Buying abroad · 🇿🇦 → 🇬🇧

Buying in the United Kingdom from South Africa

The asking price is only part of what you pay. Stamp duty, legal fees, surveys and mortgage costs can add thousands. See the full amount before you make an offer.

  • Expected tax and fees
  • Cash needed on completion
  • In your own currency

Costs on top of the price

£9,900

Moving home · England & N. Ireland ·

4.0% of the price
4.0%of the price
Stamp Duty Land Tax£2,500
Non-resident surcharge£5,000
Solicitor & searches£1,800
Survey£600
Cash needed if you buy outright£259,900

≈ ZAR 237,140 in your currency · cash needed if you buy outright ≈ ZAR 6,225,512

What do you want to work out?

What do you want to work out?

Every tax and fee on top of the price, for where you live and where you're buying.

Your status

Lived in the UK 183+ days in the last 12 months

Region

Price

You are buying as

Your situation

Survey or inspection
Buying with a mortgage
Paying an agent or finder

Costs on top of the price

£9,9004.0% of the price
Stamp Duty Land TaxStandard rates
Non-resident surchargeFor you2% of the whole price, for buyers who don't live in the UK
Solicitor & searchesConveyancing, searches, Land Registry fee
SurveyLevel 2 or Level 3 survey
Got a quote? Tap any amount to change it.

Price

£250,000

Costs on top

£9,900

Cash needed if you buy outright

£259,900

What could it be worth?

Based on official prices for England: 54 five-year periods since 1968. In the last 5 years prices there changed by 1.8% a year.

or
Cautious+3.0% a year
Typical+7.7% a year
Strong+14.8% a year
In 2 years
£265,225£265k+£5,325+£5k
£289,982£290k+£30,082+£30k
£329,476£329k+£69,576+£70k
In 5 years
£289,819£290k+£29,919+£30k
£362,258£362k+£102,358+£102k
£498,482£498k+£238,582+£239k
In 10 years
£335,979£336k+£76,079+£76k
£524,925£525k+£265,025+£265k
£993,937£994k+£734,037+£734k

Green or red shows the gain or loss against everything you paid (price plus buying costs of £9,900). In the typical scenario the buying costs are covered after about less than a year. Before mortgage interest, running costs and selling costs.

These are scenarios based on past national prices, not a forecast or a price for any home. Prices can fall as well as rise, past changes don't predict future ones, and your area can differ a lot from the national average. Source: HM Land Registry, UK House Price Index, latest data 2026-08. See the data.

🇿🇦→🇬🇧
Buying from abroadLiving in South Africa, citizen of South Africa, buying in the United Kingdom
What changes for you
  • We've added the 2% non-resident surcharge. If you spend 183 days in the UK in the 12 months after buying, you may be able to claim it back.
You'll need
  • A UK solicitor or licensed conveyancer
  • ID and proof of where your money comes from
Rules for foreign buyers
  • Anyone can buy, whatever their nationality.
In your currency

ZAR 237,140

Cash needed ≈ ZAR 6,225,512

1 GBP =ZAR

Example rate. Change it to the rate you'll get.

Paying from ZAR to GBP? Wise uses the mid-market exchange rate and shows its fee before you send.

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Up to dateRules last updated 15 Oct 2026Checked against official sources 16 Oct 2026Next check by 23 Oct 2026 · checked every weekSources: HMRC, Revenue Scotland, Welsh Revenue Authority · How we work it out

Estimates only, to help you plan. Not tax, legal, mortgage, investment or financial advice. Rules and prices change, and your situation may differ: always confirm figures with a qualified solicitor, notary, tax adviser or lender before you commit. Partner links and adverts are labelled; they never change your result.

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Where are you buying?

Each country, with its own rules

Tap a country to load its taxes, regions and buyer types.

Next steps

Get quotes · United Kingdom

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Partner links: we may earn a fee if you use them, at no cost to you. They never change your result, and we don't recommend any lender or adviser.

Questions

Buying in the United Kingdom: common questions

How much is stamp duty on £250,000 in the United Kingdom?

Moving home in England & N. Ireland: stamp duty is about £2,500. All buying costs together come to about £9,900, or 4.0% of the price. Change the price or buyer type above to see your own figure.

Do foreign buyers pay more in the United Kingdom?

In England and Northern Ireland, buyers who haven't lived in the UK for 183 days in the year before buying pay an extra 2% stamp duty. Scotland and Wales have no non-resident surcharge.

Can foreigners buy property in the United Kingdom?

Anyone can buy, whatever their nationality.

What do I need to buy a home in the United Kingdom from abroad?

A UK solicitor or licensed conveyancer. ID and proof of where your money comes from.

When were these United Kingdom rules last checked?

We last updated the figures on 15 Oct 2026 and checked them against official sources on 16 Oct 2026. We check every country every week, and show a warning if a check is overdue.

Guides

Guides for buying in the United Kingdom

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Costs on top
£9,900
Cash needed
£259,900