Buying an apartment in Baku, Azerbaijan in 2026

A flat worth $59,000 or more already qualifies for residence, and government charges on the deal come to about $230. Flats are sold to foreigners freely, land is not.

In detail

Azerbaijan is one of the rare countries where a flat on its own opens the door to residence. The bar is low: property worth $59,000 or more qualifies for a temporary residence permit. Foreigners buy flats without any permits, and the government charges on the deal come to about $230. The full market review is on the page investment property in Azerbaijan; here is the short answer.

How much a flat in Baku costs in 2026

In summer 2026 a square metre in a Baku new build cost about $1,700 on average, and about $1,600 on the resale market. The centre costs several times more, the outskirts less.

• A 60 m² flat in a new build costs about $100,000.
• Housing prices rose 8.6% over the year and new builds 12.4%, according to the Central Bank of Azerbaijan for the second quarter of 2026.
• Rents rose 7.4% over the year; letting yields about 5% a year before tax.

Prices are growing faster than wages, so sellers are in no hurry to bargain.

What a foreigner can buy

• Flats, houses and commercial premises, on the same terms as citizens of Azerbaijan.
• Land, no. A plot is available to a foreigner only on lease.
• Land received by inheritance must be sold within a year.

This creates a common trap with a private house: the house is registered to you, while the plot under it stays on lease.

The second trap is new builds without an ownership extract. Such flats sell for less in Baku, and the discount is honest: you are buying keys, not ownership. Without the extract the flat cannot be officially resold and does not qualify for residence.

Costs of buying a flat in Azerbaijan

Government charges here are modest:

• Notary: duty and fee for certifying the contract, about $190.
• Ownership extract from the register, about $30.
• Encumbrance certificate, about $10.

In total, about $230. The tax on sale is paid by the seller: 15 manats per square metre multiplied by a district coefficient. A seller who has been registered at the flat for at least 3 calendar years is exempt.

The owner pays property tax: in Baku, 0.4 manats per square metre a year above the first 30 square metres. From 2026, income from letting housing is taxed at 10% instead of 14%. More on the page taxes in Azerbaijan.

How to buy a flat in Azerbaijan: step by step

1. Check the property in the real estate register: owner, mortgage, seizures.
2. Get a valuation if the flat is meant for residence.
3. Sign the contract at a notary. The notary sends the documents to the register.
4. Receive an electronic ownership extract in your name.

Does a flat give residence in Azerbaijan

Yes, under the Migration Code:

• Temporary residence: property worth $59,000 or more. Issued for up to 1 year, then extended each time for up to 2 years.
• Permanent residence: property worth $120,000 or more and 2 years of temporary residence. Issued for 5 years.

The application goes to the State Migration Service at least 30 days before your permitted stay ends. You need the register extract and a valuation report. The fee for a one-year temporary permit is about $75 with a 20-working-day review. More on the page residence in Azerbaijan.

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