Monvero guide · 2026
Buying a flat in BudapestBuying a flat in Budapest: full cost and checklist
How much money you really need on top of the price, when each amount is due, and what to check before you sign. Worked through on a real-world HUF 98 million example with 2026 fees.
- 02The full cost, worked through
- 03Transfer duty: when you pay less
- 04When you need which money
- 05Checklist before the contract
- 06Renovation reserve and viewings
- 07Common mistakes and contacts
monveroestates.com · +36 70 603 33331 / 7
Buying a flat in Budapest
01 · Costs
The full cost, worked through
The example is a 70 m² resale brick flat in District VII at HUF 1.4 million per m², so HUF 98 million. According to ingatlan.com data for March 2026, the median price of resale flats in District VII was HUF 1.47 million per m², so the example is realistic. Every line is an indicative estimate.
4%property transfer duty on market value
0.3–0.8%typical Budapest lawyer's fee, + VAT
20%minimum deposit for a mortgage (MNB)
| Item | Cash buyer | With HUF 40m loan |
|---|
| Purchase price | HUF 98,000,000 | HUF 98,000,000 |
| Transfer duty (4%) | HUF 3,920,000 | HUF 3,920,000 |
| Lawyer (0.5% + 27% VAT) | HUF 622,300 | HUF 622,300 |
| Technical survey | approx. HUF 100,000 | approx. HUF 100,000 |
| Loan costs | none | approx. HUF 300,000–700,000 |
| Moving | approx. HUF 150,000 | approx. HUF 150,000 |
| Total before renovation | approx. HUF 102.8m | approx. HUF 103.1–103.5m |
| Mid-level renovation (70 m²) | HUF 5.6–10.5m | HUF 5.6–10.5m |
Loan costs in detail
| Valuation | HUF 30–80k |
| Arrangement fee | 0.5–1% of the loan, often waived |
| Notarial deed | HUF 60–120k |
| Home insurance (required by the bank) | HUF 30–80k a year |
In short: before any renovation, set aside roughly 5% of the price on top of it. With a HUF 40 million loan you still need HUF 58 million of your own money, plus the costs above.
monveroestates.com · +36 70 603 33332 / 7
Buying a flat in Budapest
02 · Transfer duty
Transfer duty: when you pay less
When you buy a home you pay 4% of its market value as property transfer duty. You don't pay it on signing: the sale is reported to the tax authority (NAV) on form B400 together with the land registry filing, usually by the lawyer, and NAV then sets the amount and deadline in a decision. That decision can arrive months later, but set the money aside on the day you buy.
| Situation | Effect on the duty |
|---|
| Replacement purchase | You only pay on the difference between the two market values. From 1 January 2026 a sale up to 5 years before the purchase counts, and up to 1 year after. You must claim it on the form. |
| Buying with a CSOK Plusz loan | Exempt. |
| First-time buyer under 35 | Relief capped at HUF 15 million in value; rarely applies at Budapest prices. |
| New-build home | Relief capped at HUF 30 million in value; rarely applies at Budapest prices. |
| Between relatives or spouses | Exempt. |
Example: if you sold a HUF 60 million flat in the past five years, on the HUF 98 million purchase you only pay duty on HUF 38 million. That saves HUF 2.4 million.
What not to do
- Write a lower price into the contract. NAV looks at market value and can apply its own valuation. When you sell later, your purchase cost is lower too, so you pay more tax.
- Throw away the paperwork. On a later sale, the duty and the lawyer's fee reduce your taxable gain if you keep the invoices.
Who pays what?
In practice the buyer usually pays the lawyer, but it can be agreed otherwise. The agency's commission is usually paid by the seller. If you hire your own buyer's agent, that fee is yours, and in return one person works only for you.
monveroestates.com · +36 70 603 33333 / 7
Buying a flat in Budapest
03 · Timing
When you need which money
Costs don't all arrive at once, so plan your cash flow as well. This is the order of a typical Budapest purchase.
- Before searching: mortgage pre-approval
Shows how much you can borrow, so you search in a realistic price range. MNB rules generally require at least a 20% deposit.
