Cheapest Countries to Buy Property
Compare residential property prices, rental yields, and foreign-buyer rules across 48 countries. Updated 2026-02-15.
Price per m²
City-center vs outside-center USD/m² for a typical 90-120m² apartment, averaged across the country's top 3 cities.
Rental Yield
Gross annual rent as % of price. 6%+ is strong. Below 3% usually means you're paying for capital appreciation, not cash flow.
Foreign Ownership
Open = no special rules, Restricted = condos/leasehold/permit only, Closed = effectively banned.
48 countries|Cheapest: 🇪🇬 Egypt $1,400/m²|Top yield: 🇿🇦 South Africa 8.0%
Residential Property Benchmarks (USD per m²)
Click column headers to sort. Green = cheapest, Red = most expensive. Hover the foreign-ownership tag for the full rule.
| # | Country | City Center | Outside Center | Yield | Annual Tax | Transfer | Mortgage | Foreign Buyers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇪🇬EgyptMiddle East & North Africa | $1,400 | $700 | 5.5% | 0.50% | 2.5% | 24.0% | RestrictedForeigners limited to 2 properties, max 4,000 m² each. Strategic zones (Sinai) require approval. EGP volatility is the main risk. |
| 2 | 🇨🇴ColombiaLatin America & Caribbean | $1,700 | $900 | 7.8% | 0.60% | 1.0% | 12.5% | OpenOpen with no restrictions. Foreign currency must enter via central bank registration to repatriate sale proceeds later. |
| 3 | 🇱🇦LaosEast Asia & Pacific | $1,800 | $850 | 6.0% | 0.50% | 1.0% | 11.0% | RestrictedForeigners cannot own land. Long-term lease up to 30 years (renewable). Condos limited to recent SEZ projects. |
| 4 | 🇧🇩BangladeshSouth Asia | $1,800 | $750 | 4.3% | 0.70% | 8.0% | 9.0% | RestrictedForeign ownership requires Ministry of Land approval; effectively limited to long-term residents and registered businesses. |
| 5 | 🇿🇦South AfricaSub-Saharan Africa | $1,800 | $1,000 | 8.0% | 0.60% | 8.0% | 11.5% | OpenOpen. Non-residents need to register with SARB for funds repatriation. 50% LTV typical for foreign buyers. |
| 6 | 🇲🇲MyanmarEast Asia & Pacific | $1,900 | $800 | 5.0% | 0.50% | 5.0% | N/A | ClosedForeign ownership of land prohibited. Condo Law 2016 allows up to 40% foreign in registered condos but enforcement is limited. |
| 7 | 🇺🇦UkraineEurope & Central Asia | $2,000 | $900 | 7.5% | 1.00% | 2.0% | 22.0% | RestrictedForeigners can own buildings but not agricultural land. Active conflict zones excluded; war risk and insurance critical. |
| 8 | 🇵🇪PeruLatin America & Caribbean | $2,000 | $1,000 | 6.5% | 0.60% | 3.0% | 8.0% | RestrictedOpen except within 50km of borders, where foreign ownership requires presidential decree. |
| 9 | 🇮🇳IndiaSouth Asia | $2,100 | $900 | 2.9% | 0.50% | 7.0% | 8.5% | RestrictedOnly Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and OCI cardholders may own. Pure foreigners cannot, except via long-term lease (5+ yrs). |
| 10 | 🇰🇪KenyaSub-Saharan Africa | $2,200 | $1,000 | 7.5% | 0% | 4.0% | 14.5% | RestrictedForeigners limited to leasehold (max 99 years). No freehold land. Apartments under sectional title work via long lease. |
| 11 | 🇨🇱ChileLatin America & Caribbean | $2,300 | $1,400 | 5.6% | 1.00% | 0% | 4.8% | OpenFully open including land. Border zones near Peru/Argentina/Bolivia restricted. RUT tax ID needed. |
| 12 | 🇲🇾MalaysiaEast Asia & Pacific | $2,400 | $1,100 | 5.6% | 0.10% | 4.0% | 4.5% | RestrictedForeigners can own freehold but only above MYR 1M (~$215K) minimum price threshold (varies by state). |
| 13 | 🇲🇦MoroccoMiddle East & North Africa | $2,400 | $1,200 | 5.0% | 0.40% | 4.0% | 5.5% | OpenOpen to foreign buyers except agricultural land. Mortgages available to non-residents at competitive rates (up to 70% LTV). |
| 14 | 🇧🇷BrazilLatin America & Caribbean | $2,400 | $1,300 | 6.0% | 0.60% | 3.0% | 12.0% | OpenOpen. Border zones and rural land require approval. CPF tax ID needed. Notarial fees and ITBI transfer tax 2-4%. |
| 15 | 🇮🇩IndonesiaEast Asia & Pacific | $2,500 | $1,000 | 5.4% | 0.50% | 5.0% | 7.5% | RestrictedHak Pakai (Right to Use) for foreigners, max 80 years total. No freehold (Hak Milik) for non-citizens. |
