When you buy a home in Germany, the price on the listing is not the whole bill. The extra costs, called Kaufnebenkosten, are paid on top, and the biggest one depends on where you buy. This guide shows what the costs are, how the transfer tax differs by federal state (Bundesland), and how to add everything to your savings target.
This is general information, not financial, tax or mortgage advice. Rates change, so confirm the current figures with the notary, your state’s tax office or your lender.
What makes up the Kaufnebenkosten?
There are three main items:
- Real estate transfer tax (Grunderwerbsteuer): a percentage of the purchase price, set by each state. It currently ranges from 3.5% to 6.5%.
- Notary and land registry fees (Notar- und Grundbuchkosten): commonly cited at about 1.5% to 2.0% of the price. These are broadly the same everywhere.
- Estate agent commission (Maklerprovision): up to 3.57% for the buyer in many cases, and nothing if the property is sold without an agent. Since the 2020 reform, the cost is generally shared between buyer and seller when you buy a home to live in.
Together these often come to roughly 10% to 15% of the price. Banks usually expect you to pay them from your own savings, not borrow them.
Transfer tax rates by Bundesland
The transfer tax is where location matters most. Rates as commonly published for 2026:
| Bundesland | Rate |
|---|---|
| Bavaria (Bayern) | 3.5% |
| Baden-Württemberg | 5.0% |
| Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen) | 5.0% |
| Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz) | 5.0% |
| Saxony-Anhalt (Sachsen-Anhalt) | 5.0% |
| Thuringia (Thüringen) | 5.0% |
| Bremen | 5.5% |
| Hamburg | 5.5% |
| Saxony (Sachsen) | 5.5% |
| Berlin | 6.0% |
| Hesse (Hessen) | 6.0% |
| Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | 6.0% |
| Brandenburg | 6.5% |
| North Rhine-Westphalia (Nordrhein-Westfalen) | 6.5% |
| Saarland | 6.5% |
| Schleswig-Holstein | 6.5% |
Check the current rate for your state before you fix your target, because states can and do change it.
What this means in euros
Take an illustrative €400,000 purchase price:
- Bavaria (3.5%): €14,000 transfer tax
- Baden-Württemberg (5.0%): €20,000
- North Rhine-Westphalia (6.5%): €26,000
That is a €12,000 gap from tax alone. Add notary and land registry fees at around 1.75% (€7,000) and an agent share of, say, 3% (€12,000), and the total costs in NRW would be about €45,000, against about €33,000 in Bavaria. These are examples only, not a quote.
How to add the costs to your savings target
Treat the costs as part of the goal, not an afterthought:
- Pick a target price and your state. Look up the transfer tax rate in the table above.
- Estimate the costs. Transfer tax + about 1.5% to 2.0% for notary and registry + the agent’s share, if any.
- Add your deposit. A commonly cited rule of thumb is around 20% of the price, though lenders differ.
- Add it all up. Using the NRW example: €26,000 + €7,000 + €12,000 costs + €80,000 deposit = €125,000.
- Subtract what you have saved and divide by the months to your target date.
If you have €25,000 saved and want to buy in four years (48 months): €100,000 ÷ 48 = about €2,083 a month. If that is too high, a longer timeline, a lower price or a different location changes the number quickly.
Practical tips
- Keep a separate pot for costs. It stops the deposit from being eaten into at the notary.
- Add a buffer. Moving, furnishing and small repairs come on top of the Kaufnebenkosten.
- Ask for the agent commission up front. Know the figure before you view properties.
- Recalculate when rates or prices move. A new tax rate or a changed price should update your plan.
Work out your own number
My Savings Plan is a free calculator and tracker. Enter your target price (include your estimated purchase costs), what you have saved and your target date, and you get a monthly and weekly savings figure. Then track your progress as your deposit grows.