At Savzz, we help UK shoppers save money across hundreds of retailers, from home furnishings and appliances to baby gear and beyond. Buying your first home is the biggest purchase most people will ever make, and the true cost is almost always higher than people expect.
That’s why we built the Savzz First-Time Buyer True Cost Calculator. Most mortgage calculators only show you the monthly repayment. Ours shows you everything, the deposit, stamp duty, solicitor fees, survey costs, moving costs, and the total cash you need on day one. All in one place, instantly.
Why Most First-Time Buyer Calculators Get It Wrong
The problem with most online mortgage calculators is that they only show you one number, the monthly repayment. That’s useful, but it misses the point entirely for first-time buyers.
The real question isn’t “can I afford the monthly payment?” It’s “how much cash do I need before I can even get the keys?”
For a £250,000 property with a 10% deposit, most people budget £25,000. The actual cash needed on day one, once you factor in stamp duty, solicitor fees, a survey, and moving costs, is closer to £28,500. For a £400,000 property it can easily be £15,000 to £20,000 more than the deposit alone.
That gap catches first-time buyers off guard every single time. This calculator closes it.
Who Is This Calculator For?
This tool is designed for anyone at any stage of the first-time buying journey, but it’s especially useful if you are:
- Just starting to save and want to know the real target figure, not just the deposit, but everything you’ll need
- Close to your deposit goal and want to check whether you have enough for the full costs before approaching a lender
- Comparing properties at different price points and want to see how the total upfront costs change between a £250,000 and a £350,000 home
- Unsure about stamp duty and want a plain-English breakdown of exactly what you’ll pay as a first-time buyer
- Planning your budget for the months around completion, including solicitor fees, survey costs, and removal costs
- Buying with a partner and working out how much you each need to contribute before you can proceed
Who Is This Calculator Not Suitable For?
This tool gives realistic estimates based on typical UK costs, but it has limits. It may not be right for you if:
- You are buying in Scotland or Wales. Stamp duty works differently there, Scotland uses Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) and Wales uses Land Transaction Tax (LTT). The rates and thresholds are different from England’s SDLT rules used in this calculator.
- You are not a first-time buyer. The calculator has a toggle for this, but if you own or have previously owned a property anywhere in the world, you will not qualify for first-time buyer stamp duty relief even if you are buying in the UK for the first time.
- You are buying a shared ownership property. Stamp duty rules for shared ownership are more complex and this calculator does not account for them.
- You need a precise legal or financial figure. This calculator is a planning tool, not a quote. Always confirm your stamp duty liability with a solicitor and get a formal mortgage offer from a lender before committing.
- You are buying a new build. Some new build purchases involve additional costs such as reservation fees or infrastructure contributions that are not included here.
How to Use the Savzz First-Time Buyer Calculator
Enter six details and the calculator does the rest instantly:
- The property price
- Your deposit amount, the calculator shows your LTV percentage as you type
- The interest rate you expect to pay
- Your preferred mortgage term in years
- Whether you are a first-time buyer, this affects your stamp duty calculation
- The type of survey you plan to get
Use the preset buttons to try common property types, or enter your own figures. The calculator gives you your monthly mortgage payment, a full breakdown of every upfront cost, the total cash needed on day one, and the total amount you will repay over the full mortgage term.
Figures are estimates based on standard UK rates and typical fees. Always confirm costs with your solicitor and mortgage lender before committing.
£0
£0
£0
£0
£0
£0
£0
£0
Share it with friends or family who might find it helpful.
Real Examples: What Does the True Cost Actually Look Like?
Here are some real-world results from the calculator above, based on a 10% deposit, 4.5% interest rate, 25-year term, and first-time buyer status:
Starter flat at £180,000
Deposit: £18,000. Stamp duty: £0 (first-time buyer relief). Solicitor fees: ~£1,200. Survey: £500. Moving costs: ~£600. Total cash needed on day one: approximately £20,300. Monthly repayment: ~£889.
2-bed terraced house at £250,000
Deposit: £25,000. Stamp duty: £0 (first-time buyer relief). Solicitor fees: ~£1,500. Survey: £500. Moving costs: ~£900. Total cash needed on day one: approximately £27,900. Monthly repayment: ~£1,232.
3-bed semi-detached at £400,000
Deposit: £40,000. Stamp duty: £0 (first-time buyer relief up to £425,000). Solicitor fees: ~£1,800. Survey: £500. Moving costs: ~£1,200. Total cash needed on day one: approximately £43,500. Monthly repayment: ~£1,972.
