Stamp Duty on a $500,000 Property in Australia

At a glance: Buying a $500k home, stamp duty ranges from $8,800 in QLD up to $25,070 in VIC.

These estimates assume a standard residential property, no concessions or first-home exemptions.

State/Territory	Duty on $500,000
NSW	$17,230
VIC	$25,070
QLD	$8,750
SA	$21,330
WA	$17,765
TAS	$19,060
ACT	$17,600
NT	–

NT duty only applies above $525k – so $500k incurs no duty under current thresholds. Table excludes registration fees, lender costs, LMI and conveyancing.

Use our home loan repayments to see the full cost of buying.

Headline duty can make one state look cheaper than another at $500k — but the total to settle can shift once you include other levies and fees. Here are practical notes for each state/territory (general guidance only):

• NSW: Standard ad valorem duty at $500k. Add transfer (title) registration and mortgage registration fees. First‑home schemes and thresholds change periodically; check current eligibility before relying on a past threshold.
• VIC: Highest headline duty at this price point in our table. Concessions can apply for eligible first‑home buyers and off‑the‑plan purchases. Expect land transfer and mortgage registration fees on top.
• QLD: Lowest headline duty here at $500k for a home (no FHOG assumed). Registration fees are weight‑based on mortgage size; budget for transfer and mortgage fees plus search charges.
• SA: Mid‑to‑high duty at $500k. South Australia has separate transfer and mortgage registration fees and typical conveyancing costs.
• WA: Duty sits mid‑range at $500k. Add transfer and mortgage registration fees; buyer‑pays settlement agent is common practice.
• TAS: Duty slightly below SA. Include transfer and mortgage registration fees and standard conveyancing & searches (council, water, land tax clearance where applicable).
• ACT: Duty applies on a progressive scale; ACT also relies on higher ongoing rates compared to some states, so consider yearly holding costs as well as upfront duty.
• NT: Our table shows no duty at $500k because the current NT scales start above $525k for residential conveyances; you’ll still pay registration and conveyancing costs.

Foreign buyer surcharges: Several jurisdictions impose additional foreign purchaser duty/surcharge land tax. If any buyer is a foreign person for state/territory purposes, the total can increase materially.

Other common upfront costs (not in our table): title transfer and mortgage registration fees, lender application fees, lender’s mortgage insurance (if deposit < 20%), conveyancer/solicitor, building & pest, strata/body‑corp report (units), and settlement adjustments (rates/water).