Cost of buying property in Malta (2026)
Price is only the start. Work out the monthly repayment, stamp duty, notary and registry fees, grants and the cash you need by the deed, for your situation.
Stamp duty is 5% of the price for most buyers. First-time buyers pay nothing on the first €200,000 and 5% above it, a relief made permanent from 28 October 2025. Buying your only home, but not your first, costs 3.5% on the first €200,000.
Notary fees follow a statutory tariff plus VAT, the Public Registry charges a small fee per deed, and a buyer from outside the EU usually needs an AIP permit (€232). Banks lend under Central Bank of Malta limits: up to 90% of the price for a first or only home, 75% otherwise.
The calculator uses the published average rate for new Maltese home loans (2.5%) as a neutral starting point. It is not a quote and it does not recommend a lender. Change the rate to the one you have been offered.
Monthly repayment
€1,245
Loan €315,000 (90% of the price)
Cash needed by the deed
€47,562 to €49,012
- Deposit
- €35,000
- Stamp duty
- €7,500
- Notary fees (statutory tariff, incl. VAT)
- €3,419
- Searches and disbursements (estimate)
- €500 to €1,500
- Public Registry
- €694
- Bank valuation and processing (estimate)
- €450 to €900
- Total interest over the term
- €133,067
You save €10,000 against the standard 5%
€1,500 of it is paid at the promise of sale
- First-time buyers pay no stamp duty on the first €200,000, and 5% above.
- First-Time Buyer Grant: €1,000 a year for 10 years (€10,000) from the Housing Authority, when the home is bought with a bank loan.
Figures verified 2026-10-01. Information only: not a loan offer, not advice, and no lender is recommended.
Questions people ask
How much stamp duty does a first-time buyer pay in Malta?
Nothing on the first €200,000 of the price and 5% on the rest. On a €300,000 home that is €5,000. You must never have owned a residence, the home must become your sole residence, and you must not need an AIP permit.
How much deposit do I need?
Central Bank of Malta rules let banks lend up to 90% of the price for a first or only home with no other home loan, and 75% for second homes and investments. Below €175,000 those limits do not apply. Buyers from abroad are commonly asked for about 30%, which is market practice rather than a rule.
How much are notary fees in Malta?
The notary's fee is set by law: 1% of the first €11,694, 0.5% up to €596,394 and 0.25% above, plus 18% VAT. On a €300,000 purchase that is about €1,839 including VAT. Searches and disbursements are billed on top.
Which grants and schemes help buyers?
The Housing Authority First-Time Buyer Grant pays €1,000 a year for 10 years when the home is bought with a bank loan, and since August 2026 also covers second-time buyers who own no other home. Its 10% Deposit Scheme helps with the deposit on homes up to €250,000, within age and income limits.
Which interest rate does the calculator use?
The published average for new home loans in Malta (2.5%, ECB/CBM MIR, Malta, Aug 2026, variable/≤1y fixation). It is a neutral starting point, not any bank's rate. Darscover does not compare lenders or give financial advice.
Sources
Every figure was checked against these sources on 2026-10-01.
- Duty on Documents and Transfers Act (Cap. 364)
- First-time buyer duty relief (S.L. 364.12, L.N. 305 of 2025)
- Second-time buyer refund (S.L. 364.17)
- UCA and long-vacant property relief (S.L. 364.19)
- Notarial tariff (Cap. 55)
- Public Registry fees (Cap. 56)
- Acquisition of property by non-residents (Cap. 246)
- Housing Authority: First-Time Buyer Scheme
- Housing Authority: 10% Deposit Scheme
- Central Bank of Malta borrower-based measures (ESRB notification)
- Average new home-loan rate, Malta (ECB statistics)