What it costs to buy property in Puerto Rico
A foreign buyer should budget roughly 0.9%–1.4% of the purchase price on top of the price itself. No licence or permit is required.
What you pay
- Notary fees0.5%–1.0% of the price$2,500–$5,000
- Property Registry filing0.4% of the price$2,000
| On a purchase of | $250,000 | $500,000 | $1,000,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notary fees | $1,250 – $2,500 | $2,500 – $5,000 | $5,000 – $10,000 |
| Property Registry filing | $1,000 | $2,000 | $4,000 |
| Total on top of the price | 0.9%–1.4% | 0.9%–1.4% | 0.9%–1.4% |
Can you buy as a foreigner?
No licence required
A United States territory: no licence, no permit, no nationality test, and no foreign surcharge. The deed is a public instrument executed before a notario, who in Puerto Rico is always an attorney and whose fee is fixed by statute rather than negotiated.
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.
- Puerto RicoNo licence0.9%–1.4%
- JamaicaNo licence1.8%–3.3%
- HaitiNo licence4.0%
- Dominican RepublicNo licence5.5%–7.5%
- Cayman IslandsNo licence8.0%–8.5%
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.
A cash purchase. Financing changes the picture materially: with a mortgage, budget 2–5% of the price once lender, appraisal and title-insurance charges are added. CRIM municipal property tax is prorated between the parties at closing rather than charged as a fee.
Sources: [1]