Golden Visa Cost Index: the full cost of each programme (2026)

Published and last checked 9 November 2026. By Imago 77 Ltd.

The headline investment is only part of the bill. Once taxes, government fees and legal costs are added, a single applicant should budget roughly 5 to 30% more than the minimum investment, depending on the programme.

For one applicant buying a standard home: Cyprus about €357,000 with VAT, Greece about €420,000, Malta about €475,000, and the UAE about AED 2.1 million.

The index

Programme	Minimum investment	Main extra costs	Estimated total, one applicant
UAE (Dubai), property	AED 2,000,000	Dubai Land Department transfer fee 4% (AED 80,000); registration and title deed about AED 8,200; visa, Emirates ID and medical about AED 10,000	About AED 2,098,000, or about AED 2,140,000 with a 2% agent fee
Greece, standard home outside the main areas	€400,000	Transfer tax 3.09% on resale homes (about €12,400); government fee €2,000; card €16; legal, notary and registry costs	About €420,000 to €428,000
Cyprus, permanent residence	€300,000 plus VAT, new home	VAT at 19% (€57,000), or 5% if it is your main home and meets the conditions; no transfer fee on VAT sales; €30,000 deposit held for three years and then returned	About €357,000 at 19% VAT, plus legal fees
Malta, purchase route	€375,000 property	Administrative fee €60,000; contribution €37,000; NGO donation €2,000; residence card €500	About €474,500
Malta, rental route	€14,000 a year rent	Same fees as above; rent is spent, not invested	About €169,500 over five years
Portugal, fund route	€500,000 in a qualifying fund	Government application and permit fees, which change often	€500,000 plus fees; no property

Totals are rounded, exclude mortgage costs and currency losses, and assume one adult. Each programme charges extra for family members.

Family members

UAE: about AED 5,775 per spouse, child or parent for the visa, Emirates ID and medical, plus a one-off file fee of about AED 319.
Malta: €7,500 for each adult dependant other than the spouse, plus €500 per residence card.
Greece and Cyprus: family members pay their own permit and card fees, which depend on age.

A change to watch in Greece

In September 2026 the Greek finance minister announced that the transfer tax on homes bought by non-EU citizens will rise from about 3% to about 15%. Reports differ on the start date, January or July 2027, and the law was not final when we checked. If it passes, the tax on a €400,000 Greek home would rise by nearly €50,000.

How we build the index

We use official fee schedules where they exist, and established advisers and agents where they do not. Each figure is checked every month, and the date at the top of this page shows the last check. Fees change often, so ask your lawyer for a written quote before you commit.

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