Investing in Property Abroad: the United Kingdom, Dubai and Greece
Written by: Marcus M. Araz, MBA, PhD · Updated:
Buying property abroad is less one decision than a series of them: which country, which city, which form of ownership, which tax regime, how you move the money and who manages the tenancy. This page puts three countries side by side: the United Kingdom, Dubai and Greece.
As capital.works®, the Overseas Property Centre, we represent selected developments in England, Dubai and Greece. Every development live on the site has its price list, floor plans and completion schedule on its own page. We are an FCA authorised credit broker (FRN 1049015) and a member of the NACFB; the purchase, the finance, residency and post completion management are all run by one team.
Three countries, three different sums
The same budget buys very different things in the three countries. The table below is drawn from current projects in the capital.works® portfolio and from the capital.works cost calculators.
| England | Dubai | Greece | |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the capital.works portfolio | 80 schemes | 35 schemes | 9 schemes |
| Entry price | £120,000 | AED 550,000 | €250,000 |
| Top of the range | £1,175,000 | AED 8,888,888 | €695,000 |
| Cost of buying | Stamp duty plus legal and land registry costs; the figure depends on the scenario | About 4.3% of the price (including the 4% DLD fee) | About 6.73% of the price plus €684 |
| Ownership | Freehold or a long leasehold | Freehold for foreign buyers in designated areas | Freehold |
| Annual property tax | Council tax, paid by the occupier | None | ENFIA, according to the value of the home |
| Gross rental yield | Between 3.5% and 7% depending on the scheme | Up to 7% | 3% guaranteed by the developer, for four years |
| Residence route | Buying property grants no residence permit; the visa routes are separate | An investor visa, subject to thresholds | The Golden Visa, with a threshold that varies by area and property type |
The prices in the table are the entry and top end figures of schemes live on the site, not a theoretical range. The yield bands are not estimates either: the figure for each scheme sits on that scheme’s own page.
What does buying actually cost?
The price on the label and the money you pay are not the same thing. The cost items work differently in all three countries, and the one dangerous assumption is that they are "roughly the same".
| Country | What you pay | Calculator |
|---|---|---|
| England | Stamp duty (SDLT), legal fees, land registry, a survey and, where used, mortgage costs. A non resident buyer pays a surcharge. | UK Purchase Cost Calculator and Stamp Duty Calculator |
| Dubai | A 4% DLD transfer fee, Oqood registration, agency commission and, where used, mortgage costs. There is no property tax and no stamp duty. | Dubai Purchase Cost Calculator |
| Greece | Transfer tax 3.09%, notary 1.70%, lawyer and due diligence 1.24%, land registration 0.70% and about €684 in fixed items. | Greece Purchase Cost Calculator |
The calculators do not produce estimates: the United Kingdom side is built on a real solicitor’s quote, the Greek side on the developer’s official schedule of costs, and the Dubai side on the DLD’s own fee structure.
Which country suits you?
The United Kingdom: predictability
The legal system is settled, tenant demand is deep and the data is transparent. Yields are not as high as in Dubai, but vacancy risk is low and capital growth rests on constrained supply. It is the right address for a buyer educating a child in the UK, with business ties here, or seeking long-term capital preservation. Two thirds of the capital.works portfolio sits here: 63 in London, the rest in cities such as Cambridge, Manchester, Reading and Fleet.
Dubai: yield and tax
No property tax, no stamp duty, and rental income is not taxed. At about 4.3% of the price, the cost of buying is the lowest of the three. In return, supply is growing fast, which makes the choice of scheme and district more decisive than it is in the United Kingdom. It makes sense for an investor who puts cash yield first.
Greece: entry budget and Europe
An entry band starting at €250,000 and ownership inside the European Union. The Greek projects in the capital.works portfolio are conversions of existing buildings, so they fall outside the 24% VAT applied to new build; the buyer pays a 3.09% transfer tax instead. The developer offers a 3% rental guarantee for four years.
The Buying Process Step by Step
- Be clear about the goal. Rental yield, growth in value, the city where your child will study, or a residence plan. That answer settles both the country and the scheme.
- Build the budget on the total cost. Not the price, the figure with the costs in it. That is what the calculators are for.
- Settle the finance first. If you are using a mortgage, the agreement in principle comes before the choice of scheme.
- Choose the scheme. Floor plan, aspect, completion date and estate charge; all of it is written on the listing page.
- Reservation. The reservation fee is paid and the home comes off the list.
- Solicitor and due diligence. An independent solicitor reviews the contract and the title. Do not skip this step.
- Contract and payment plan. The deposit, the interim payments and the balance at completion are put on a timetable.
- Handover and afterwards. Keys, letting, management and the tax return.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy a home in the United Kingdom from abroad?
