About this calculator
Singapore prices its property tax in two layers. Buyer's Stamp Duty is the base layer — a progressive tax everyone pays: 1% on the first S$180,000, 2% to S$360,000, 3% to S$1 million, 4% to S$1.5 million, 5% to S$3 million and 6% above that (bands revised in February 2023). The Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty is the cooling-measure layer, charged on the full price by identity: citizens pay nothing on a first home, 20% on a second and 30% on a third; permanent residents pay 5/30/35%; foreigners pay a flat 60% on any purchase; companies, entities and trusts pay 65%. Those ABSD rates date from 27 April 2023 and were still in force in October 2026.
The 60% foreigner rate is the single most consequential number in Singapore property. On a S$1.5 million condo it is S$900,000 of tax — more than the down payment — payable in cash within weeks of signing, because stamp duty cannot be folded into the mortgage and CPF can only cover it within limits. It was doubled from 30% in one step in April 2023 specifically to take foreign demand out of the market, and every budget since has left it untouched.
How to use it
- Enter the price (or the valuation, if higher — IRAS charges duty on whichever is greater).
- Pick your buyer profile and whether this is your first, second or later residential property.
- Read the total, then scan the comparison table: the same home at the same price carries twelve different tax bills depending on who buys it.
- Budget the duty in cash on top of the down payment — banks will not lend against stamp duty.
The formula
BSD is marginal — each slice of the price is taxed at its own band rate, so the effective BSD rate on a S$1.5 million home is just under 3% even though the top slice pays 4%. ABSD is the opposite: one flat rate on the entire price, set by the buyer profile table (citizens 0/20/30%, PRs 5/30/35%, foreigners 60%, entities 65%). Both are charged on the higher of the purchase price or the IRAS market valuation.
Worked example
A S$1,500,000 home: BSD is S$44,600 for every buyer. ABSD then separates them — a citizen buying a first home pays S$0 more (total S$44,600); a PR buying a first home pays 5%, S$75,000 (total S$119,600); a citizen buying a second home pays 20%, S$300,000 (total S$344,600); a foreigner pays 60%, S$900,000 (total S$944,600 — 63% of the price); and a company pays 65%, S$975,000 (total S$1,019,600). Same flat, same price, a S$975,000 spread in tax.
Sources: IRAS BSD band table (revised 15 February 2023) and ABSD schedule in force from 27 April 2023, verified unchanged October 2026. Last updated: October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is the foreigner ABSD still 60% in 2026?
Yes. The rate was doubled from 30% to 60% on 27 April 2023 and every subsequent budget and cooling-measure review has left it in place; IRAS still publishes 60% as the foreigner rate in October 2026. There is no first-home discount and no taper by property count — the first purchase and the fifth are taxed identically.
Who escapes the foreigner rate?
Nationals of the United States, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are taxed at citizen rates under Singapore's free-trade agreements — 0% ABSD on a first home. Singapore PRs pay the PR schedule (5% on a first home), not the foreigner schedule. Everyone else without citizenship or PR status pays 60%, including employment-pass holders who live and work in Singapore.
Can I pay stamp duty with CPF or my loan?
Not with the loan — no bank will lend against duty. BSD (and ABSD, subject to the Valuation Limit and the usual CPF housing rules) can be paid from your CPF Ordinary Account if you have the balance, because duty is a cost of purchase; but most buyers should treat the full amount as cash to find within the stamping deadline, typically 14 days after exercising the option.
What about Seller's Stamp Duty?
A separate tax on the way out: homes bought on or after 4 July 2025 and sold within four years attract SSD of 16% in year one, falling by 4 points a year to 4% in year four (the holding period was extended from three years in July 2025). It is charged on the sale price and catches short holds regardless of profit. This calculator covers purchase duties; SSD only matters if you plan to flip quickly.
Do housing developers really pay 65% too?
No — licensed housing developers pay 40% ABSD, most of it remittable if they complete and sell out the project within the prescribed timeline. The 65% rate applies to other entities and to trustees buying residential property. The developer row is excluded from the comparison table because the remission makes its effective rate project-specific.
What formula does this singapore stamp duty calculator — bsd & absd calculator use?
BSD = 1% × first $180k + 2% × next $180k + 3% × next $640k + 4% × next $500k + 5% × next $1.5M + 6% × the rest; ABSD = price × profile rate; Total = BSD + ABSD BSD is marginal — each slice of the price is taxed at its own band rate, so the effective BSD rate on a S$1.5 million home is just under 3% even though the top slice pays 4%. ABSD is the opposite: one flat rate on the entire price, set by the buyer profile table (citizens 0/20/30%, PRs 5/30/35%, foreigners 60%, entities 65%). Both are charged on the higher of the purchase price or the IRAS market valuation. The worked example on this page applies the formula step by step with real numbers, so you can verify the result by hand.