Condo Down Payment & Stamp Duty Calculator Singapore 2026

Calculate your total cash outlay to buy a condo in Singapore — down payment, BSD, ABSD, and legal fees in one free calculator with real-time SGD results.

Understanding Condo Down Payment Requirements in Singapore

Buying a private condominium in Singapore involves more than just the sticker price. The actual cash you need upfront — before you even get your keys — includes the down payment, Buyer’s Stamp Duty (BSD), Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD if applicable), and assorted legal and administrative fees. For a S$1.2 million condo, first-time Singapore Citizen buyers typically need to prepare at least S$330,000 to S$350,000 in cash and CPF before their loan kicks in. This calculator shows you the full picture so there are no surprises at the signing table.

Singapore’s private property market is governed by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and regulated by MAS Notices 632 and 1105, which set the maximum Loan-to-Value (LTV) ratios and Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR) caps for property loans. As at Q3 2026, the maximum LTV for a bank loan on a residential property remains 75% for borrowers with no outstanding property loans.

Not financial advice. All figures are for educational reference only. BSD and ABSD rates are based on IRAS rules effective as at Q3 2026. Rates are subject to change — verify with IRAS or your conveyancing lawyer before transacting.

Buyer’s Stamp Duty (BSD) — What It Is

BSD is a tax levied on all property purchases in Singapore, paid by the buyer. It is calculated on the higher of the purchase price or market value of the property. The rates are tiered: 1% on the first S$180,000, 2% on the next S$180,000, 3% on the next S$640,000, 4% on the next S$500,000, 5% on the next S$1.5 million, and 6% on any amount above S$3 million (rates revised in Feb 2023). For a S$1.2 million condo, BSD comes to approximately S$33,600 — a significant chunk of cash that many first-time buyers underestimate. BSD cannot be paid using CPF and must come from your own cash.

Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD) — Who Pays It

ABSD is a surcharge on top of BSD, designed to cool Singapore’s private property market. Singapore Citizens buying their first residential property pay 0% ABSD. However, for a second property the rate is 20%, and for a third or subsequent property it jumps to 30%. Permanent Residents face 5% ABSD on their first purchase and 30% on subsequent ones. Foreign individuals pay 60% ABSD regardless of how many properties they own. These rates were last significantly revised in April 2023 and remain in effect as at Q3 2026. Use our ABSD Remission Calculator if you are eligible for a remission (e.g., couples where one is a Singapore Citizen and one is a PR may claim a partial remission).

How to Use This Condo Down Payment Calculator

1. Enter the purchase price: Type in the agreed sale price of the condo in SGD. The calculator uses this to compute all duties and fees.
2. Select your buyer profile: Choose whether you are a Singapore Citizen, Permanent Resident, or Foreigner, and whether this is your first, second, or third+ property. This determines your ABSD rate.
3. Choose your loan type: Select “Bank Loan” if you plan to take a mortgage, or “Full Cash Purchase” if you are buying without financing.
4. Adjust the LTV ratio: Slide to reflect how much you are borrowing. The default is 75% (maximum for a bank loan with no existing property loan). The calculator adjusts the down payment in real time.

Your results panel instantly shows the down payment required, BSD, ABSD (if any), estimated legal and miscellaneous fees, and the total cash outlay upfront expressed as a percentage of the purchase price.

Pro tip: Combine this calculator with our Mortgage Repayment Calculator to see your monthly instalment after the down payment, and our TDSR & MSR Calculator to check whether your income qualifies for the loan size you need.

What Is the Condo Down Payment in Singapore?

When you buy a private condominium in Singapore using a bank loan, the minimum down payment is 25% of the purchase price. This is because the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) caps bank loans at 75% Loan-to-Value (LTV) for borrowers who have no outstanding residential property loans. If you already have one outstanding property loan, the LTV cap drops to 45%, meaning your down payment rises to 55% — a massive jump that often catches upgraders off guard.

Of that 25% minimum down payment, at least 5% must be paid in cash (it cannot come from CPF Ordinary Account). The remaining 20% can be funded using your CPF OA savings, cash, or a combination of both. This means even for a S$1 million condo, you need to set aside at least S$50,000 in cold hard cash just for the Option to Purchase (OTP) and the initial cash component of the down payment — before stamp duties are even factored in.

For a S$1.5 million condominium, the breakdown for a first-time Singapore Citizen buyer taking a 75% bank loan would be: S$375,000 down payment (25%), S$44,600 BSD, zero ABSD, and roughly S$6,000 in legal and miscellaneous fees — a total upfront outlay of approximately S$425,600, or about 28% of the purchase price. Use our HDB Affordability Calculator if you are weighing HDB versus private property instead.

