People budget by the price of the apartment and then arrive at a deal that needs several per cent more on top. Part of that is unavoidable, part depends on the property, and part appears after the deal, once the main money has gone. Below is the full list, so it can be worked out in advance.
As at October 2026 our Odesa database holds 1,630 listings under 50 thousand dollars and 1,498 between 70 and 100 thousand. At those sums the percentages below turn into real money.
The unavoidable costs at the deal
The state duty for certifying the purchase contract is one per cent of the contract sum. By law the buyer pays it, unless the parties agree otherwise.
The Pension Fund contribution is a further one per cent, also on the buyer, with exemptions: first time buyers and a few other categories do not pay it. The exemption has to be evidenced; it does not apply automatically.
The notaryʼs own fee, separate from the state duty. This is payment for the work, it varies between private notaries, and it is agreed in advance.
The register extracts the notary orders for the deal. A small sum, but a real one.
Together the unavoidable part comes to about two per cent plus the notaryʼs fee. On an apartment at 70 thousand dollars that is roughly fifteen hundred dollars and upwards.
What the seller pays
Personal income tax at five per cent and the military levy fall on the seller, where this is not their first sale of the year or they owned the property for less than three years. For non residents the rate is higher.
This matters to a buyer for one reason: sellers often try to move that sum into the price or to split the costs. Who pays what should be settled before the deposit rather than discussed at the notaryʼs office.
What depends on the property
A property valuation for the deal. It is needed to calculate the taxes, it is done by a valuer, and it is a modest fixed sum.
If you are borrowing: a valuation for the bank, insurance of the property, sometimes life insurance, and an application fee. Together these add another per cent or more.
If the apartment carries the sellerʼs mortgage: the cost of releasing the charge and coordinating with the bank.
If you are buying a developer unit: there is no state duty at the stage of the contract with the developer, but registration of title follows handover, and that is separate money and separate time.
Costs after the deal
Registration of title. The notary handles it at the deal, though there are cases where registration happens separately.
Transferring the utility accounts for water, electricity, gas, refuse and building management. Free of charge, but it means a few days of visits or online applications.
If anyone remains registered at the address, or debts remain, that is time and sometimes money too.
And the largest item of all: renovation, furniture and appliances. People price the apartment and forget that an empty apartment needs as much again as a renovation of that floor area costs.
A worked example
An apartment at 70 thousand dollars, resale market, a buyer who is not a first time buyer, no loan. The state duty is 1 percent of the contract sum, the Pension Fund contribution is also 1 percent of the property value, and both are paid in hryvnia. A first time buyer does not pay the pension contribution. On top of that come the notary, the extracts and the valuation, and the notary states those costs for the particular deal. As of 14.10.2026. Together from 1,750 to 2 050 $ above the price, about three per cent.
If the same apartment is bought with a loan, add insurance and bank charges: the total above the price easily reaches five per cent.
Four mistakes in budgeting
The first: treating the whole sum you have as the budget for the apartment. With 72 thousand in hand, the apartment should cost around 69, with the rest going on duties and the notary.
The second: forgetting the deposit. It is paid before the deal and counts towards the price, but the money is needed earlier than the main settlement, usually in cash or by transfer on the day the receipt is signed.
The third: relying on the Pension Fund exemption without checking it. The relief for first time buyers works on documents rather than on words, and it has to be evidenced in advance.
The fourth: leaving out the renovation. An empty apartment is another sum, sometimes close to a tenth of the price, and buyers realise it the day after the deal.
A simple test: take the price, add three per cent for the deal and the cost of the first month of living there. If the total does not fit your budget, look for a cheaper property rather than economising on the document check.
What to do next
We work these costs out with the buyer before the deposit, so that no new figures appear at the deal itself. Our support covers the document check, the calculation of taxes and duties, and attendance at the deal.
We will shortlist options for your budget and guide the deal from the first viewing to signing.
