Rates & sources
SDLT/LTT/LBTT bands vary between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Use the appropriate calculator.
Source: HMRC / Welsh Revenue / Revenue Scotland — figures refreshed at the start of each tax year.
When to use this calculator
- Before buying, renting, refinancing, or reviewing a property investment.
- When you want to compare cash flow, yield, growth, and ownership costs side by side.
- When you need a fast estimate before speaking to an agent, lender, or adviser.
- When you are assessing whether a rental property still makes financial sense after a mortgage rate change.
- When you want to compare the total cost of renting against owning over a five- or ten-year horizon.
A realistic Ireland planning example
Use these sample inputs as a quick scenario test, then change one variable at a time to compare outcomes.
Property Purchase Price (€)
€350,000
Property Type
Residential — first €1m at 1%, balance at 2%
Buyer Type
Standard buyer
After entering these figures, review stamp duty, effective rate and est. legal fees (~1%) together rather than in isolation — each metric tells a different part of the story. Then rerun the tool with one input adjusted to see which variable has the biggest effect on all three outputs before you settle on a plan.
How to read your results
Stamp Duty
Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.
Effective Rate
The effective rate lets you compare options on a true like-for-like basis rather than being misled by different compounding periods or fee structures. Use it to cut through headline marketing rates when shortlisting providers or products.
Est. Legal Fees (~1%)
Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.
Total Upfront Costs
This is the headline outcome of the calculation, but it is most useful when read alongside the supporting metrics below it rather than in isolation. Try changing one input at a time and watching how this total moves to understand which driver has the biggest impact.
Duty on First €1m
Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.
Method & assumptionsAuthoritative sources
This calculator applies 2024 Irish stamp duty rates as set out in the Stamp Duties Consolidation Act 1999 (as amended). For standard residential property, the rate is 1% on the first €1 million of the purchase price and 2% on the balance above €1 million. Commercial and non-residential property — including offices, retail premises, and agricultural land not qualifying for relief — is charged at a flat 7.5%. The bulk purchase surcharge of 10% is added on top of the standard residential rate where a single buyer acquires ten or more units in a single or series of linked transactions, a measure introduced in Finance Act 2021 to deter large-scale investor acquisitions.
The estimated legal fees shown are an indicative guideline only, typically ranging between 0.75% and 1.5% of the purchase price depending on complexity; actual solicitor fees vary. This calculator does not model stamp duty refund schemes, agricultural relief, consanguinity relief, or charity exemptions. Stamp duty is a self-assessment tax in Ireland; the buyer is responsible for ensuring the return is filed and payment made within 30 days of deed execution, which is normally handled by the buyer's solicitor.
Common mistakes
- !Comparing rent and ownership costs without including taxes, fees, and maintenance.
- !Using purchase price alone without testing the impact of financing or vacancy assumptions.
- !Relying on yield or growth in isolation instead of reviewing the full property case.
- !Forgetting Stamp Duty Land Tax (or its Scottish and Welsh equivalents), which can add thousands to the true cost of purchase.
- !Using optimistic rental growth figures without also testing a flat or declining rent scenario to check downside resilience.
What to do next
- Run a second scenario with a higher rate or lower rental yield to check downside resilience.
- Compare the result with a buy-versus-rent or stamp duty calculator before making an offer.
- Use the related guides below to understand agent fees, legal costs, and ongoing maintenance budgets.
- If you are assessing a buy-to-let, check the gross yield against the net yield after mortgage interest, voids, and management fees.
- Note down the key figures from this scenario to share with your solicitor or mortgage broker so they are working from the same assumptions.
Frequently asked
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End-of-article next steps
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