Your true cost to buy.

Purchase Cost Trends

Editorial analysis compiled and periodically refreshed by BAANLYY’s research team — not a live data feed.

• Which cost line moves the most from deal to deal?

  Specific business tax (SBT) versus stamp duty is the biggest swing factor. SBT applies at 3.3% (inclusive of the municipal tax surcharge) when a seller has held the unit under five years or is not on the house registration, versus a flat 0.5% stamp duty when SBT doesn't apply — a gap that can run into hundreds of thousands of baht on a mid-market condo.
• Who conventionally pays the transfer fee and SBT?

  There is no legal default — it is a negotiated line item. In a buyer's market, sellers increasingly absorb more of the transfer fee and SBT to close faster; in tighter new-launch inventory, developers often push these costs back onto the buyer. Always confirm the split in writing before reservation.
• Has withholding tax become more negotiable on off-plan units?

  Yes. On developer sales, withholding tax is typically built into the standard sale-and-purchase contract and rarely negotiated. On resale units between individuals, buyers are increasingly asking sellers to quote a net price so the buyer isn't exposed to under-disclosed withholding calculations at the Land Department.
• Are agent commissions trending up or down for foreign-buyer deals?

  Commission convention (commonly 3% of the sale price, paid by the seller) has held broadly stable, but full-service brokerages working with foreign and relocating buyers are bundling more due-diligence and paperwork support into that fee rather than charging separately for it.

Analysis last reviewed July 2026.