What It Costs to Buy a Home in Chile and How the UF Works

The headline numbers

According to the Global Property Guide's Chile briefing (updated March 2026), total round-trip transaction costs - everything paid by buyer and seller combined - come to roughly 3.3% to 5.4% of the property value. The buyer's share is typically about 2.3% to 3.4% on top of the purchase price.

Notably, Chile levies no general transfer tax on the resale purchase itself, which keeps the bill low compared with much of Europe.

• Legal fees: around 1% of the price for the title study and conveyancing.
• Notary fees: roughly 0.3% to 0.4% for the escritura pública (final deed).
• Estate agent commission: commonly 1% to 2% from each side - buyer and seller each pay their own agent in Chile.
• Registration: the Conservador de Bienes Raíces charges a fee to inscribe your title; confirm the current tariff with the registry for your commune.
• Transfer tax on resale purchases: none.

The UF: Chile's inflation-proof pricing unit

The Unidad de Fomento (UF) is a unit of account indexed to inflation, and it is the standard way to quote property prices, mortgages, rents on commercial contracts and many fees in Chile. Its peso value is adjusted daily and published officially; the tax authority's table shows 1 UF at 40,844.79 Chilean pesos as of early August 2026.

So a house advertised at UF 5,000 costs about 204 million pesos at that rate - and if you agree a price in UF today but complete in three months, the peso amount you pay will have moved with inflation in the meantime. Mortgages are typically denominated in UF too, which is worth understanding before you commit: your debt is inflation-linked, not fixed in pesos.

For a rough conversion when browsing, multiply the UF figure by the current daily value from the SII or Banco Central. Habio shows Chilean listings with area guides that can help you judge what a UF price means street by street.

Taxes when you buy

There is no stamp duty on the purchase of an existing home. Two taxes can appear in specific situations, so check which applies to your deal.

PwC's Chile tax summary (reviewed December 2025) notes that stamp tax (impuesto de timbres y estampillas) falls mainly on loan documents: 0.066% per month of the loan term, capped at 0.8% of the amount. In practice this matters only if you take Chilean financing.

VAT at 19% can apply to sales of real estate by habitual sellers - typically developers selling new builds - under conditions set out in the VAT law. On new projects the quoted UF price normally already reflects this, but have your lawyer confirm the tax treatment before signing a promesa.

Taxes once you own: contribuciones

Chile's annual property tax (impuesto territorial, known locally as contribuciones) is charged on the fiscal valuation set by the SII, not on the price you paid. PwC's summary puts the rate at 1.4% a year on the official valuation for non-agricultural property, with some real estate exempt, and a progressive surcharge once the combined fiscal value of a taxpayer's properties exceeds roughly USD 530,000.

Fiscal valuations and rates are revised over time, so use the SII's online tools to check the current avalúo fiscal and tax bill for any specific property before you buy - the seller's recent payment slips are a useful cross-check.

Budgeting checklist

Pulling it together, a sensible budget for a UF 5,000 (about 204 million peso) resale purchase looks like this.

• Purchase price: agreed in UF; the peso amount is set by the UF value on the day you pay.
• Buyer-side costs: allow 2.5% to 3.5% for legal, notary, registration and your agent.
• Financing: add stamp tax of up to 0.8% of the loan if you borrow in Chile; most non-resident foreigners buy in cash.
• Ongoing: annual contribuciones based on the fiscal valuation, plus ordinary utilities and any building fees.
• Rules and rates change - verify current figures with the SII and your lawyer before completion.