3-bed semi-detached at £500,000
Deposit: £50,000. Stamp duty: £3,750 (5% on £75,000 above the £425,000 threshold). Solicitor fees: ~£1,800. Survey: £500. Moving costs: ~£1,200. Total cash needed on day one: approximately £57,250. Monthly repayment: ~£2,466.
London flat at £650,000
Above the £625,000 first-time buyer relief threshold, so standard stamp duty rates apply. Deposit: £65,000. Stamp duty: £20,000. Solicitor fees: ~£2,200. Survey: £500. Moving costs: ~£1,600. Total cash needed on day one: approximately £89,300. Monthly repayment: ~£3,205.
Once you’re in your new home, browse our furniture discount codes, home appliances discount codes, and bedding and linen discount codes to save on everything you need to make it home.
Understanding Stamp Duty as a First-Time Buyer
Stamp duty is one of the most misunderstood costs in the home buying process. Here is how it works for first-time buyers in England as of 2026:
- Up to £425,000: You pay zero stamp duty as a first-time buyer
- £425,001 to £625,000: You pay 5% only on the portion above £425,000
- Above £625,000: First-time buyer relief no longer applies, standard rates kick in from £0
The calculator handles all of this automatically and shows you a plain-English breakdown of exactly how your stamp duty was calculated. If you are buying in Scotland or Wales, you will need to use a separate calculator as different tax rules apply.
Tips for Getting the Most Accurate Result
The calculator uses realistic UK averages, but your actual costs may vary. Here is how to get a more accurate picture:
- Get a conveyancing quote. Solicitor fees vary between firms. Use the calculator estimate as a baseline, then get two or three quotes from conveyancers before you commit.
- Check current mortgage rates. Interest rates change regularly. The 4.5% default is a reasonable mid-2026 estimate but your actual rate will depend on your LTV, credit history, and the lender you choose.
- Factor in your lender’s arrangement fee. Some mortgage deals charge an arrangement fee of £500 to £1,500 on top of the rate. Add this to the deposit field if your deal includes one.
- Budget for the unexpected. Most buyers spend an additional £1,000 to £3,000 in the first few months on items like appliances, decorating, or minor repairs that weren’t apparent at viewing.
- If you are near a stamp duty threshold, adjust your offer. Buying at £430,000 costs you £250 in stamp duty as a first-time buyer. Buying at £424,999 costs you nothing. The calculator makes this easy to see.
The Smarter Way to Buy: Plan the Full Cost, Then Save on Everything Else
Once you know exactly what you need, the next step is making sure you are not overspending on everything that comes after. At Savzz, we round up working discount codes for hundreds of UK retailers, including furniture, appliances, bedding, garden, and home accessories.
Whether you are furnishing your first home from scratch or just picking up the essentials, search Savzz before you checkout. There is a good chance we have a code that will save you something.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this calculator accurate for Scotland and Wales?
No. This calculator uses England’s Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) rules. Scotland uses Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) and Wales uses Land Transaction Tax (LTT), both with different rates and thresholds. If you are buying in Scotland or Wales, use your respective government’s official calculator.
What counts as a first-time buyer for stamp duty purposes?
You must never have owned a residential property before, anywhere in the world. If you have previously owned a home, inherited a share of one, or been named on a mortgage, you will not qualify for first-time buyer relief even if this is your first purchase in the UK.
Why does the first-time buyer relief stop above £625,000?
The UK government designed the relief to help buyers at the lower end of the market. Above £625,000, standard stamp duty rates apply from £0, which means the stamp duty bill on a £650,000 property is significantly higher than on a £624,999 one. The calculator shows this clearly when you adjust the property price around that threshold.
Are the solicitor and moving cost estimates accurate?
They are realistic UK averages that scale with property price. Solicitor fees typically range from £1,000 to £2,500 depending on complexity and location. Moving costs depend on how much you are moving and how far. Use the figures as a planning baseline and get your own quotes before committing.
Should I get a homebuyer report or a full structural survey?
For most modern properties a homebuyer report is sufficient. For older properties, properties with visible issues, or anything built before 1930, a full structural survey is worth the extra cost. The calculator lets you choose between all three options so you can see the impact on your day-one cash requirement.
Who built this calculator?
The Savzz First-Time Buyer True Cost Calculator was built by the team at Savzz.co.uk, a UK discount code and money-saving site. We built it because first-time buyers consistently underestimate the true upfront cost of buying a home, and we wanted to give people a clear, honest picture before they start the process. It is free to use with no sign-up required.
