August 17, 2026
What It Costs to Buy a Villa in Mauritius: Fees & Duty
The price on the listing is never what you actually pay. Buying a villa in Mauritius also means registration duty, notary fees, EDB and regulatory charges and, if you finance part of the purchase, bank fees. The cost of buying a villa in Mauritius — beyond the sticker price — usually works out at 10% to 15% of the transaction amount. This guide breaks down each line, with figures as they currently stand, so you can budget a real number before you make an offer, and lays out roughly where each cost falls in the timeline between offer and completion.
What do "fees, duty and notary" actually cover?
Four categories of cost stack up between signing the offer and getting the keys. Registration duty and land transfer tax, levied by the state on the sale price. Notary fees, charged on a sliding scale against the property price. Dossier costs — Economic Development Board (EDB) authorisation, stamp duty, regulatory checks. And, if you are borrowing, bank fees tied to financing.
On top of that sits a line buyers almost always underestimate: title verification — checking the property's legal history over at least thirty years. This is not an optional formality. It is what confirms the seller actually has the right to sell and that the property carries no hidden charges.
How much is registration duty on a villa purchase?
Registration duty and land transfer tax stood at 5% of the sale price. A rise to 10% for non-citizens was announced to take effect from 1 July 2026. That date has now passed by the time of this article's publication, so the rate actually applying to your file needs confirming with your notaire before you make an offer — thresholds and rates change, and only an up-to-date check at the point of signing is reliable.
On a EUR 600,000 villa, for example, the difference between 5% and 10% duty is EUR 30,000 — on its own, a heavier line item than most of the other fees combined, which is why it is worth verifying first, not discovering at the notary's desk.
What do notary fees actually cost?
A Mauritian notaire charges on a sliding scale against the property price: 2% on the first MUR 250,000, 1.5% on the next MUR 500,000, 1% on the next million, then 0.5% beyond MUR 1,750,000, plus 15% VAT on top. On a higher-value villa, that sliding scale works out in practice to an effective rate of roughly 0.75% to 2% of the price, VAT included — the more expensive the villa, the lower the effective percentage.
The notaire's role is not limited to signing the deed. They run the thirty-year title check, prepare the file, and confirm the required authorisations (EDB, and where relevant the developer's certificate) are in place before ownership transfers. Since 2020, funds must move by bank transfer or cheque directly into the notaire's escrow account — no cash payment is accepted on this type of transaction.
What other fees should you budget for before signing?
Title verification typically runs 1% to 2% of the property's value and takes six to eight weeks — a timeline worth building into your calendar if you are working toward a specific signing date. The Economic Development Board file, mandatory for any purchase by a non-citizen within an approved scheme, carries processing costs of around MUR 25,000, plus administrative stamp duty of MUR 2,500 to MUR 10,000. Since 1 December 2025, a non-refundable USD 50 application fee has also applied to residence-permit-linked applications.
That leaves agency commission, usually the most misunderstood line in the budget. It generally sits at 2% to 2.5% of the sale price plus VAT — but on the large majority of transactions handled through an agency like Solea, it is the seller who pays it, not the buyer. Buyers who compare generic "acquisition cost" calculators often end up adding this line to their own budget by mistake, when it does not apply to them if their agent is paid on the seller's side.
What should you budget in total, above the purchase price?
Adding registration duty, notary fees, EDB dossier costs and stamp duty together, the most reliable rule of thumb is still to set aside 10% to 15% of the purchase price to cover total transaction costs, excluding any financing. On a EUR 600,000 villa, that means budgeting an extra EUR 60,000 to EUR 90,000 on top of the sticker price.
That budget needs to be available at signing, not just committed in principle: funds destined for the notaire pass through their escrow account ahead of the deed being signed, which means having liquid funds ready several weeks before you get the keys. Building the number in early — before you shortlist properties rather than after you have chosen one — also keeps you from falling for a villa priced right at the edge of your budget and then finding the closing costs push it out of reach.
Does bank financing change the bill?
If you finance part of the purchase through a local loan, Mauritian banks generally charge an application fee of 0.5% to 1% of the borrowed amount, plus a property valuation fee. These fees are separate from registration duty and notary fees, and add to the total rather than replacing it.
