Home Buying Cost Calculator (2026/27)Home Buying Cost Calculator
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Calculator checked against GOV.UK, Revenue Scotland and Welsh Revenue Authority rules on (how we check).
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Advanced fee assumptions
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Band-by-band tax breakdown ▼
| Band | Taxable slice | Rate | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to £125,000 | £125,000 | 0.0% | £0 |
| £125,001 to £250,000 | £125,000 | 2.0% | £2,500 |
| £250,001 to £925,000 | £130,000 | 5.0% | £6,500 |
| Total | £380,000 | — | £9,000 |
Estimates only. Confirm with your conveyancer and official calculators. Sources.
Selling a property too? All 7 tax packs, CGT included, are £9.99. See the pack library
Selling a property too? All 7 tax packs, CGT included, are £9.99. See the pack library
Not sure what comes next at your stage? Get my free home-buying check →
Cash you need — and when it's due
Deposit + costsThe all-in figure above is your tax and buying fees. But the real cash you need from savings also includes your deposit — and it's not all due on the same day. Set your deposit below to see the true total and the payment timeline.
Assumes a 10% exchange deposit (or your full deposit if smaller). Your lender, not this tool, sets the minimum deposit it will accept. Excludes mortgage interest, moving and ongoing costs. Estimates only — confirm exact figures with your conveyancer.
Local snapshot
Nation and tax regime
England (SDLT)
Typical budget band
Worked example at £380,000
Local fees
Compare My Move's average conveyancing quote in the South West, which covers Dorset, is £2,049, the 2nd highest of its 10 UK regions, against £1,200 in the calculator's default. It does not say whether VAT or searches are included, so use it to sense-check a quote.
Main towns
Bournemouth, Poole, Weymouth, Dorchester, Christchurch
Common budgets in Dorset
House prices in Dorset: the official figures
Since 2019 Dorset Council covers the county outside Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, which has its own figure.
Dorset's average is close to where it was a year ago (-0.4% in twelve months (England: +0.4%)), so budgets set last year still hold for the typical home.
Over five years the Dorset average has gone from £301,509 (August 2021) to £328,589, a change of +9%. That is slower than England as a whole (+13.2%).
The spread between property types in Dorset runs from £169,474 for a typical flat to £519,998 for a detached house, so the tax depends heavily on the kind of home you buy.
The overall average sits closest to the typical semi-detached house (£333,127).
First-time buyers in Dorset paid £257,241 on average, 34.6% less than buyers who had owned before (£393,599).
Cash buyers paid more than mortgage buyers here (£337,999 against £320,392).
| Property type | Average price | Stamp duty: home mover | Stamp duty: first-time buyer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat or maisonette | £169,474 | £889 | £0 |
| Terraced house | £267,978 | £3,399 | £0 |
| Semi-detached house | £333,127 | £6,656 | £1,656 |
| Detached house | £519,998 | £16,000 | £16,000 |
Averages: HM Land Registry UK House Price Index, August 2026 (provisional). Stamp duty at each average price on 2026/27 rates, from this site's calculator.
Source: HM Land Registry: UK House Price Index data downloads, August 2026
Stamp Duty Land Tax at Dorset prices
At the Dorset average of £328,589, a home mover pays £6,429 stamp duty. The price reaches the 5% band, which starts at £250,000, so every extra £10,000 adds £500.
First-time buyers are in the strongest position: the average first-time buyer price in Dorset, £257,241, is £42,759 under the £300,000 relief threshold, so they pay no stamp duty at that price, saving the £2,862 a home mover would pay.
By property type: the average flat and terrace are under £300,000, where a first-time buyer pays nothing; the average semi falls in the 5% relief band; the average detached house is over £500,000, where relief is lost.
Buying the average Dorset home as an additional property costs £22,859 in stamp duty, £16,429 more than a home mover pays.
Going £10,000 over the Dorset average adds £500 of stamp duty for a home mover.
