Cost of Buying an Apartment in Istanbul in 2026: All Extra Fees

The asking price is never the full cost of an apartment in Istanbul. Title deed fees, a valuation report, insurance, translation, utility transfers, commission and, on new builds, possibly VAT all come on top. This is the breakdown we go through with buyers at our Bomonti office before they sign anything, updated for 2026.

1. Title deed fee (tapu harcı): 4% of the declared price

This is the biggest extra. Tapu harcı is a fee of 4% on the sale price declared at the land registry (Tapu Müdürlüğü). The law splits it 2% for the buyer and 2% for the seller, but in Istanbul it is often negotiated so the buyer pays all 4%. Agree who pays in writing before the appointment.

Example: on a declared price of 10,000,000 TL, the total tapu fee is 400,000 TL. That is 200,000 TL each if it is split, or 400,000 TL if you cover it alone.

Declare the real price. For foreign buyers, the land registry checks the declared value against the valuation report and the bank payment records. A low declared value also means a bigger taxable gain when you sell, and it can sink a citizenship application.

Land registry service fee (döner sermaye)

There is also a small fixed fee for each land registry transaction. Turkish press reports put it at around 6,681 TL in 2026. It is paid on the day together with the tapu fee.

2. Valuation report (ekspertiz / değerleme raporu)

A foreigner cannot complete a purchase at the land registry without a valuation report on the property. The report is ordered through the land registry's Web Tapu system and prepared by a valuation company licensed by the Capital Markets Board (SPK). The fee depends on the firm and the property, so ask for the quote up front. If you take a Turkish mortgage, the bank will order its own appraisal on top, at your cost.

3. DASK compulsory earthquake insurance

DASK is the state-backed compulsory earthquake insurance. You need a valid policy to transfer the title deed and to open water, electricity and gas accounts. The premium depends on the gross area, the type of construction and the earthquake risk zone, and the policy is renewed every year. DASK covers only the building. Contents and wider home insurance are optional and separate.

4. Sworn translator and notary

If you do not speak Turkish, a sworn translator (yeminli tercüman) has to attend the tapu appointment with you. The translator sets the fee, so agree it in advance. If you cannot come to Istanbul, you can sign a power of attorney at a Turkish notary or a Turkish consulate abroad. That adds notary fees and translations of your passport and the power of attorney.

5. Tax number (vergi numarası)

A Turkish tax number is required for the title deed, a bank account and utility contracts. Any tax office issues one free of charge when you show your passport, usually on the same day.

6. Utility transfers and handover costs

• Subscriptions: electricity, water (İSKİ) and natural gas (İGDAŞ) must be moved into your name. New subscriptions usually ask for a deposit (güvence bedeli). The amounts vary by provider and meter type.
• Unpaid bills: on a resale, check that the seller's final bills are paid before handover.
• Building fees (aidat): in residential complexes, ask management for written confirmation that the apartment has no outstanding aidat. Ask for the current monthly amount too.
• Occupancy permit (iskan): on new or recently built apartments, confirm the building has iskan. Without it, permanent utility subscriptions and some later transactions can be difficult.

7. Agency commission

Under the Regulation on Real Estate Trade (Taşınmaz Ticareti Hakkında Yönetmelik), commission on a sale may not exceed 4% of the price plus VAT in total. Unless agreed otherwise, it is split equally, so the usual figure is 2% + VAT (20%) from each side. Developers selling new projects often pay the agency themselves, so ask how it works on the project you are viewing. Always have the commission written into the brokerage agreement before viewings turn into offers.

8. VAT (KDV) on new builds and the exemption for foreigners

A resale bought from a private individual carries no VAT. A first sale by a developer does. For buildings whose construction permit is dated after 1 April 2022, the rates are:

• 10% on the part of the apartment up to 150 m² net area
• 20% on the part above 150 m² net
• 1% on the part up to 150 m² net in urban transformation projects (Law No. 6306)

Older permits can fall under earlier rules, so always ask whether the quoted price includes KDV.

VAT exemption for non-resident foreigners

Article 13/i of the VAT Law exempts the first sale of a home or office by the developer to a foreigner who is not resident in Turkey. As a rule, a non-resident has no domicile in Turkey and stays here for no more than six months in a calendar year. The main conditions are:

• the price is brought into Turkey in foreign currency;
• at least 50% is paid before the invoice date and the rest within one year;
• if you sell within three years, the unpaid VAT plus interest becomes payable before the sale.

The exemption is not available on resales. If you already live in Turkey on a residence permit for most of the year, you may not qualify. The developer has to issue an exempt invoice, so raise it at the reservation stage, not at the tapu office.

9. Annual costs: property tax (emlak vergisi)

For homes inside a metropolitan municipality such as Istanbul, emlak vergisi is 0.2% a year of the official tax value (vergi değeri) set by the municipality. That value is not the market price. As the new owner, you pay from the year after the purchase. The tax is due in two installments, one between March and May and one in November. In 2026 the first deadline moved to 1 June because 31 May fell on a weekend. Tax values were reassessed for 2026–2029 with large increases, and a legal cap limited how far the 2026 amounts could rise compared with 2025.

Valuable housing tax (değerli konut vergisi): if the tax value of a home is above 17,711,000 TL (the 2026 threshold), an additional progressive tax of 0.3% to 1% applies to the part above the threshold. The return is due by 20 February.

10. Extra costs if you are buying for Turkish citizenship

• Value tests: the price on the title deed, the valuation report and the documented payments must each reach at least USD 400,000, and a 3-year no-sale annotation is placed on the title deed.
• Currency conversion: the money must be sold to a bank in Turkey, and a foreign exchange purchase certificate (döviz alım belgesi, DAB) must be obtained before the tapu transaction. Budget for the bank's exchange spread and transfer fees.
• Valuation for the citizenship file: changes announced at the end of September 2026 widened the choice of SPK-licensed valuation firms and extended how long a report stays valid. The detailed implementation guidance was still being finalised at the time of writing.
• Documents and permits: translations and apostilles of birth and marriage certificates, residence permit fees, health insurance, and lawyer fees.

Summary table

A simple budgeting rule

For a resale where you pay the full tapu fee and 2% + VAT commission, plan on roughly 6.4% of the price, plus the fixed fees above. On a new build, add the VAT rate that applies unless you qualify for the exemption.

Fees and tax rules in Turkey change often. Confirm the current figures with a licensed lawyer or accountant before you act.

If you want a line-by-line cost estimate for a specific apartment, message Majesty Turkey on WhatsApp or visit our office in Bomonti, Şişli.