Local financing remains a minority route for foreign buyers, who most commonly fund the purchase with equity transferred from their country of residence. If you are still considering a loan, it is worth discussing with the bank before making an offer — bank approval timelines can add several weeks to the signing calendar, and a bank will typically want the same title and KYC checks completed before it releases funds, so the two processes are best run in parallel rather than one after the other.
What documents do you need to gather, and does that cost anything?
Any purchase by a non-citizen is subject to KYC ("know your customer") checks required under the Financial Intelligence and Anti-Money Laundering Act. The standard file includes a valid passport, proof of address, a clean criminal record certificate, and documents evidencing the source of funds — bank statements, savings certificates or equivalent. Gathering these before making an offer, rather than after, avoids the most common delay in the signing timeline.
These checks do not carry a direct fee for the buyer beyond those already listed, but they set the pace of the file: a notaire cannot close the title check and submit the dossier to the EDB until KYC is complete. It is more a timing factor than a cost factor — but a delay that becomes a cost if you are meanwhile carrying a bridge loan or temporary accommodation while the purchase completes.
Does buying off-plan change the calculation?
For a villa bought off-plan (VEFA), the fee structure stays the same — registration duty, notary fees, EDB costs — but one extra safeguard applies: the developer must hold a Garantie Future d'Achèvement (GFA), a bank-issued completion guarantee that protects funds paid in if the project stalls. Checking this guarantee exists is one of the things your notaire should confirm before any payment is released, and its cost sits with the developer, not the buyer.
The practical difference from an existing property is mostly the payment schedule, staged against construction progress rather than paid in one instalment at signing — which spreads the cash-flow effort over time, but means a longer file to track through to handover.
Are these costs different when buying through a company?
Buying through a company rather than in your own name does not change the nature of registration duty or notary fees, which are still calculated against the transaction price either way. What the structure does change is how rental income and any future resale are taxed, and the reporting obligations that follow in your country of residence.
This is a decision to make before the purchase, not after: changing structure once a property is already owned is considerably more complex, and usually more expensive, than choosing the right one from the start. It is worth settling with your notaire and your tax adviser ahead of any offer.
What costs continue after you complete?
Once you own the property, Mauritius applies no annual property tax. Income, including rent from a short-term let, is taxed at the flat 15% rate, and there is no capital gains tax on property as things stand today. None of that removes your obligations at home — a French, British or German resident remains subject to their own reporting rules, with the applicable double taxation treaty determining how rental income and any eventual gain are treated.
Budget for ongoing upkeep too: around 5% of the property's value per year is a reasonable figure for maintenance and unforeseen repairs — a number that climbs quickly on the coast, where salt air accelerates wear on woodwork and outdoor fittings. If the villa sits within an approved scheme (PDS, IRS, RES), scheme charges are added on top for security, upkeep of shared areas and, often, rental management — the amount varies substantially between schemes and is worth comparing before you buy, not after.
An investment above USD 375,000 in a property within an approved scheme entitles the buyer and their immediate family to apply for a residence permit, valid for as long as the property is held. You can see the schemes and thresholds set out in more detail on our villas for sale in Mauritius page, which also carries our current selection by region.
Frequently asked questions
What is the total cost of buying a villa in Mauritius?
Beyond the purchase price, budget roughly 10% to 15% of the price for registration duty, notary fees and dossier costs. On a EUR 600,000 villa, that is EUR 60,000 to EUR 90,000.
Who pays agency commission, the buyer or the seller?
On the large majority of transactions handled through an agency like Solea, commission — typically 2% to 2.5% of the price plus VAT — is paid by the seller. Buyer support costs nothing.
Is registration duty 5% or 10%?
The rate stood at 5%, with a rise to 10% for non-citizens announced from 1 July 2026. That date has now passed, so have your notaire confirm the exact rate applying to your file before making an offer.
Is there an annual property tax in Mauritius?
No, Mauritius has no annual property tax. Rental income is taxed at the flat 15% rate, and you should budget roughly 5% of the property's value each year for maintenance.
Does bank financing add specific fees?
Yes: expect roughly 0.5% to 1% of the borrowed amount in bank application fees, plus a property valuation fee, on top of registration duty and notary fees.