What it costs to buy property in Bonaire
A foreign buyer should budget roughly 7.1%–8.1% of the purchase price on top of the price itself. No licence or permit is required.
What you pay
- Transfer tax (overdrachtsbelasting)5.0% of the price$25,000
- Notary fees2.0%–3.0% of the price$10,000–$15,000
- Land registry0.1% of the price$265
| On a purchase of | $250,000 | $500,000 | $1,000,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transfer tax (overdrachtsbelasting) | $12,500 | $25,000 | $50,000 |
| Notary fees | $5,000 – $7,500 | $10,000 – $15,000 | $20,000 – $30,000 |
| Land registry | $265 | $265 | $265 |
| Total on top of the price | 7.1%–8.1% | 7.1%–8.1% | 7.0%–8.0% |
Can you buy as a foreigner?
No licence required
A special municipality of the Netherlands: no licence and no restriction on foreign ownership, and freehold passes on the same terms to anyone. The transfer must be executed by a notary established on the island itself.
No approval to wait for
With no permission to obtain, the timeline is set by conveyancing rather than by a government queue.
Take it with you
These figures as a PDF, worked out at the price you enter, with every source and the date it was checked.
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Nearby markets compared
What a foreign buyer pays on top of a $500,000 price, here and in the markets around it nearest in cost.
- BarbadosNo licence1.5%–2.0%
- CuraçaoNo licence5.0%–6.0%
- Trinidad and TobagoNo licence5.2%–6.2%
- ArubaNo licence6.2%–7.2%
- BonaireNo licence7.1%–8.1%
An estimate for budgeting, not legal or tax advice. These rates are traced to published sources but have not been reviewed by a practitioner in this jurisdiction. Confirm the current position with an attorney before you commit.
Bonaire also levies an annual real estate tax (vastgoedbelasting) on second homes, deeming income at 4% of market value — a holding cost, not a purchase cost, so it is not totalled here.