Monaco
43.74° N, 7.42° ETiny, safe and tax-light. Space is the luxury.
- 2-bed rent
- €8,000–13,000
- Price per m²
- €45,000–70,000
- AgentsProp
- Places
Places we know well
Neighbourhoods, rents, schools, supermarkets, tax and the first weeks of admin, for six places people move to. And the rules that matter in thirteen countries.
Zürich
47.38° N, 8.54° ELake, Alps and finance. Few flats, fierce competition.
- 2-bed rent
- CHF 2,600–3,800
- Price per m²
- CHF 15,000–21,500
Geneva
46.20° N, 6.14° EInternational city on the lake, with France on the doorstep.
- 2-bed rent
- CHF 2,800–4,000
- Price per m²
- CHF 13,500–19,000
Costa del Sol
36.51° N, 4.88° WSun most of the year, an airport with routes everywhere, and fast-rising rents.
- 2-bed rent
- €1,350–2,000
- Price per m²
- €3,700–6,000
Lisbon
38.72° N, 9.14° WLight, hills and the Atlantic. Popular, and no longer cheap.
- 2-bed rent
- €1,600–2,400
- Price per m²
- €5,000–8,000
Dubrovnik
42.64° N, 18.11° EA walled city on the Adriatic. Quiet in winter, busy in summer.
- 2-bed rent
- €900–1,450
- Price per m²
- €4,000–6,500
Thirteen countries side by side
What a non-resident pays to buy, what landlords may ask for, and how much banks lend to foreign buyers.
Costs on top of the price
| Country | Resale home | New build | Main tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| SpainExample: Andalucía (Costa del Sol) | 7.8–8.5% | 12–13% | ITP |
| PortugalExample: Mainland Portugal | 9.5–11% | 9.5–11% | IMT |
| FranceExample: Most of France (5% departmental rate, incl. Paris) | 7.8% | 2.0% | Droits de mutation (DMTO) |
| Italy | 5.9–15% | 14–19% | Imposta di registro (prezzo-valore) |
| SwitzerlandExample: Zürich | 0.2% | 0.2% | Handänderungssteuer / droit de mutation |
| Monaco | 9.4–10% | 5.6–6.6% | Droits d'enregistrement (mutation) |
| Croatia | 4.0–6.0% | 26–28% | porez na promet nekretnina |
| Greece | 6.6–9.3% | 6.6–9.3% | Φόρος μεταβίβασης ακινήτων (FMA) |
| Cyprus | 4.2–5.2% | 20–21% | Land Registry transfer fees |
| United Kingdom | 10% | 10% | SDLT |
| United Arab Emirates | 6.3% | 4.0% | DLD transfer fee |
| United States | 1.0–4.0% | 1.0–4.0% | Documentary stamp tax on the deed |
| Turkey | 6.6–6.9% | 5.2–15% | Tapu harcı |
Typical total on top of the price for a non-resident private buyer, at a sample price (€400,000, CHF 1 million, £400,000, $500,000, AED 2 million, TRY 12 million). Ranges reflect fees that vary. New-build figures add VAT to the price; where a developer's price already includes VAT, leave that part out. Buying costs calculator
Rental deposits, fees and leases
| Country | Cash deposit | Extra guarantees | Letting agency fee | Typical lease |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 1 month | 2 months | Usually paid by the landlord | 5 years (7 if the landlord is a company) |
| Portugal | 2 months | 2 months | Usually paid by the landlord | Fixed-term leases must run at least one year and renew automatically unless the contract says otherwise. A landlord who blocks the first renewal can only make that take effect once three years have passed, unless they need the home for themselves or a child. |
| France | 1 month | None | Often split between landlord and tenant | 3 years unfurnished (6 if the landlord is a company); 1 year furnished (9 months for students); bail mobilité of 1–10 months for temporary stays |
| Italy | 3 months | None | Often split between landlord and tenant | 4+4 years on the free market (canone libero), 3+2 years on agreed-rent contracts (canone concordato); transitional contracts of 1–18 months for temporary needs |
| Switzerland | 3 months | None | Usually paid by the landlord | Usually open-ended, ending with at least three months' notice to the termination dates in the lease. |
| Monaco | 3 months | None | Usually paid by the tenant | Freely agreed, usually 1–3 years, renewing automatically; notice is usually due three months before the end, and early exit only if the lease allows it. |
| Croatia | – | None | Depends on the agency | Fixed-term or open-ended, as agreed in the written lease. On an open-ended lease the tenant gives three months' notice. |
| Greece | 2 months | None | Depends on the agency | At least 3 years for a home, even if the contract states a shorter term |
| Cyprus | 1 month | 1 month | Depends on the agency | Fixed-term contracts, commonly one year and renewable by agreement |
