Stamp Duty on a S$1,250,000 Property in Singapore
Buying a S$1,250,000 home in Singapore means paying S$34,600.00 in Buyer's Stamp Duty, plus Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty if it is not your first property or you are not a citizen.
Buyer's Stamp Duty workings
| Band | Rate | BSD |
|---|---|---|
| S$0.00 – S$180,000.00 | 1% | S$1,800.00 |
| S$180,000.00 – S$360,000.00 | 2% | S$3,600.00 |
| S$360,000.00 – S$1,000,000.00 | 3% | S$19,200.00 |
| S$1,000,000.00 – S$1,250,000.00 | 4% | S$10,000.00 |
ABSD by buyer
| Buyer | ABSD rate | ABSD | Total stamp duty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citizen, 1st property | 0% | S$0.00 | S$34,600.00 |
| Citizen, 2nd property | 20% | S$250,000.00 | S$284,600.00 |
| PR, 1st property | 5% | S$62,500.00 | S$97,100.00 |
| PR, 2nd property | 30% | S$375,000.00 | S$409,600.00 |
| Foreigner | 60% | S$750,000.00 | S$784,600.00 |
When and how to pay
Stamp duty is due within 14 days of signing the sale and purchase agreement or exercising the option to purchase. You pay IRAS in cash first; BSD can then be reimbursed from your CPF Ordinary Account, but ABSD rules differ, so check with your lawyer.
Before you sign
- HDB loans are capped at 25 years and must be fully repaid by age 65.
- Banks test your TDSR at a stress-test rate, not the advertised rate, so your borrowing limit is lower than you might expect.
- Stamp duty is based on the purchase price or market value, whichever is higher.
- Using CPF for housing reduces what is left for retirement, and you must refund the amount used plus accrued interest when you sell.
Background
Beyond the price, buyers should budget for legal fees, valuation, home insurance, renovation and furnishing. Running the figures in advance helps you decide how much cash to hold back and whether a smaller loan or longer tenure makes more sense.
The Total Debt Servicing Ratio limits monthly debt repayments to 55% of gross monthly income for any property loan, and the Mortgage Servicing Ratio limits the housing instalment to 30% of income for HDB flats and new executive condominiums. Banks apply a medium-term interest rate in these tests rather than the rate you will actually pay.
CPF Ordinary Account savings can pay for the downpayment, stamp duties and monthly instalments, but using CPF reduces the money compounding for retirement, and the amount withdrawn plus accrued interest must be refunded to your CPF account when you sell.
Related calculations
- Rental Yield Calculator: Measures the return from rent before and after costs such as property tax, maintenance fees and agent fees.
- Home Loan Refinancing Calculator: Compares your current mortgage with a new rate to show the monthly saving and how long switching costs take to recover.
- Property Downpayment Calculator: Splits the downpayment into cash and CPF and shows the remaining loan.
- Buyer's Stamp Duty (BSD) Calculator: Calculates Buyer's Stamp Duty on a Singapore residential property using the tiered rates from 1% to 6%.
Change the price and buyer profile in the Stamp Duty on a S$1,250,000 Property Calculator.
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