Real Estate Commission Rates by Country (2026): A Global Comparison
17 Jun 2026How much do you pay an estate agent to sell a home? It depends almost entirely on where the home is. Typical commission runs from about 1 percent in the UK and Netherlands to more than 7 percent once tax is added in parts of Europe and the US. This guide lays out the rates country by country, explains who customarily pays them, and shows where the hidden costs hide.
How much do you pay an estate agent to sell a home? It depends almost entirely on where the home is. Across the markets Anyone covers, the typical commission runs from about 1 percent in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands to more than 7 percent once tax is added in parts of Europe and the United States. This guide lays out the rates country by country, explains who customarily pays them, and shows where the hidden costs hide.
Key findings
The global range is roughly 1 to 7 percent. The United Kingdom and the Netherlands sit at the low end near 1 to 2 percent. The United States, Germany, and France sit at the high end, especially once value-added tax is included.
United States sellers pay among the most in the developed world. The average total commission was 5.44 percent in 2025, and by long-standing custom the seller pays for both sides of the deal.
Who pays is not universal. Roughly speaking, markets fall into three camps: seller-pays, split between buyer and seller, and buyer-pays.
Tax is often added on top. In much of Europe the commission carries value-added tax of 19 to 27 percent, which many sellers forget to budget for.
The 2024 United States commission reform did not lower fees. One year after the National Association of Realtors settlement took effect, the average commission rose slightly rather than falling.
Real estate commission rates by country
The list below shows the typical total agent commission, who customarily pays it, and whether value-added tax is charged on top. Rates are negotiable in most markets and vary by property value and region. Figures reflect residential resale property.
United States: 5.0% to 6.0% (avg 5.44% in 2025). Paid by seller (both sides). No VAT.
Canada: 3.0% to 5.0% (avg about 4.1%). Paid by seller. GST/HST on the fee.
United Kingdom: 1.0% to 3.0% (avg about 1.5%). Paid by seller. Plus 20% VAT.
Netherlands: 1.0% to 2.0%. Paid by seller. Plus 21% VAT.
Germany: 3.57% to 7.14% (incl. VAT). Usually split buyer/seller. Includes 19% VAT.
France: 4.5% to 8.0% (sliding by price). Paid by seller. Includes 20% VAT.
Spain: 3.0% to 5.0% (up to 7%). Paid by seller. Plus regional VAT.
Italy: about 3.0% to 4.0% from each side. Buyer and seller both pay. Plus 22% VAT.
Portugal: 3.0% to 5.0% (standard 5%). Paid by seller. Plus 23% VAT.
Switzerland: 3.0% to 5.0%. Paid by seller. Plus VAT.
Austria: up to 3.6% (incl. VAT). Usually paid by buyer. Includes 20% VAT.
Greece: 2.0% from each side (4% total). Buyer and seller both pay. Plus 24% VAT.
Hungary: 3.0% to 5.0% (often 5%). Paid by seller. Plus 27% VAT.
Croatia: about 6.0% (split). Buyer and seller both pay. Plus 25% VAT.
Turkey: about 4.0% (often 2% each side). Buyer and seller both pay. VAT varies.
United Arab Emirates: 2% buyer + 2% seller (buyer often 4%). Buyer and seller. No VAT on residential.
Australia: 2.0% to 3.0% (up to 4%). Paid by seller. Plus 10% GST.
Finland: 2.5% to 5.0%. Paid by seller. Includes 24% VAT.
Thailand: 3.0% to 5.0%. Paid by seller. VAT varies.
Sources: Redfin commission tracking (United States, 2025); National Association of Realtors; Tranio global commission survey; and national market data.
The three models for who pays
The single most confusing thing for anyone selling across borders is that the question of who pays the agent has three different answers depending on the country.
Seller pays both sides. The United States is the clearest example. The seller traditionally covers the full commission, then it is divided between the listing agent and the buyer's agent. The United Kingdom, Canada, Spain, France, and Australia also put the bill on the seller, though usually for a single agent rather than two.
Split between buyer and seller. Much of continental Europe shares the cost. In Italy and Greece, the buyer and the seller each pay the agent separately, so a quoted 3 percent can mean 3 percent from each party rather than 3 percent total. Germany moved to a shared model for owner-occupied homes in 2020, and Croatia and Turkey commonly split as well.
Buyer pays. In Austria the buyer usually carries the commission, and in the United Arab Emirates the buyer often pays around 4 percent in practice even though the law frames it as 2 percent per side. For a buyer used to the United States model, where the buyer appears to pay nothing directly, this is a meaningful surprise to budget for.
The hidden cost: value-added tax
In headline terms a 5 percent commission in Portugal and a 5 percent commission in the United States look identical. They are not. The Portuguese fee carries 23 percent VAT on top, so 5 percent becomes about 6.15 percent of the sale price in real money. Hungary adds 27 percent, Italy 22 percent, and Germany 19 percent. When you compare markets, always ask whether the rate quoted already includes tax or not, because the gap is large enough to change which country is actually cheaper.
Why United States commissions stayed high after reform
Many people expected the August 2024 National Association of Realtors settlement to cut commissions sharply. It did not. The settlement changed how buyer-agent pay is advertised and negotiated, but a year later the average total commission had edged up to 5.44 percent, with the listing side around 2.77 percent and the buyer side around 2.67 percent on a typical home. Rates rose in 39 states from 2024 to 2025 and fell in only 10. The rules changed; the price did not.
Frequently asked questions
Two ways to handle the commission
Commission is the largest single cost in most home sales, and it is also the most inconsistent one from country to country. Once you know the local norm, you have two ways to deal with it: sell on your own and skip the listing side, or use an agent and make sure you pick a good one. Anyone supports both.
Methodology and sources
This comparison aggregates published commission norms for residential resale property as of 2026. Country figures are drawn from Redfin's United States commission tracking, the National Association of Realtors, the Tranio global commission survey, and national market sources. Commissions are negotiable in nearly all markets and vary by property value, region, and whether the property is new-build or resale. Value-added tax treatment varies by country and is noted where it materially changes the effective cost. This article is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Last updated June 2026.
Primary sources: Anyone and Redfin, Real Estate Agent Commissions Haven't Changed Much Since the NAR Settlement Took Effect (2025); National Association of Realtors; Tranio, Real estate agency commission rates in different countries; and national market data for the Netherlands, Australia, Canada, Italy, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates.
Author: Delano van Bosse
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