Taxes and costs of buying and owning property in Turkey

• Title deed fee (tapu harcı) — 2% of the sale price is paid by the buyer and 2% by the seller, 4% in total. The price declared at the registry cannot be below the property's tax value, and under-declaring is risky: both parties face additional tax and a penalty. The parties may agree who pays the fee; this is set out in the contract.
• Land registry service charge (döner sermaye) — a fixed amount revised every year.
• Valuation report — if your transaction requires one; for citizenship it is mandatory.
• DASK policy — compulsory earthquake insurance; the premium depends on the floor area and the building's construction type.
• Interpreter and notary — a sworn interpreter at the signing, a passport translation, and a power of attorney if you buy remotely.
• VAT (KDV) — usually already included in a developer's price. The rate depends on the floor area, the building permit date and other conditions: 1%, 10% or 20%.

Non-resident foreigners can buy a home or office from a developer without VAT (Article 13/i of the VAT Law), provided that:

• it is the developer's first sale of the property, and the building is completed and ready for use;
• at least half of the price was brought into Turkey in foreign currency before the invoice date, and the rest within one year;
• the property is not sold for 3 years from the tapu registration date — otherwise the VAT becomes payable with interest.

The developer and its accountant check eligibility before the sale.

• Property tax (emlak vergisi) — for homes, 0.2% of the tax value in metropolitan (büyükşehir) provinces such as Istanbul, Antalya, Izmir, Mersin and Mugla, and 0.1% elsewhere, plus a 10% cultural heritage surcharge. The municipality assesses it and it is paid in two instalments a year; tax for the year of purchase is paid by the previous owner.
• High-value housing tax (değerli konut vergisi) — only if the tax value exceeds a threshold (17.711 million lira in 2026); owners of a single home in Turkey are exempt.
• Maintenance fee (aidat) — security, pool, cleaning, gardens; set by the owners' meeting.
• Utilities — electricity, water, gas, internet.

Rental income in Turkey is subject to income tax, including for foreigners. The return is filed in March of the following year; residential rent has a tax-free allowance that is revised annually. A home used for a residence permit may not be rented out — see the residence permit guide.

Under the current rules, a gain on selling a home you have owned for less than 5 years is taxed as a capital gain (değer artış kazancı), with an annual tax-free allowance. After 5 years of ownership this tax does not arise. Changes to the rule are discussed from time to time, so check with a tax adviser before selling. Property bought for citizenship cannot be sold for 3 years.

On top of the price, allow for the title deed fee, transaction costs and the first months of running costs. Median prices by city and district are on our new-build prices page, and the purchase process is in the buyer's guide.