UK Home Buying Costs Hub
Every line in a UK property purchase, mapped to a calculator or guide. Start with the planner that composes them all; drill in with the specialist tools below.
Compose the whole stack
Home Buying Budget Planner — one set of inputs, every upfront and monthly cost combined. Statutory tax clearly separated from estimates.
How the costs of buying fit together
The costs of a purchase fall into three groups, and it helps to keep them separate:
- Statutory tax. Stamp duty is set by law, so it can be calculated exactly. In England and Northern Ireland a home mover pays nothing on the first £125,000. First-time buyers pay nothing on the first £300,000 of a purchase up to £500,000. Buyers of additional homes pay 5 percentage points more in every band. Scotland (LBTT) and Wales (LTT) have their own taxes.
- Estimates. Conveyancing, surveys, searches and removals vary by firm, property and region. The calculators give typical ranges, so get quotes before you rely on them.
- Ongoing costs. The mortgage payment, council tax, insurance and, for leasehold homes, service charge and ground rent. These decide whether the home stays affordable after you move in.
The budget planner combines all three from one set of inputs. Use the tools below when you want to check a single line in more detail.
Upfront one-off costs
- Stamp Duty (SDLT) — statutory tax, HMRC rates from 1 April 2025
- Deposit — the biggest line, typically 5-25% of price
- Conveyancing fees — solicitor + legal admin
- Survey costs — RICS Level 1, 2 or 3
- Moving & removals — man-and-van to full packed service
- Estate agent fees — if you are also selling
- Full upfront cost calculator — composed total
- Hidden costs of buying a house
- First-time buyer hidden costs
- Property searches explained
Mortgage & borrowing costs
Ongoing ownership costs
- Annual home ownership cost calculator
- Cost of owning a house per year
- Council tax calculator
- Council tax bands explained
- Home insurance cost guide
- Service charges explained (leasehold)
- Ground rent explained (leasehold)
- Leasehold vs freehold costs
Buy vs rent / affordability
- Buy vs rent calculator — 5-year total-cost comparison
- Affordability calculator
- Cost of buying a house UK — overview
- Best budgeting apps for home buyers
Related hubs
Last reviewed: 2 November 2026.