What does it cost to sell a house on the Costa Blanca? The full list (2026)

By Nick Van de Velde · Last updated: 30 August 2026

Selling on the Costa Blanca costs you, on top of the agency commission, a handful of fixed items: the plusvalía (in Calpe 29%, in Benissa 30% on the increase in land value), the energy certificate, the cancellation of your mortgage if there is one, and for non-residents the 3% retention plus 19% capital gains tax on the profit. Below I go through them one by one, with the figures attached.

1. The agency commission

The largest amount on the list, and at the same time the one that is communicated least clearly. My advice, even if you do not work with me: get the commission in writing before you start. A fixed percentage, a clear term, and in black and white what the agent does for it. Anyone who is difficult about that has already told you enough.

With me you pay nothing upfront, and only if the property actually sells.

2. The plusvalía (municipal tax)

The plusvalía municipal is a municipal tax on the increase in the value of the land since your purchase. The rate differs per municipality: in Calpe it is 29%, in Benissa 30% (from the official municipal ordenanzas, verified 2026). Note: that percentage applies to the calculated increase in land value, not to the sale price. The actual amount therefore depends on how long you owned the property and on the cadastral land value.

2 things to remember:

• The declaration must be filed within 30 days of the sale.
• If you sell without a profit, you can apply for an exemption. That does not happen automatically; you have to prove it yourself with the deeds.

3. The energy certificate

Required just to advertise your property, so you arrange this at the start and not right before the notary. Budget a few hundred euros, depending on the type of property. The certificate remains valid for several years.

4. Mortgage cancellation

If a mortgage is still registered on the property, even one that has been paid off, it must be formally cancelled at the notary and the land registry. Many sellers forget that a repaid mortgage does not disappear from the registry by itself. Check this beforehand on the nota simple: it saves weeks if it only surfaces at the private contract stage.

5. For non-residents: the 3% retention and 19% capital gains tax

If you live in Belgium or the Netherlands, 2 items are added:

• The 3% retention. The buyer is legally required to withhold 3% of the sale price as an advance on your tax. This is not an extra tax but an advance payment; if you made little or no profit, you claim it back (in part or in full). How that works and how long it takes is covered in my separate guide on the 3% retention.
• The capital gains tax. A flat 19% on your profit: sale price minus purchase price minus documented costs. So keep the invoices from your purchase back then and from renovations with a permit; they reduce the taxable profit directly.

What is left net?

That is the question that really matters, and the answer differs per property and per situation (resident or not, profit or not, mortgage or not). With my net-proceeds report you work it out yourself in a few minutes. Rather have me look at it with you? The full explanation of the selling process is on the selling page, and a valuation is free and comes with no obligation.

Questions about this

Further reading

• The 3% retention when selling in Spain: how to claim it back and how long it takes