# How much does it cost to buy a home in the UK? | ComputeNow URL: https://computenow.co.uk/guides/cost-of-buying-a-home/ > What you need to buy a home in 2026: deposit, stamp duty, monthly mortgage and the income lenders look for, at £250,000 to £400,000. This calculator shows a worked example below. To use your own figures, add them to the URL as query parameters (listed in https://computenow.co.uk/llms.txt), for example https://computenow.co.uk/guides/cost-of-buying-a-home/?=. [Property guide](https://computenow.co.uk/guides/#property) # How much does it cost to buy a home in the UK? Buying a home costs more than the deposit. Here is what you need up front, what you pay each month and the income lenders usually look for, at three common prices. Published 18 October 2026England and Northern Ireland, with the rest of the UK By the ComputeNow team, checked against GOV.UK and HMRC[Sources (4)](#sources)[How we calculate](https://computenow.co.uk/methodology/) ## Key points - **On a £300,000 home with a 25% deposit** you need £75,000 up front, plus no stamp duty as a first-time buyer (£5,000.00 if you are moving home). - **The mortgage would cost £1,332.43 a month** over 25 years at the average 2-year fixed rate of 5.13%. - **Lenders often lend about 4.5 times income**, so that mortgage needs around £50,000 of household income. - **Budget for fees too**: legal work, a survey, mortgage fees and moving. Work out your own Put in your income and deposit to see the price you could afford, then the mortgage and stamp duty.[How much can I borrow?](https://computenow.co.uk/mortgage-affordability-calculator/) ## What you need up front - **A deposit**: the part of the price you pay yourself. Many lenders accept 5% or 10%, but the best rates usually need 25% or more. - **Stamp duty**: in England and Northern Ireland, nothing on the first £125,000 for home movers and £300,000 for first-time buyers. Scotland and Wales have their own taxes: see [stamp duty across the UK](https://computenow.co.uk/guides/stamp-duty-uk-2026/). - **Fees**: legal work (conveyancing), a survey, any mortgage arrangement fee and moving costs. ## The costs at three prices With a 25% deposit and a 25-year repayment mortgage at 5.13%, the Bank of England's average 2-year fixed rate at 75% loan-to-value (September 2026): | Price | Deposit | Stamp duty, first home | Stamp duty, moving | Mortgage a month | Income at 4.5× | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | £250,000 | £62,500 | £0.00 | £2,500.00 | £1,110.35 | £41,667 | | £300,000 | £75,000 | £0.00 | £5,000.00 | £1,332.43 | £50,000 | | £400,000 | £100,000 | £5,000.00 | £10,000.00 | £1,776.57 | £66,667 | Stamp duty for England and Northern Ireland. Income is the household income a lender lending 4.5 times income would look for. ## What you pay each month Your mortgage payment is the biggest monthly cost, but not the only one. Add Council Tax, buildings insurance (usually required by your lender), energy and upkeep. Rates change: at the average revert-to rate of 6.58%, the £300,000 example would cost £1,530.48 a month. ## Fees and other costs Fees vary a lot between firms and homes, so get quotes rather than relying on averages. Ask for a fixed fee for conveyancing, check what the lender's valuation covers, and compare mortgage deals on the total cost, including fees, over the fixed period. The [remortgage calculator](https://computenow.co.uk/remortgage-calculator/) compares deals with fees included. ## Bottom line The deposit is the biggest cost up front, but stamp duty and fees can add thousands. Work out all three before you start viewing, and check your monthly payment at a higher rate too, since your fix will end. ## Tips - A bigger deposit usually gets a lower interest rate: lenders price by loan-to-value. - First-time buyers in England pay no stamp duty up to £300,000, as long as the price is £500,000 or less. - Check the Council Tax band of any home you look at: it is a cost every month. This guide explains the rules; it is not personal financial advice. ## Related [Mortgage affordability calculator How much you could borrow](https://computenow.co.uk/mortgage-affordability-calculator/)[Stamp duty calculator Tax when you buy a home](https://computenow.co.uk/stamp-duty-calculator/)[Mortgage calculator Monthly repayments and total interest](https://computenow.co.uk/mortgage-calculator/) ## Guides and help ### Our guides [Stamp duty in 2026 across the UK SDLT, LBTT and LTT bands, first-time buyers and second homes](https://computenow.co.uk/guides/stamp-duty-uk-2026/)[UK interest rates and inflation today Average mortgage, savings, loan and card rates](https://computenow.co.uk/guides/uk-interest-rates-and-inflation/) ### Official services and free advice [Lifetime ISA GOV.UK: a government bonus for a first home or later life](https://www.gov.uk/lifetime-isa)[Check your Council Tax band GOV.UK: a cost to budget for in a new home](https://www.gov.uk/council-tax-bands)[Check a firm is authorised FCA register: lenders, brokers and advisers](https://register.fca.org.uk/) ## Article sources Each source was last checked on 18 October 2026. - [GOV.UK: Stamp Duty Land Tax residential rates](https://www.gov.uk/stamp-duty-land-tax/residential-property-rates) - [Bank of England: quoted household interest rates (September 2026)](https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/boeapps/database/FromShowColumns.asp?SearchText=IUMBV34&Travel=NIxAZx) - [Revenue Scotland: LBTT residential rates](https://revenue.scot/taxes/land-buildings-transaction-tax/residential-property) - [Welsh Government: Land Transaction Tax rates](https://www.gov.wales/land-transaction-tax-rates-and-bands) These results are an estimate, not financial advice. They use the 2026/27 rates in force on 24 October 2026 and the inputs shown, so your actual tax, pay or costs may differ. Before making a decision about your money, check the figures with HMRC or your provider, or speak to a regulated financial adviser. Free, impartial guidance is available from MoneyHelper. This page explains the rules using the 2026/27 rates in force on 24 October 2026. It is general information, not financial advice. For decisions about your own money, speak to a regulated financial adviser, or get free, impartial guidance from MoneyHelper.