| 16 | 🇷🇴RomaniaEurope & Central Asia | $2,500 | $1,400 | 6.5% | 0.20% | 2.0% | 6.5% | OpenOpen since EU accession. Non-EU foreigners cannot own land directly but can via Romanian SRL company. |
| 17 | 🇳🇬NigeriaSub-Saharan Africa | $2,500 | $1,200 | 6.0% | 0.50% | 8.0% | 28.0% | RestrictedForeigners need Governor's consent under Land Use Act. Effectively leasehold (Right of Occupancy, 99 yrs). |
| 18 | 🇬ðŸ‡GhanaSub-Saharan Africa | $2,500 | $1,200 | 8.0% | 0.50% | 1.0% | 30.0% | RestrictedForeigners limited to 50-year leasehold. No freehold. Stool/skin land requires traditional authority approval. |
| 19 | 🇬🇷GreeceEurope & Central Asia | $2,800 | $1,800 | 5.1% | 0.50% | 3.1% | 3.9% | OpenOpen. Golden Visa threshold raised to €800K in Athens/Thessaloniki/islands (Sept 2024), €400K elsewhere. |
| 20 | 🇲🇽MexicoLatin America & Caribbean | $2,800 | $1,500 | 7.6% | 0.10% | 4.0% | 11.0% | RestrictedWithin 50km of coast or 100km of border, foreigners must use a fideicomiso (bank trust). Outside zones is direct ownership. |
| 21 | 🇦🇷ArgentinaLatin America & Caribbean | $2,800 | $1,500 | 5.0% | 1.50% | 4.5% | 60.0% | RestrictedForeigners limited to 1,000 hectares of rural land nationally (Rural Land Law). Urban property fully open. |
| 22 | 🇰ðŸ‡CambodiaEast Asia & PacificDeep dive | $2,900 | $1,200 | 6.5% | 0.10% | 4.0% | 8.5% | RestrictedForeigners can own strata-title units above ground floor. No land ownership; long lease or nominee structures used. |
| 23 | 🇹🇷TurkeyEurope & Central Asia | $3,000 | $1,400 | 4.7% | 0.20% | 4.0% | 42.0% | OpenOpen with reciprocity. Citizenship-by-investment threshold raised to $400K (June 2022). Mortgage rates extreme due to inflation. |
| 24 | 🇵ðŸ‡PhilippinesEast Asia & Pacific | $3,200 | $1,300 | 6.1% | 1.00% | 7.0% | 7.8% | RestrictedForeigners cannot own land. Condos open up to 40% per project. Long-term lease (50+25 yrs) common alternative. |
| 25 | 🇷🇺RussiaEurope & Central Asia | $3,200 | $1,400 | 5.0% | 0.30% | 0.5% | 21.0% | RestrictedForeigners can own apartments and most land except border zones. Sanctions and capital controls complicate transactions. |
| 26 | 🇸🇦Saudi ArabiaMiddle East & North Africa | $3,200 | $1,800 | 6.5% | 2.50% | 5.0% | 6.0% | RestrictedNew Foreign Property Ownership Law (2024) opens designated zones in Riyadh, Jeddah, NEOM. Mecca/Medina remain off-limits. |
| 27 | 🇻🇳VietnamEast Asia & Pacific | $3,500 | $1,400 | 6.2% | 0% | 2.0% | 9.5% | RestrictedForeigners limited to 50-year renewable leasehold. Cap of 30% of units per building. No land ownership. |
| 28 | ðŸ‡ðŸ‡ºHungaryEurope & Central Asia | $3,500 | $1,900 | 5.8% | 0.20% | 4.0% | 7.0% | RestrictedNon-EU buyers need administrative permit (~30-day approval, ~$500 fee). Agricultural land restricted to residents. |
| 29 | 🇹ðŸ‡ThailandEast Asia & Pacific | $3,800 | $1,900 | 6.8% | 0.02% | 6.3% | 6.5% | RestrictedForeigners cannot own land. Condo ownership capped at 49% per building. Land via 30-year leasehold or Thai company structure. |
| 30 | 🇪🇸SpainEurope & Central Asia | $3,800 | $2,200 | 5.4% | 0.50% | 8.0% | 3.6% | OpenFully open. Golden Visa abolished April 2025. Catalonia and Balearic Islands considering 100% non-EU buyer tax. |
| 31 | 🇵🇱PolandEurope & Central Asia | $3,800 | $2,200 | 5.5% | 0.10% | 2.0% | 7.5% | RestrictedEU buyers free. Non-EU buyers need Interior Ministry permit for land; apartments in cities are exempt. |
| 32 | 🇮🇹ItalyEurope & Central Asia | $4,300 | $2,500 | 4.8% | 0.70% | 9.0% | 3.8% | OpenOpen to EU and most non-EU buyers under reciprocity. €1 home schemes still available in select southern villages. |
| 33 | 🇵🇹PortugalEurope & Central Asia | $4,500 | $2,400 | 5.7% | 0.50% | 6.5% | 3.7% | OpenFully open. Golden Visa via real estate ended Oct 2023; visa now requires fund / job-creation routes instead. |