How BSD Is Calculated: The Tiered Formula

Buyer’s Stamp Duty in Singapore follows a progressive tiered rate structure, similar to income tax. Every property buyer pays BSD regardless of nationality or how many properties they own. The current rates (effective since February 2023) are:

For a S$1.2 million condo: 1% × S$180k = S$1,800; 2% × S$180k = S$3,600; 3% × S$640k = S$19,200; 4% × S$200k = S$8,000. Total BSD = S$32,600. Unlike ABSD, there is no remission or exemption for BSD. It is payable to IRAS within 14 days of signing the Sale and Purchase Agreement (or 14 days from the exercise date of the OTP if you used a standard OTP).

ABSD Rates by Buyer Profile (2026)

ABSD is Singapore’s most powerful property cooling measure. It dramatically increases the cost of buying a second or third residential property, and effectively prices most foreigners out of the market. Here are the current rates as at Q3 2026:

ABSD is calculated on the full purchase price and must be paid in cash within 30 days of signing the Sale and Purchase Agreement. It cannot be paid using CPF. For a SC buying a second condo at S$1.5 million, ABSD alone is S$300,000 — equal to the entire 20% cash down payment. This is why many Singaporean families carefully plan the sequence of their property purchases. Note that married SC/PR couples may be eligible for an ABSD remission on a jointly-owned property under certain conditions — use our ABSD Remission Calculator to check your eligibility.

Cash vs CPF: What Can You Use for the Down Payment?

One of the most common questions from first-time condo buyers is: “How much of my CPF can I use?” The answer depends on your loan type and property valuation. For a bank loan, you can use CPF OA savings to pay for up to 75% of the property’s valuation limit (the lower of purchase price or bank valuation). The remaining 25% down payment can be split: minimum 5% cash, up to 20% from CPF OA.

However, there is an important ceiling. Once your CPF OA usage on a property reaches the Valuation Limit (VL), you cannot withdraw more CPF unless you have set aside the Basic Retirement Sum (BRS) in your CPF RA (if you are 55 or older). For a S$1.2 million property, the valuation limit is typically S$1.2 million, meaning you can use up to S$900,000 in CPF OA (assuming 75% LTV) — but in practice, most buyers won’t have that much in CPF OA. Stamp duties (BSD and ABSD) must be paid entirely in cash and cannot come from CPF. Use our CPF OA/SA Allocation Calculator to see how your CPF is allocated and what’s available for property.

Hidden Costs Beyond Down Payment and Stamp Duty

First-time condo buyers frequently underestimate total upfront costs. Beyond the 25% down payment and BSD, you should budget for: legal conveyancing fees (typically S$2,500–S$5,000 for a S$1–2M property), property valuation fee (S$300–S$800), home insurance (S$200–S$500/year for a basic policy), and any Option to Purchase (OTP) fee paid to the seller’s agent (usually 1% of purchase price, absorbed into the down payment). For new launches, there is also a booking fee of 5% typically payable upon OTP exercise.

Renovation costs for a resale condo can add S$50,000–S$200,000 depending on condition and scope. Monthly costs after purchase include conservancy charges (S$200–S$600/month for most condos), property tax (payable annually), and mortgage servicing. Running all these through our Retirement Planning Calculator can help you see whether the property fits your long-term financial goals without crowding out your retirement savings.

Condo vs S-REIT Investing: A Different Perspective

Singapore’s property market offers capital appreciation and rental income, but it comes with high entry costs, illiquidity, ABSD barriers, and concentration risk. An alternative strategy that many Singapore investors consider is investing in S-REITs — Singapore-listed Real Estate Investment Trusts — instead of (or alongside) direct property. S-REITs offer exposure to commercial, industrial, retail, and hospitality real estate with yields of 5–7% annually, no ABSD, no stamp duty, and full liquidity on the SGX. You can start with as little as S$1,000.

For example, the S$338,600 total cash outlay on a S$1.2M condo (down payment + BSD for a first-time SC buyer) could alternatively be invested in a diversified S-REIT portfolio generating roughly S$20,000–S$24,000 in annual dividends at a 6% yield — with none of the stamp duty or concentrated property risk. This isn’t a recommendation to choose one over the other; both can have a place in a diversified Singapore portfolio. But running the numbers is worthwhile before you commit. For a deeper look at S-REIT yields and sector performance, see our Best S-REITs 2026 guide.

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