 |
| Mortgage costs (HUF 40m loan) | none | approx. HUF 300,000–700,000 |
| Removals | approx. HUF 150,000 | approx. HUF 150,000 |
| Total before renovation | approx. HUF 102.8m | approx. HUF 103.1–103.5m |
| Medium renovation (70 m²) | HUF 5.6–10.5m | HUF 5.6–10.5m |
So even before any renovation you need roughly HUF 4.8–5.5 million on top of the price, close to 5% of it. With a medium renovation, the total lands between HUF 108 and 114 million. With a mortgage you also need your deposit up front: a HUF 40 million loan means HUF 58 million of your own money, plus the costs above.
Ask for a statement confirming there are no service-charge arrears, and read the minutes of the last two years' owners' meetings. If a roof, lift or façade renovation has been voted through, your share will soon be your cost.
When do you need which money?
The costs do not all fall due at once, so plan your cash flow too:
- Before making an offer: a building survey and, with a mortgage, the valuation fee.
- At signing: the deposit (often around 10% of the price) and the lawyer's fee or an advance on it.
- Before a mortgage is paid out: the notarial deed, insurance, the disbursement fee, and your full deposit, which the bank will ask you to prove as a condition of payment.
- At handover: the rest of the price, removals and transferring utilities.
- Months later: the transfer tax, as set out in NAV's decision.
- Before and after moving in: renovation and furnishing.
If you can only sell your current home after buying, you need a bridge between the two transactions: a later handover date, interim financing, or a coordinated sale and purchase. Think this through before signing either contract.
What the seller pays and what the buyer pays
In Hungary, the estate agent's commission is usually paid by the seller. If, as a buyer, you appoint your own representative to search, negotiate and check on your behalf, that fee is yours, but then one person is working solely in your interest. You can read more on our buyer representation page.
Frequently asked questions
When do I have to pay the transfer tax?
Not at signing, but by the deadline set in NAV's decision. The decision follows land registration, sometimes months later, but set the money aside when you buy. First-time buyers can request to pay in instalments.
Can we put a lower price in the contract to save tax?
It is not worth it. NAV looks at market value and can apply its own valuation if the figures differ. Hiding the real price also causes trouble when you sell, because your acquisition cost will be lower and you will pay more tax.
Do the transfer tax and lawyer's fee count when I sell later?
Yes. On a later sale, the transfer tax you paid and the lawyer's fee for the purchase count as costs that reduce taxable income, provided you can show invoices. Keep your paperwork.
How much reserve should I keep?
Without renovation, roughly 5% of the price, and for a resale flat more, depending on your renovation plans. We suggest keeping a further 10% above your planned renovation budget for surprises.
This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Transfer tax rules change often; please seek individual advice for your own situation.
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Dr. Gősi Georgina is Monvero's legal advisor. She looks after contracts, legal due diligence and the legal side of tax questions. This article is for general information; for advice on your own situation, get in touch.