| United Kingdom | 1.2 months | None | Usually paid by the landlord | Open-ended (periodic) tenancy: since 1 May 2026 most private tenancies in England have no fixed term, and tenants can leave with two months' notice. |
| United Arab Emirates | 0.6 months | None | Usually paid by the tenant | One year, renewable, with the tenancy contract registered in Ejari (AED 177.75 online or AED 220 at a trustee centre). |
| United States | 1 month | 1 month | Depends on the agency | 12 months, then renewal or a month-to-month tenancy, which either side can end with 30 days' written notice. |
| Turkey | 3 months | None | Depends on the agency | One year. Unless the tenant gives notice, the lease renews on the same terms each year, and the landlord can end it only on legal grounds (such as needing the home for themselves or close family) or after a ten-year extension period. |
Mortgages for non-residents
| Country | Non-resident loan | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spain | 60–70% | Typical ceilings only; banks lend on the lower of price and valuation and terms vary widely, so compare offers through a mortgage broker. |
| Portugal | 60–80% | Banco de Portugal caps loans at 90% of the value for your own permanent home and 80% for any other home, and many banks lend non-residents less. Since August 2026 repayments must normally stay within 45% of net income, and terms run to 40 years for borrowers under 35 and 35 years from age 35. |
| France | 50–80% | Banks usually lend 50–70% to buyers living outside the EU and up to about 80% to EU residents. Repayments, including insurance, must stay below 35% of income, and non-resident loans are often limited to 20 years. |
| Italy | 50–60% | Lenders generally cap loans at 80% of the value, and some limit non-residents to 50–60%. You need a codice fiscale and usually an Italian bank account. |
| Switzerland | 50–60% | There is no fixed overall term: the loan up to two-thirds of the value can run indefinitely, and any part above that must be repaid within 15 years. At least 10% of the value must be equity that does not come from an occupational pension, and affordability is tested at about 5% interest plus 1% upkeep against a third of gross income. People living abroad can usually buy only holiday homes, where banks typically want 40% equity or more. |
| Monaco | 50–70% | Monaco banks usually lend as part of a wider private-banking relationship and decide loan size and term case by case; buyers are typically expected to put down 30–50% of the price. Some banks also lend against an investment portfolio. |
| Croatia | – | Each bank sets its own terms for non-resident borrowers. Get a written loan offer before you sign a pre-contract, because you lose the deposit (usually 10%) if you pull out. |
| Greece | 50–70% | Few figures are published for lending to non-residents, so ask Greek banks or a broker early. Average new mortgage rates were about 3.3% in mid-2026. |
| Cyprus | 50–60% | Mortgages are available to foreign buyers, but banks typically lend around half the value and offer fewer options than to residents. |
| United Kingdom | 60–75% | Buyers living abroad usually borrow through international or private banks and specialist lenders at 60–75% loan-to-value, so expect a 25–40% deposit. HSBC, for example, lends up to 75% to non-residents in listed countries earning at least £75,000 a year; terms can run to 40 years for residents, and lenders may set shorter terms for borrowers abroad. |
| United Arab Emirates | 50–60% | Central Bank caps for expatriates are 80% on a first home up to AED 5 million (70% above), 60% on a second or investment home and 50% off-plan, with a 25-year maximum term. Only some banks lend to non-residents, and HSBC, for example, lends them up to 60%. |
| United States | 60–70% | Foreign-national loans come from some Florida banks and specialist lenders, usually with a 30–40% deposit, higher rates and proof of income and cash reserves; many international buyers pay cash. |
| Turkey | 0–50% | Few Turkish banks lend to non-residents, lira mortgages carry high interest rates and regulators cap loan-to-value by property value and energy class, so most foreign buyers pay cash. |
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