Buying costs guide — Australian Capital Territory
Cost of Buying a Home in Australian Capital Territory (2026)
The full upfront cost of buying a home in Australian Capital Territory: stamp duty, lenders mortgage insurance, mortgage registration, conveyancing, inspections and loan fees — every figure computed from the ACT Revenue Office schedule and industry sources, reviewed 2026-07-09. General information, not advice.
Ranges, not quotes
Conveyancing, inspections and loan fees render as low–high ranges from industry-typical figures; stamp duty and mortgage registration come from the ACT Revenue Office schedule; and LMI is a band estimate that varies by insurer and loan purpose. Use the tables below as an ordered benchmark, then get binding numbers from your conveyancer and lender.
Upfront purchase costs on a $750,000 home
$37,050 – $39,170
stamp duty + LMI + registration + conveyancing + inspections + loan fees · 10% deposit scenario
10% deposit vs 20% deposit in Australian Capital Territory
LMI is the lever. Keep your deposit at 10% and the premium is added to your loan; save to 20% and it disappears. On a $750,000 purchase the trade-off is:
- LMI with a 10% deposit
- $12,600
- LMI with a 20% deposit
- $0
90% LVR — added to the loan if not paid up front.
80% LVR — LMI generally not required, but requires an extra $75,000 in cash up front.
LMI estimates from Canstar / Finder LMI calculator estimates (docs/research/2026-07-09-property-cost-inventory.md §A.1). Saving the extra $75,000 to reach 20% avoids roughly $12,600 in LMI The right call depends on your cash, your serviceability and how fast prices are moving — a broker can model both paths.
Upfront costs on a $500,000 home
Itemised purchase costs for a $500,000 property in Australian Capital Territory, assuming a 10% deposit. Ranges show low–high; point figures (stamp duty, LMI) are single computed values:
| Cost item | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| Stamp duty (general) | $11,400 |
| Mortgage registration | $150 – $170 |
| Conveyancing | $1,700 – $3,000 |
| Building & pest inspection | $400 – $600 |
| Loan establishment | $0 – $600 |
| Lenders mortgage insurance (LMI) Estimate at 10% deposit (LVR 90%). Investment loans may attract higher premiums; actual premium depends on the insurer, loan purpose and employment. | $8,190 |
| Total (estimated range) | $21,840 – $23,960 |
Upfront costs on a $750,000 home
Itemised purchase costs for a $750,000 property in Australian Capital Territory, assuming a 10% deposit. Ranges show low–high; point figures (stamp duty, LMI) are single computed values:
| Cost item | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| Stamp duty (general) | $22,200 |
| Mortgage registration | $150 – $170 |
| Conveyancing | $1,700 – $3,000 |
| Building & pest inspection | $400 – $600 |
| Loan establishment | $0 – $600 |
| Lenders mortgage insurance (LMI) Estimate at 10% deposit (LVR 90%). Investment loans may attract higher premiums; actual premium depends on the insurer, loan purpose and employment. | $12,600 |
| Total (estimated range) | $37,050 – $39,170 |
Buying costs by state
Compare the upfront cost stack across Australia:
Related guides
- Stamp Duty in Australian Capital Territory — the duty line above, expanded with the full marginal bracket table and first-home-buyer concessions.
- Land Tax in Australian Capital Territory — the annual holding cost that sits on top of these one-off purchase costs.
- Property Investment Deposit Guide — the 20% rule, LMI trade-offs, and how every dollar of duty and fees feeds into the cash you need.
See what your budget actually reaches
The tables above show headline upfront costs. Plug your income, debts, and deposit in for a tailored purchase-price picture — including the duty and LMI your situation attracts — in minutes.
Start the free questionnaireFAQ — buying costs in Australian Capital Territory
How much does it cost upfront to buy a home in Australian Capital Territory?
On a $750,000 property in Australian Capital Territory, upfront purchase costs run in the range of $37,050 to $39,170 assuming a 10% deposit. That includes $22,200 of general stamp duty plus mortgage registration, conveyancing, inspections, loan establishment and estimated LMI. Real totals move with the property price, your deposit size and the professionals you use.
How much LMI will I pay if I buy in Australian Capital Territory with a low deposit?
With a 10% deposit on $750,000 (90% LVR), the estimated one-off LMI premium is $12,600. Lift the deposit to 20% (80% LVR) and LMI is nil — saving roughly $12,600 but requiring an extra $75,000 in cash up front. LMI is an estimate (investment loans may carry a higher premium); confirm against your lender.
Which upfront costs are fixed, and which scale with the price in Australian Capital Territory?
Stamp duty is the big variable — it scales with the purchase price via the state's marginal bracket table (general duty on $750,000 is $22,200 in Australian Capital Territory). LMI also scales with price and LVR. Mortgage registration is set by the state lands-titles office and conveyancing, inspections and loan fees are typically industry ranges (the rows below render each as its low–high range).
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Sources: stamp duty — ACT Revenue Office (conveyance duty, https://www.revenue.act.gov.au/rates-and-property-charges/conveyance-duty-stamp-duty/conveyance-duty-for-non-commercial-property); mortgage registration, reviewed 2026-07-09 — Access Canberra (research §A.6); conveyancing — Legal comparison sites / state law societies (research §A.3); building & pest — Building inspection providers (research §A.4); loan establishment — Canstar/Finder/Mozo lender comparison (research §A.5); LMI estimates — Canstar / Finder LMI calculator estimates (docs/research/2026-07-09-property-cost-inventory.md §A.1). Figures are estimates, not quotes — confirm with your conveyancer and lender.