Head to head
Buying property in Portugal vs Italy
Answer first: it depends on who you are. A resident buying a primary home in Portugal pays about 0.8 percent stamp duty, with no IMT below EUR 106,346 in 2026, which undercuts Italy's roughly 2 percent. A non-resident buyer in Portugal pays a flat 7.5 percent IMT on top from 2026, about 8.3 percent all in, so Italy is the cheaper side for non-residents. The table below shows what sits behind each number, from the same dataset that powers our country guides.
Portugal and Italy draw many of the same cross-border buyers, and the question of which one is cheaper to actually transact in has a data answer. This page puts the two side by side using the reviewed figures behind our full Portugal and Italy country guides: what the buyer pays at closing, which taxes apply and who pays them, who signs off on the deal, and what it costs to sell again later.
The machinery differs less than the bill does. The professional in charge in Portugal: Notary (notário) or Casa Pronta official, with the deal recorded at the Conservatória do Registo Predial (Land Registry), administered by IRN. In Italy: Notaio, recorded at the Catasto (Agenzia delle Entrate). Both systems exist to make a sale between strangers safe and final, including foreign ones.
Side by side
How do Portugal and Italy compare on transaction costs?
| Cost or rule | Portugal | Italy |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer-side closing costs | About 0.8% (stamp duty; IMT extra) | About 2% (primary home, on cadastral value) |
| Typical agent commission | 3 to 5% | 2 to 4% |
| Who oversees the transfer | Notary (notário) or Casa Pronta official | Notaio |
| Land registry | Conservatória do Registo Predial (Land Registry), administered by IRN | Catasto (Agenzia delle Entrate) |
| Main purchase taxes | IMT, Imposto Municipal sobre as Transmissões Onerosas de Imóveis (property transfer tax) IMT flat 7.5% for non-resident buyers (2026) | Registration tax (imposta di registro) - paid by buyer Registration tax base - the prezzo-valore rule (private-to-private sale) |
| Currency | EUR (€) | EUR (€) |
Behind the figures
What do the numbers mean?
The buyer-side figure bundles the transfer tax, the notary or registration fees, and the filing costs into one reviewed percentage per market. It is a typical figure, not a quote: each country's own rules move it up or down, and the notes from our dataset spell out how.
- Portugal: In Portugal, buyers pay ~0.8% stamp duty plus IMT (property transfer tax, 0 to 7.5%+ depending on residency). Sellers have minimal fixed costs (energy cert ~EUR 120 to 300, documents ~EUR 15) but may owe capital gains tax on profit (50% inclusion at up to 48% marginal for residents); no fixed seller closing % is standard.
- Italy: Buyers in Italy pay 2% registration tax (prima casa) on cadastral value plus fixed taxes; mortgage discharge is seller's main direct cost if applicable.
Both markets price in EUR, so the percentages give a sense of scale on a €300,000 home: about €2,400 in Portugal, before IMT, which adds 0 to 7.5 percent depending on price and residency, and about €6,000 in Italy, though Italy charges the 2 percent on the lower cadastral value, so the real bill is typically smaller. Treat both as ballpark figures; the notes above explain what moves them.
Closing costs are half the answer. Asking prices differ too, and our house prices by country table puts both markets on the same footing there.
Selling later
What happens when you sell in Portugal or Italy?
The market you buy into is also the market you will one day sell in, and the exit cost is mostly the agent. Commission typically runs 3 to 5% of the price in Portugal and 2 to 4% in Italy. On a €300,000 sale that is roughly €9,000 to €15,000 in Portugal and €6,000 to €12,000 in Italy. The commission table shows how both compare with every other market we track.
Commission is negotiable in both countries, and owners can sell without an agent in either, which keeps the exit cost in your hands rather than baked into the market. Our roundup of the best FSBO sites in Portugal shows where owners list there. For the other side, see the best FSBO sites in Italy.
The verdict
Which is the better market to buy in, Portugal or Italy?
Portugal's edge is procedural: Casa Pronta executes the deed, settles the taxes, and files the registration in one government appointment, while an Italian deal always runs through a notaio.
Neither answer replaces the full picture. The Portugal and Italy country guides cover the transfer professional, the registry, and the taxes in detail, and our buying abroad guide walks through financing, money transfer, and remote purchases for any market.
Official sources for the visa and eligibility claims on this page
Common questions about buying in Portugal vs Italy
Is it cheaper to buy a house in Portugal or Italy?
It depends on residency and price point. A resident buying a primary home in Portugal pays about 0.8 percent stamp duty, with no IMT below EUR 106,346 in 2026, which undercuts Italy's roughly 2 percent. A non-resident buyer in Portugal pays a flat 7.5 percent IMT on top from 2026, about 8.3 percent in total, so Italy is the cheaper side for non-residents. Purchase prices are a separate question.
Who oversees the property transfer in Portugal and Italy?
In Portugal: Notary (notário) or Casa Pronta official, with the transfer recorded at the Conservatória do Registo Predial (Land Registry), administered by IRN. In Italy: Notaio, with the transfer recorded at the Catasto (Agenzia delle Entrate). In both countries the oversight comes with the transfer itself, so it applies whether or not an agent introduced the parties.
What are the main purchase taxes in Portugal and Italy?
The headline purchase tax in Portugal is the IMT, Imposto Municipal sobre as Transmissões Onerosas de Imóveis (property transfer tax). In Italy it is the Registration tax (imposta di registro) - paid by buyer. Each country guide covers the full list, including the smaller registry and filing charges.
What does it cost to sell a home later in Portugal or Italy?
Agent commission typically runs 3 to 5% of the price in Portugal and 2 to 4% in Italy, and commission is negotiable in both markets. Owners can also sell without an agent in either country, which turns the commission into a choice rather than a fixed exit cost.
Does Portugal's 0.8 percent buyer figure include IMT?
No, and this matters for the comparison. The 0.8 percent is stamp duty (Imposto do Selo). IMT, the transfer tax, comes on top and depends on price and residency: a resident buying a primary home on the mainland pays nothing up to EUR 106,346 in 2026, rates then climb through brackets, and a non-resident buyer pays a flat 7.5 percent from 2026. A resident primary-home purchase can genuinely undercut Italy's 2 percent; a non-resident purchase will not.
Can buying property in Portugal or Italy get me residency?
No. Portugal removed real estate from its golden visa program in October 2023 under Lei 56/2023, and Italy's investor visa has no real estate route, so a purchase in either country leaves your immigration position where it was. Buy for the home, not for a permit; our guide to buying property abroad covers the residency question in more detail.