The real cost of buying a flat in Prague beyond the asking price

A buyer who has read an older guide to Czech property will budget for a transfer tax of 4 per cent and then be pleasantly surprised. That tax was abolished with effect for acquisitions from December 2019, and it does not come back by the side door. The surprise ends there. A purchase still generates a string of smaller bills, and a buyer who has counted only the asking price and the deposit finds the gap at the worst moment: just before closing.

This guide lists the costs in the order you meet them, says who normally pays, and notes where a figure has to be checked with the official body rather than quoted. It deliberately gives no price list. Fees are negotiated, scales change, and the amounts depend on the flat and the people you hire.

What you do not pay

The property acquisition tax (daň z nabytí nemovitých věcí) was abolished by law in 2020, covering acquisitions from December 2019. Our article on the history of the tax explains why. Do not add a percentage for it, and be wary of any adviser who does without explaining which rule they are applying.

Two things are easy to mistake for it. The cadastre charges a fee for the registration of the transfer, and the buyer then owes annual property tax as a registered owner. Both are small beside the old tax, but both are real.

One-off costs before you own

Cadastre fee. The application for entry (návrh na vklad) carries an administrative fee of CZK 2,000 per application (as of 2026; check ČÚZK). Contracts can specify who pays, and in practice the buyer often does.

Legal work. A lawyer checking the title, the owners' association documents and the contract is the main professional cost for most buyers. Fees are agreed with the lawyer, either as a fixed sum or by time. Ask for the fee in writing and for what it covers. Our piece on legal checks before buying sets out the work.

Escrow. Holding the price with a notary, a lawyer or a bank usually carries a fee. Rates and structures differ, so ask each provider and compare what the fee includes. See notaries, lawyers and escrow.

Signature verification. Officially verified signatures cost a modest fee per signature at a notary or a Czech POINT office. It is small, but it multiplies if several parties and documents are involved.

Broker commission. There is no statutory rate. Who pays, and how much, depends on the broker agreement, and in many Prague sales the seller pays, though that is a matter of contract and negotiation. If you hire a buyer's agent, the fee is yours. Read the article on agents and fees.

If you take a mortgage

A loan adds its own list. Banks usually require a valuation of the flat, for which the borrower pays, and some charge fees for arranging or administering the loan. There may be insurance, notably on the property, which many lenders require, and sometimes on life or income. The bank will also take a lien (zástavní právo) over the flat, registered in the cadastre through a separate application with its own CZK 2,000 fee (as of 2026; check ČÚZK). How big the deposit itself must be is covered in how much deposit you need for a Czech mortgage.

Compare offers on the total cost of credit, not just the interest rate. Czech banks must show the annual percentage rate of charge (APR, RPSN), which brings fees into the figure. The Czech National Bank publishes information on mortgage lending, and you can model monthly payments with the mortgage calculator on Hypoteky.com. If it is your first loan, the first mortgage guide sets out the sequence. Both are orientation, not offers.

Costs of the building itself

When you buy a flat in an apartment block you buy into the building. Ask for the monthly payments the owners' association (SVJ) charges for services and for the reserve fund (fond oprav), because these continue as long as you own the flat. A flat with low monthly charges and an empty reserve fund may be hiding a big bill, and one with higher charges and a funded reserve may be the better deal.

Also ask whether a loan was taken by the association for a renovation. In that case the repayments are shared among owners, and you inherit your share with the flat.

Costs of moving in

Many buyers forget these because they come after the closing.

• Utility and service contracts: electricity, gas, water, heating, internet and waste are moved to your name. Take meter readings at handover.
• Insurance: home and household insurance, and the lender's requirements if you have a loan.
• Repairs and renovation: painting, flooring, kitchen, bathroom, windows. Get at least two quotes before you commit to a renovation budget.
• Furniture and appliances: a flat sold unfurnished may not include a kitchen or white goods.
• Moving: removals, storage during the gap, parking permits where needed.

A rough rule for planning is to keep a separate buffer for the first months after purchase. How large depends on the flat's condition, and the right amount is your decision with your adviser. Whatever money you bring, expect the notary, lawyer or bank to ask where it came from; our explainer on source-of-funds checks shows what they ask for.

Ongoing costs

The annual property tax falls on whoever owns the flat on 1 January, so a buyer usually files for the first time in the January after the purchase. The return is due by 31 January and payment by 31 May for most taxpayers (as of 2026; check the Financial Administration), and our guide to the annual property tax shows how it is calculated. Add the service charges, energy, insurance and, if you borrowed, the repayments. Selling later may be taxed under the time and use tests, as explained in our article on the tax on income from property sale.

A simple way to build your budget

List the costs under four headings: before ownership, the loan, the building and moving in. Put a question mark next to every number you have not yet received in writing. Replace the question marks with quotes before you reserve the flat, not afterwards. Then add the monthly running costs and compare the total with your income as if you already owned the flat.

The check that most buyers skip is the last one. A flat that fits the purchase budget can still strain the monthly one, and the lender's calculation is not the same as yours. The borrowing estimator on Hypoteky.com can show a rough range, though not the bank's decision.

Cooperative shares and other forms of ownership

The budget changes if you are not buying a flat in personal ownership. A share in a housing cooperative is not recorded in the cadastre as ownership of a unit, so the cadastre fee does not arise in the same way, but the transfer has its own fees and the cooperative's rules apply. Our explainer on housing cooperatives sets out the differences, and co-operative flats are a distinct segment of the market. Mortgage financing for a cooperative share is also treated differently by some banks, which affects the cash you need.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

Is there a transfer tax when I buy a flat in Czechia?

No. The property acquisition tax was abolished for acquisitions from December 2019. The cadastre charges a registration fee, and the buyer owes annual property tax as owner (as of 2026; check the Financial Administration).

Who pays the broker?

It depends on the broker agreement. Ask in writing who pays and how much.

How much should I keep in reserve after buying?

That depends on the flat's condition and your income. Get quotes for known repairs and keep a cash buffer for the rest.

Are the legal fees fixed?

They are agreed with the lawyer, as a fixed sum or by time. Ask for the fee and its scope in writing.

One question for every adviser

Ask each professional you hire, "What is your total fee, what does it include and when is it due?" Put the answers in one table. When the sum is in front of you, the real cost of the purchase is rarely a surprise. Buying off-plan changes the timing of the bills rather than the list; see developer payment schedules.

This is a general explainer, not legal, tax or mortgage advice.