- Before making an offer
Technical survey (HUF 50–150k) and, with a loan, the valuation fee. If the bank values the flat below the price, you cover the gap yourself.
- On signing
The deposit (typically around 10% of the price) and the lawyer's fee or an advance on it.
- Before the loan is paid out
Notarial deed, insurance, arrangement fee, and your full deposit, which the bank checks as a condition of payout.
- At handover
The rest of the price, moving, utility transfers. Record the meter readings in the handover report.
- Months later
Transfer duty, per NAV's decision. First-time buyers can ask to pay in instalments.
- Before and after moving in
Renovation and furnishing, with 10% on top of the planned budget.
Selling your current flat at the same time? You need a bridge between the two deals: a longer handover period, interim financing or a coordinated sale and purchase. Think it through before you sign anything.
monveroestates.com · +36 70 603 33334 / 7
Buying a flat in Budapest
04 · Checklist
Checklist before the contract
Tick these off before you pay a deposit. If anything is unclear, ask a lawyer before you sign.
Legal position
| Fresh title deed: who the owner is, and does it match the seller |
| Charges and rights: mortgage, usufruct, enforcement, pre-emption rights, pending entries |
| For a house: compare the land registry map with what is actually there |
| The contract shows the real price |
The building
| Confirmation that service charges are paid up |
| Minutes of the last two years' owners' meetings: any roof, lift or facade works voted? |
| Renovation plans and the state of the reserve fund |
Condition and energy
| Age of wiring, plumbing and heating, with renovation documented |
| Windows, and any signs of damp or cracks |
| Energy certificate (the seller's duty, valid for five years) |
| An independent surveyor at the viewing for older buildings |
Money
| Mortgage pre-approval in hand |
| Duty, lawyer and loan costs are in the budget |
| Replacement purchase: did you sell a home in the past 5 years? |
| The lawyer's fee and what it covers, in writing |
monveroestates.com · +36 70 603 33335 / 7
Buying a flat in Budapest
05 · Renovation and viewings
The renovation reserve: the most underestimated line
A resale Budapest flat rarely needs nothing at all. Construction price surveys for 2025 put renovation costs at roughly:
| Level | What it covers | HUF/m² (2025) | For 70 m² |
|---|
| Basic | Painting, small repairs | 30–60k | HUF 2.1–4.2m |
| Mid-level | Flooring, bathroom | 80–150k | HUF 5.6–10.5m |
| Full | Plumbing, wiring, windows too | 150–300k | HUF 10.5–21m |
Construction labour costs rose by 6–7% again in 2025, so for 2026 quotes plan towards the top of the range.
At a daytime viewing
- Light, orientation, views
- Transport, shops, the street
- Condition of stairwell and common areas
- Layout: what can move, what can't
And in the evening
- Noise and traffic
- Parking nearby
- How safe it feels, lighting
- The real character of the area
Your notes from the viewing
monveroestates.com · +36 70 603 33336 / 7
Buying a flat in Budapest
06 · Summary
Common mistakes, and how to avoid them
- Budgeting only for the price
Even without renovation you need about 5% on top; far more for a flat that needs work.
- No mortgage pre-approval
If the valuation comes in below the price, the gap comes from your own funds.
- Ignoring the building
Your share of works already voted will soon be your cost.
- Nice finish, hidden faults
A survey costs a fraction of fixing a hidden defect.
- Missing a duty relief
The replacement-purchase relief isn't automatic; claim it on the form.
Who we are
Monvero Estates is a Budapest agency. On the buyer's side we guide you through the search, the negotiation and the paperwork, with our own legal adviser.
Urbán Rékafounder, lead advisor
Zelina Grétaproperty advisor
Dr. Gősi Georginalegal advisor
Send us a listing and within one working day we'll send back the full cost. Online calculator: monveroestates.com/en/calculators.html
Sources: ingatlan.com (March 2026), MNB rules, 2026 fee summaries in the Hungarian financial press, construction price surveys (2025). Amounts are indicative estimates. This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Duty rules change often; get advice on your own case.
monveroestates.com · +36 70 603 33337 / 7