Closing costs on a titled purchase in Costa Rica are several separate charges. The calculator above turns a price into estimated dollars. It is not a quote. Confirm the invoice with your attorney before you wire funds.
The statutory core used here is transfer tax at 1.5%, the National Registry at 0.5%, a municipal stamp at 0.2%, and an agrarian stamp at 0.15%. Together that core is about 2.35% of the price you type. The notary tariff sits on top: 2% on the first ₡11 million, 1.5% to ₡16.5 million, 1.25% to ₡33 million, and 1% above that, plus 13% value-added tax. Escrow is about 0.25%, with a floor near $900 to $1,000. Buyers often set aside about 3.5% to 4.5% for a straightforward titled purchase.
How the lines are sourced
Transfer tax comes from Ley 6999, in the consolidation dated September 10, 2012, checked again on October 15, 2026. The tax uses the higher of the deed price or the registered value. The calculator can only see the price you type. The statute does not name the buyer or the seller as the payer.
The registry rate was seen in an excerpt of the registry fee law, and the two stamps come from law-firm summaries, also partly in excerpt. Those three dollar figures are estimates. Confirm them with your attorney. Source date for this page: October 15, 2026.
The notary scale is Decreto 41457-JP of October 17, 2018. A national notary notice on September 25, 2026 tells notaries to charge that official tariff. Colón amounts are converted at about ₡449 per dollar, from a bank-history excerpt of the central-bank reference on October 15, 2026. Another brokerage prints different colón cutoffs, so the bands are an estimate until your attorney confirms the schedule in force.
Escrow varies by company. Chris confirmed in 2026 that the minimum is about $900 and that the fee scales up from there. Published summaries cluster near 0.25%, with a floor around $900 to $1,000. When 0.25% of your price is under $1,000, the calculator shows that minimum band instead of a false single number.
Are the closing costs on this page exact?
No. Every dollar figure is an estimate. The transfer-tax rate is statutory, and several stamp, notary, and escrow inputs were seen in excerpt or disagree between publishers. Confirm the invoice with your Costa Rican attorney before you wire funds.
Which closing costs does this guide calculate?
Transfer tax at 1.5%, National Registry at 0.5%, municipal stamp at 0.2%, agrarian stamp at 0.15%, the notary tariff with 13% tax, and escrow at about 0.25% with a minimum near $900 to $1,000. A separate attorney, a survey, and a corporate setup are not in the subtotal.
Where should I start before I budget closing costs?
Start with the buying guide, which walks through the purchase from first offer to registration. Then ask your attorney to price these lines for the property itself. A concession is outside this calculator.