Yes. Buying property in the United Kingdom requires neither a residence permit nor citizenship, and a foreign buyer holds the same title as a resident one. The difference is in the tax: a non resident buyer pays a surcharge on stamp duty. You can see the figure with the Stamp Duty Calculator.
Does buying property grant a residence permit?
In the United Kingdom, no. Buying property has no bearing on residence, which runs through separate visa routes; we have gathered the options on the UK Residence Permit page. Greece has a Golden Visa programme, but the threshold varies by region and property type, and the only project in the capital.works portfolio that qualifies is Levante Villas. In Dubai the investor visa depends on thresholds.
Can I buy remotely, without travelling to the country?
Yes, in all three countries. The process runs on a power of attorney: contracts are signed electronically, payments are made by bank transfer and your solicitor completes the transfer of title. Most of our clients buy without seeing the scheme in person.
What does buying actually cost in total?
About 4.3% of the price in Dubai, and about 6.73% plus €684 in Greece. In the United Kingdom there is no single rate: stamp duty changes with the buyer’s circumstances, and legal and land registry costs sit on top. There is a calculator on the site for all three.
How do I pay tax on my rental income?
Rental income from the United Kingdom is taxed in the United Kingdom, and the gap between personal ownership and a limited company (SPV) can be considerable. We have a Rental income tax calculator page that puts the two scenarios side by side. If you are resident in Türkiye, the double taxation treaty comes into play.
Can I use a mortgage?
capital.works® is an FCA authorised credit broker (FRN 1049015) and a member of the NACFB. We handle mortgages, bridging loans and commercial finance for non resident buyers in the United Kingdom and Dubai. The detail is on the finance solutions page.
Detailed guides
- Is Buying a Home in London a Good Idea?
- Is Buying a Home in Manchester a Good Idea?
- Is Buying a Home in Liverpool a Good Idea?
- Is Buying a Home in Birmingham a Good Idea?
- Is Buying a Home in Cambridge a Good Idea?
- Is Buying a Home in Athens a Good Idea?
- Is Buying a Home in Thessaloniki a Good Idea?
- Which Property Firm Should I Use When Buying in the UK?
- Which Firm Should I Use for the Greek Golden Visa?
- Will UK House Prices Fall? Is 2026 a Good Time to Buy?
- Will Dubai Property Prices Fall? Is 2026 a Good Time to Buy?
- Will House Prices in Greece Fall? Is 2026 a Good Time to Buy?
- Does the Greek Golden Visa Lead to Citizenship? Work, Family and Travel Rights
- Golden Visa Countries 2026: Where Can You Still Get Residency by Buying a Home?
- Can You Buy a Home in the UK with an Islamic (Interest-Free) Mortgage?
- How Do You Send Money from Turkey to Buy a Home Abroad?
- Should Parents of a Student in the UK Buy or Rent?
- Dubai or Greece? Residency by Investment and Property Returns Compared
- What Is Council Tax in England, How Much Is It and Who Pays?
- How Does UK Inheritance Tax Work for Foreigners?
- Which UK Cities Have the Highest Rental Yields?
- Is It Worth Buying Property in Oxford?
- Is It Worth Buying Property in Piraeus?
- Can You Buy Property in Dubai in Instalments? How Payment Plans Work
- Does It Make Sense to Buy Property in Dubai Through a Company?
- What Determines UK Mortgage Rates?
- What Do You Need to Buy Property in Greece?
- Is Buying Off Plan Worth It?
- Where Is the Cheapest Place to Buy Property Abroad?
- Buying Property Abroad: Frequently Asked Questions
Country guides
Each country has its own rules, its own cost items and its own traps. The guides that take the three separately:
- Buying property in the UK: stamp duty, leasehold, rental income tax and the process.
- Property in Dubai: freehold areas, the 4 percent DLD fee, escrow and off-plan purchase.
- Buying a home in Greece: Golden Visa thresholds, transfer tax, ENFIA and the process.
How we help you with this
As capital.works®, the Overseas Property Centre, we represent selected developments in England, Dubai and Greece. Every development live on the site has its price list, floor plans and completion schedule on its own page. We are an FCA authorised credit broker (FRN 1049015) and a member of the NACFB; the purchase, the finance, residency and post completion management are all run by one team.
Where to start
If you have not settled on a country, start with the cost: put the same budget through the three calculators and see the total you would pay and the rent you would receive side by side. If you have decided, look at the schemes we have live: every page carries the price list, the floor plans and the completion date.
Tell us what you are looking for and we will send you three schemes that fit, with the figures: Contact us.
If you want to compare the purchase costs of the three countries in a single table, see our what costs are added when buying abroad page.