| 34 | 🇺🇸United StatesNorth America | $5,500 | $3,200 | 5.5% | 1.10% | 1.5% | 7.1% | OpenOpen at federal level. State-level restrictions emerging (Florida SB264 limits Chinese, Russian, Iranian buyers; similar in TX, FL). |
| 35 | 🇦🇪UAEMiddle East & North Africa | $5,500 | $2,800 | 7.4% | 0% | 4.0% | 5.5% | OpenOpen in designated freehold zones (most of Dubai, Abu Dhabi investment areas). No annual property tax. Golden Visa from AED 2M. |
| 36 | 🇨🇳ChinaEast Asia & Pacific | $8,000 | $3,500 | 1.8% | 0% | 3.0% | 3.6% | RestrictedForeigners must reside or work in China for 1+ year and buy only one self-use home. All land is state-owned (70-yr leasehold). |
| 37 | 🇳🇿New ZealandEast Asia & Pacific | $8,200 | $4,800 | 4.2% | 0% | 0% | 6.7% | ClosedOverseas Investment Amendment Act 2018 effectively bans non-residents from buying existing residential property. |
| 38 | 🇩🇪GermanyEurope & Central Asia | $8,200 | $5,000 | 3.6% | 0.35% | 5.0% | 3.4% | OpenNo restrictions. EU and non-EU buyers treated equally. Mortgages typically 60-70% LTV for non-residents. |
| 39 | 🇯🇵JapanEast Asia & Pacific | $8,500 | $4,800 | 3.8% | 1.40% | 4.0% | 3.1% | OpenNo restrictions on foreign ownership of land or buildings. Non-resident mortgages limited; most buyers pay cash. |
| 40 | 🇨🇦CanadaNorth America | $8,500 | $4,500 | 4.3% | 1.00% | 3.5% | 5.4% | ClosedForeign Buyer Ban extended through 2027. Non-Canadians cannot purchase residential property in most cities. |
| 41 | 🇦🇺AustraliaEast Asia & Pacific | $10,000 | $5,800 | 4.0% | 0% | 5.5% | 6.4% | RestrictedNon-residents must apply to FIRB and may only buy new builds, not established homes. AUD$5,000+ application fee. |
| 42 | 🇬🇧United KingdomEurope & Central Asia | $10,500 | $5,800 | 4.5% | 0.70% | 7.0% | 4.7% | OpenOpen to all buyers but 2% non-resident SDLT surcharge plus higher rates for second homes (combined 15-17% top tier). |
| 43 | 🇹🇼TaiwanEast Asia & Pacific | $11,000 | $5,500 | 2.2% | 1.50% | 6.0% | 2.5% | RestrictedReciprocity rule: only nationals from countries that allow Taiwanese to buy can own. Land use restricted. |
| 44 | 🇫🇷FranceEurope & Central Asia | $11,500 | $6,500 | 3.8% | 0.50% | 7.5% | 3.5% | OpenNo restrictions on foreign buyers. Notarial transfer fees ~7-8%. Mortgages available to non-residents (50-70% LTV). |
| 45 | 🇰🇷South KoreaEast Asia & Pacific | $15,000 | $7,500 | 2.5% | 0.40% | 4.6% | 4.8% | OpenForeigners can own freely with prior reporting. Some military/coastal zones require approval. |
| 46 | 🇨ðŸ‡SwitzerlandEurope & Central Asia | $15,500 | $9,500 | 3.1% | 0.30% | 3.0% | 1.9% | RestrictedLex Koller restricts non-residents to one holiday home in tourist zones. Permits limited and cantonal quotas apply. |
| 47 | 🇸🇬SingaporeEast Asia & Pacific | $22,000 | $12,000 | 3.4% | 1.00% | 60.0% | 4.2% | RestrictedCondos open. 60% Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty for foreigners (April 2023 rule). Landed property requires LDAU approval. |
| 48 | ðŸ‡ðŸ‡°Hong KongEast Asia & Pacific | $28,000 | $18,000 | 2.4% | 0% | 7.5% | 4.9% | OpenOpen to foreign buyers. Buyer's Stamp Duty cut to zero in 2024 to revive market. All land is technically leasehold. |
Ready to buy?
Browse vetted real-estate lawyers, notaries, and tax advisors across our partner network before signing anything.
These are benchmarks, not quotes.
Prices are top-3-city averages and can swing 30%+ within a country. Foreign-ownership rules change frequently (Canada's ban, Spain's proposed surcharge, Saudi's 2024 opening). Always verify with a licensed local agent and lawyer before any transaction. Last refreshed 2026-02-15; we re-audit quarterly.
Data Sources
Numbeo↓Global Property Guide↓Statista Real Estate↓IMF Global Housing Watch↓Knight Frank↓PwC Tax Summaries↓Trading Economics↓
Prices in USD per square meter. Mortgage rates indicative for non-resident buyers where available, otherwise resident rates. Transfer tax and yields are gross figures; net yields after voids, management, and tax typically run 1.5-2.5pp lower than the gross figures shown.