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Which state is cheapest to buy in? Compare stamp duty, land tax and first home grants side-by-side
Enter a property value and buyer type to see the total first-year cost across every Australian state and territory in one ranked table — combining stamp duty, any first home owner grant, and estimated annual land tax for investors.
First home buyer includes grant eligibility; investor includes an estimated annual land tax (owner-occupied homes are exempt from land tax in every state).
Every first home owner grant in Australia is for new homes only, so an established home attracts duty concessions but no cash grant.
New South Wales
$0
Most expensive
Northern Territory · $34,650
Difference
$34,650
Full state-by-state ranking below — grants depend on the specific property and your eligibility, so treat this as a starting point.
| State | Stamp Duty | First Home Grant | Total First-Year Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| New South WalesCheapest | $0 | - | $0 |
| Queensland | $0 | - | $0 |
| Australian Capital Territory | $0 | - | $0 |
| Western Australia | $16,150 | - | $16,150 |
| Victoria | $24,713 | - | $24,713 |
| Tasmania | $26,748 | - | $26,748 |
| South Australia | $32,330 | - | $32,330 |
| Northern Territory | $34,650 | - | $34,650 |
This calculator is not intended to be relied on for the purposes of making a decision in relation to a financial product. Before you make a financial decision, consider obtaining advice from someone who holds an Australian Financial Services Licence. We do not, and we cannot advise you.
Stamp duty, first home owner grants and land tax all vary significantly by state — the same property value can cost tens of thousands of dollars more upfront depending on where it is.
This tool combines all three into one view so you can see the real total cost of buying, not just the headline stamp duty figure most calculators show in isolation.
It depends heavily on the property value and whether you're a first home buyer. Several states offer full stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers up to a price threshold, which can make them cheapest even if their standard rates are higher.
They're indicative estimates combining publicly available stamp duty, land tax and first home grant rules. Always confirm exact costs and eligibility with your state revenue office and a conveyancer before purchasing.
Every Australian state exempts your principal place of residence from land tax, so it only becomes a real ongoing cost for investment properties, holiday homes or vacant land.
No. Every first home owner grant in Australia is for new, off-the-plan or substantially renovated homes — no state pays a cash grant to the buyer of a previously occupied house. Established-home first home buyers are still often better off, because most states' duty exemptions and concessions do apply to established homes. That is why this tool asks which you are buying and only credits a grant against a new build.
Because a cost we know that jurisdiction charges is not priced here, so including it would flatter it against the others. The ACT is the current case for investors: it does levy land tax, but quarterly on Average Unimproved Value combined with general rates rather than an annual land-value scale, so it is flagged as not directly comparable instead of being shown as nil and crowned cheapest.
Estimates only. Not financial or tax advice. Full disclaimer for your rights and our limitations of liability.
This calculator exists to show you the arithmetic. It applies published Australian rates, thresholds and formulas to the numbers you enter and shows the working, so you can check it. That is all it does — it produces a number and describes what the number is. It does not recommend anything and it holds no opinion about any financial product.
What can move this result
This calculator is not intended to be relied on for the purposes of making a decision in relation to a financial product. Before you make a financial decision, consider obtaining advice from someone who holds an Australian Financial Services Licence. We do not, and we cannot advise you.