How much cash a Dorset buyer needs
Using the Dorset first-time buyer average of £257,241: a 10% deposit is £25,724, and with £0 of stamp duty and the calculator's default £2,699 of legal, survey and lender fees, the cash needed is about £28,423.
The England first-time buyer average is £246,042, so a 10% deposit in Dorset is £1,120 more than the national figure.
| Deposit | Deposit amount | Mortgage | Cash needed (deposit, tax, fees) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% | £12,862 | £244,379 | £15,561 |
| 10% | £25,724 | £231,517 | £28,423 |
| 15% | £38,586 | £218,655 | £41,285 |
| 25% | £64,310 | £192,931 | £67,009 |
At £257,241 with £0 stamp duty (first-time buyer) and £2,699 default fees. Your lender sets the minimum deposit it will accept.
How Dorset compares with its neighbours
The average first-time buyer price is under £300,000, so a first-time buyer pays no stamp duty at that price, in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Somerset, Wiltshire, East Devon and New Forest.
| Area | Average price | Change in a year | Tax for a home mover at that price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | £310,176 | -1.9% | £5,509 SDLT |
| Somerset | £282,498 | +2.8% | £4,125 SDLT |
| Wiltshire | £328,102 | +1.5% | £6,405 SDLT |
| East Devon | £345,256 | +2.1% | £7,263 SDLT |
| New Forest | £384,564 | -0.2% | £9,228 SDLT |
| England | £293,525 | +0.4% | £4,676 SDLT |
HM Land Registry UK House Price Index, August 2026 (provisional). Tax is the area's own nation's tax (SDLT, LBTT or LTT) at the average price, 2026/27 rates.
Source: HM Land Registry: UK House Price Index data downloads, August 2026
Fees and local admin in Dorset
Registering a £380,000 purchase with HM Land Registry costs £150 online; your conveyancer pays it and passes it on.
FAQ
What is the average house price in Dorset?
£328,589 in August 2026, according to HM Land Registry's UK House Price Index, -0.4% on a year earlier. Since 2019 Dorset Council covers the county outside Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, which has its own figure.
How much stamp duty is due on an average home in Dorset?
£6,429 for a home mover at £328,589, £1,429 for a first-time buyer and £22,859 for a second home or buy-to-let, on 2026/27 rates.
How much more is a detached house than a semi in Dorset?
£186,871 on average (£519,998 against £333,127), and £9,344 more stamp duty for a home mover.
How much have house prices in Dorset changed in five years?
From £301,509 in August 2021 to £328,589 in August 2026, a change of +9% (HM Land Registry).
Do first-time buyers pay stamp duty in Dorset?
At the Dorset first-time buyer average of £257,241, a first-time buyer pays £0, against £2,862 for a home mover.
How much deposit do I need for a first home in Dorset?
A 5% deposit on the Dorset first-time buyer average of £257,241 is £12,862 and a 10% deposit £25,724. Your lender decides the minimum it will accept.
Sources & references
OfficialThe figures and rules on this page are drawn from the official UK government sources below. Rates are the confirmed 2026/27 amounts. Each link opens the relevant official page in a new tab.
- GOV.UK: Stamp Duty Land Tax www.gov.uk/stamp-duty-land-tax Primary SDLT rules and process for England and Northern Ireland.
- GOV.UK: SDLT residential property rates www.gov.uk/stamp-duty-land-tax/residential-property-rates Current residential SDLT bands, including first-time buyer relief.
- HM Land Registry: registration services fees www.gov.uk/guidance/hm-land-registry-registration-services-fees Official fee scale for registering a property purchase.
- GOV.UK: Buying or selling your home www.gov.uk/buy-sell-your-home Government overview of the home-buying process and costs.
- HM Land Registry: UK House Price Index data downloads, August 2026 www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/uk-house-price-index-data-downloads-august-2026 Average prices by local authority, property type and buyer type. Published 21 October 2026; the latest months are provisional and can be revised.
Verified against published UK government guidance. See also Methodology and Editorial standards.