How much does it cost to buy a house in Seoul beyond the price?

Budget roughly 2–5% of the price in one-off costs. The two big items are acquisition tax (around 1.1% of the price up to ₩600M, rising to about 3.3–3.5% above ₩900M) and the agent fee (capped at 0.4–0.7% by price band). Smaller costs are the scrivener fee, the National Housing Bond and stamp tax. Multiple-home buyers pay more.

What is the acquisition tax (취득세) on a home in Korea?

For a single home the base rate is 1% up to ₩600 million, a sliding 1–3% between ₩600–900 million, and 3% above ₩900 million. Small local-education and (for homes over 85㎡) rural-development surtaxes bring the combined rate to roughly 1.1% / 3.3% / 3.5%. Buyers who already own a home, or buy in a regulated area, pay higher rates — confirm the current figure before buying.

How much is the real estate agent fee when buying in Seoul?

It is capped by Seoul ordinance: 0.6% under ₩50M, 0.5% for ₩50–200M, 0.4% for ₩200–900M, 0.5% for ₩900M–1.2B, 0.6% for ₩1.2–1.5B and 0.7% above ₩1.5B. The exact figure is negotiated within the cap, and buyer and seller each pay their own agent.

Can foreigners buy property in Korea without living there?

Yes. There is no residency or visa requirement to buy, and foreigners are taxed the same as Koreans. The extra steps are administrative: a Foreign Exchange Transaction Act report when you bring funds in, a transaction report to the local district office, and a real-estate registration number (부동산등기용등록번호) to register title. Owning property does not by itself grant residency.

Do I pay tax every year after buying?

Yes — an annual property tax (재산세) on the home's assessed value, billed in July and September. A separate national comprehensive real estate tax (종합부동산세) applies only to high-value holdings, so most single-home owners are exempt. You also pay a monthly maintenance fee (관리비) to the building.

Is stamp tax charged on a home purchase?

Stamp tax (인지세) is ₩150,000 on a contract between ₩100 million and ₩1 billion, and higher above that. A home priced at ₩100 million or less is exempt.

How Much Does It Cost to Buy Property in Seoul?

The average Seoul apartment sells for about ₩1.2 billion (≈$870K) — roughly ₩45 million per pyeong (3.3㎡), per KB부동산 — with wide variation by district; see the Seoul home prices guide for live, listing-based medians. Beyond that purchase price, buying as a foreign buyer costs roughly 2–5% extra in one-off transaction costs — dominated by acquisition tax and the legally capped agent fee, with smaller registration, scrivener, bond and stamp charges. There is no residency or visa requirement to buy.

What a home actually costs

Seoul home prices vary widely by district and property type, but as a citywide benchmark (KB부동산, 2026 Q1, approximate):

Average apartment sale price: about ₩1.2 billion (≈$870K)
Average price per pyeong (3.3㎡): about ₩45 million
Average jeonse (lump-sum lease) deposit: about ₩620 million

These are city-wide averages — a small officetel in an outer district costs a fraction of this, while a large Gangnam apartment costs multiples more. See live, listing-based medians for every district on the Seoul home prices guide.

The one-off costs at a glance

For a single-home buyer, budget these on top of the purchase price:

Acquisition tax (취득세) + surtaxes — about 1.1% of the price up to ₩600M, rising to ~3.3–3.5% above ₩900M.
Agent / brokerage fee (중개보수) — capped at 0.4–0.7% by price band (see below).
Registration filing + scrivener (법무사) — a few hundred thousand won (optional but usual).
National Housing Bond (국민주택채권) — small; most buyers resell it immediately at a minor loss.
Stamp tax (인지세) — ₩150,000 for a ₩100M–1B contract; a home ≤₩100M is exempt.

Note — figures are current as of 2026. Acquisition-tax surcharges and thresholds change with policy, so confirm the exact rate for your price band and the number of homes you own with your realtor or a 법무사 before you commit.

Acquisition tax (취득세) — your biggest line item

Korea charges a one-time acquisition tax when you buy. Since 2011 it already includes the old registration tax, so this single payment covers acquiring and registering title. For a single home, the base rate is:

1% on homes priced up to ₩600 million (6억),
a sliding 1% → 3% between ₩600–900 million (6억–9억),
3% on homes over ₩900 million (9억).

On top of the base sit two small surtaxes — local education tax (지방교육세) and, on homes larger than 85㎡, rural development tax (농어촌특별세). Together they bring the combined rate to roughly 1.1% for a modest home, ~3.3% above ₩900M, and ~3.5% for a large (>85㎡) high-value home. Multiple-home buyers and certain regulated ("조정대상지역") areas pay materially higher rates — exactly how much depends on current policy, so check before buying.

The agent fee (중개보수) — capped by law

The brokerage fee is a one-time cost capped by ordinance. For a purchase of a home in Seoul, the maximum rate rises with price:

under ₩50M — 0.6%
₩50M – ₩200M — 0.5%
₩200M – ₩900M — 0.4%
₩900M – ₩1.2B — 0.5%
₩1.2B – ₩1.5B — 0.6%
₩1.5B and above — 0.7%

The figure is negotiated within the cap, and the buyer and seller each pay their own agent. Ask your agent for the exact number before you sign.

Registration, scrivener, bond and stamp tax

Registration: the cost of registering title is folded into the acquisition tax above; you pay only a small court filing fee.
Judicial scrivener (법무사): most buyers hire one to handle the registration — a fee of a few hundred thousand won. It is optional but recommended for foreigners.
National Housing Bond (국민주택채권): you must buy a government bond at registration; most buyers resell it immediately, so the real cost is a small discount, not the bond's face value.
Stamp tax (인지세): ₩150,000 on a contract of ₩100M–1B (more above that). A home priced ₩100 million or less is exempt.

Buying as a foreigner — extra steps (not extra taxes)

You can buy with the same tax treatment as a Korean — there is no residency or visa requirement. The additional steps are administrative:

Bringing money in: report the inbound funds under the Foreign Exchange Transaction Act (your bank handles this).
Transaction report: the purchase is reported to the local 시군구 office (within ~30 days) — standard for all buyers.
Title registration: non-resident foreigners obtain a 부동산등기용등록번호 (real-estate registration number) to register ownership; residents use their Alien Registration Number.
Restricted land: protected, military or cultural zones require prior permission, but this does not affect ordinary city apartments or officetels.

Your verified, English-speaking realtor and 법무사 handle each of these for you.

After you buy — the ongoing costs

Property tax (재산세): a modest annual tax on the home's assessed value, billed each July and September.
Comprehensive real estate tax (종합부동산세): an extra national tax only on high-value holdings (a single home is exempt up to a high assessed-value threshold), so most single-home owners never pay it.
Maintenance fee (관리비): the monthly building-management charge — typically higher for officetels than apartments. See the cost of renting in Seoul for how 관리비 works.

How Seoul Homes helps

Every listing shows the price, and your verified realtor gives you the all-in number — acquisition tax, the capped fee, registration and the foreigner paperwork — before you decide. Read Can foreigners buy property in Seoul?, compare jeonse, wolse and buying, or browse homes for sale.