The price you see on a hoarding or a property portal is the cost of the bare unit, the carpet area multiplied by a rate per square foot. That’s it. It doesn’t touch government charges, it doesn’t account for which floor or direction your specific flat faces, it says nothing about parking or the clubhouse, and it has zero relationship to what your bank will charge you for the loan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This isn’t really a trick on the developer’s part; quoting a base price is just how the industry compares projects since it’s the one number that’s apples to apples across builders. The problem is buyers treat it as the final number and start planning the rest of their savings around furniture and a house-warming party. When you put everything else together, most of the time you end up with about 12 \u2013 15% more than just the base price of a property. Pick a premium tower with a few PLC components stacked on top of each other, and that gap can stretch even further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unveil the 50-50 payment plan<\/p>\n
Broadly, four categories sit above the base price: government charges (stamp duty, registration, and transfer duty); GST if you’re buying under construction; builder add-ons (PLC, parking, club fee, and maintenance deposit); and whatever your home loan costs beyond the interest rate. Let’s go through each one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>2.Stamp Duty and Registration Charges in Telangana: 2026 Rates<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nOf everything on this list, stamp duty and registration are at least predictable , the rates are fixed and published, so there’s no ambiguity once you know the property value GHMC or the relevant authority has assigned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What will be in effect for purchases in Telangana in 2026:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stamp Duty in Telangana = 4% of the current Market Value of the property OR the actual price the Buyer will pay, whichever is higher. Registration adds another 0.5%<\/strong>, and transfer duty contributes 1.5%<\/strong>. Add the three together and you land at an effective 6%<\/strong> of the property value going straight to the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOn a \u20b91 crore flat, that’s \u20b96 lakh ,before the developer has added a single rupee of their own charges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One thing worth flagging: stamp duty is calculated on whichever is higher between your negotiated price and the government’s guidance value for that area. If you’re buying somewhere that’s recently seen its guidance values revised up, and several pockets of Hyderabad have your actual stamp duty bill could be higher than a back-of-envelope 4% calculation on your agreement value suggests. It’s worth getting your lawyer or the builder’s documentation team to confirm the current guidance value for your exact building and floor before you finalise a budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ASBL has covered this in more depth elsewhere, the piece on stamp duty and registration charges<\/a> is worth a read before you head to the sub-registrar’s office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/asbl.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Gemini_Generated_Image_lwjknrlwjknrlwjk-1024x559.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/span>3.GST on Apartment Purchase: When It Applies and How Much<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThis is probably the single most confusing line item for first-time buyers, mostly because it doesn’t apply uniformly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The rule, stripped down: GST only applies to under-construction apartments.<\/strong> Once a project has its completion certificate or occupancy certificate, it’s no longer considered a “service” under GST law , it’s a property transfer, and that’s outside GST’s reach entirely. So a ready-to-move flat with a valid OC attracts zero GST.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIf you’re buying something still being built, GST in 2026 is 5% of the agreement value<\/strong>, and there’s no input tax credit benefit attached to it , meaning the developer can’t offset it against what they’ve already paid on cement and steel and labour, so the full 5% lands on you as a real, unrecoverable cost.(Source<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\nOn a \u20b91 crore under-construction unit, that’s \u20b95 lakh. There’s also a concessional 1% rate for affordable housing (units under \u20b945 lakh meeting certain carpet area conditions), though that’s not particularly relevant if you’re looking at mid-segment or premium Hyderabad projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So if you’re looking at a flat that is under construction compared to one that is finished, don’t just look at the base prices of both. In taking an example of a flat sold as under construction for \u20b995100000, upon the addition of GST you’ll find this will actually cost you \u20b999750000, nearly the same as the full retail value of \u20b91 crore for a finished flat that won’t have any GST. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So make sure you establish to yourself that you are getting a cheaper deal than what is shown to you before assuming your initial under-construction flat will be cheaper because you were shown that flat with no consideration for other item costs.Run that comparison before you assume the under-construction option is the cheaper one<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>4.Builder Charges: PLC, Parking, Club Membership, and Maintenance Deposit<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThis is where most of the genuine confusion lives, because unlike stamp duty or GST, none of this is standardised. Every developer prices it differently, and brochures almost never spell it out clearly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PLC , Preferential Location Charge<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\nBuilders charge extra for units they consider more desirable: higher floors, corner positions with two open sides, pool or garden views, and east-facing flats. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’s an add-on priced per square foot, and in Hyderabad in 2026 you’ll typically see anywhere from \u20b9100 to \u20b9400 per sq ft depending on the project and exactly what’s being charged for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On a 1,500 sq ft flat, even a modest \u20b9200 per sq ft PLC adds \u20b93 lakh. Stack a floor premium and a view premium together and you can be looking at 2-5% added to the total cost. Always ask for the complete PLC schedule before you compare units ,the price you saw advertised is almost certainly for the base-floor, no-PLC unit, not the one you actually want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Parking<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\nCovered parking is rarely bundled into the base price. A single covered slot typically runs \u20b93-6 lakh depending on whether it’s stilt, podium, or basement. A second slot, if the project even allows one, costs roughly the same again. This isn’t refundable, and it’s genuinely part of what you’re paying for the unit, not a separate convenience fee you can skip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Club Membership<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\nMost gated communities in Hyderabad bundle in a clubhouse \u2014 gym, pool, function hall, the works \u2014 and charge a one-time, non-refundable membership fee for it. Expect \u20b91.5 lakh to \u20b93 lakh. Worth checking whether this is already folded into the price you were quoted or sitting as a separate line item waiting to surprise you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maintenance Deposit<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\nSometimes called a corpus fund contribution, this is a lump sum the developer collects at possession to keep the building running \u2013 security, housekeeping, and lift maintenance \u2013 until the Resident Welfare Association is formally set up. It usually works out to 12-24 months of monthly maintenance, somewhere between \u20b91 lakh and \u20b92.5 lakh for a decent mid-to-premium apartment. Once handed over, it generally becomes part of the society’s reserves and isn’t something you get back , different from a true security deposit. Monthly maintenance after that point is a separate, ongoing cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On negotiability: don’t expect much movement here. A PLC on a popular unit basically never moves. Parking is fixed. The club fee is fixed. If there’s room anywhere, it tends to show up during a project’s launch phase, where a developer might throw in a free parking slot or waive one PLC component to move early bookings. Treat that as a bonus if it happens , don’t build your budget assuming it will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>5.Home Loan Costs: What Banks Charge Beyond the Interest Rate<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nIf you’re financing this purchase, and most buyers in Hyderabad are, the loan itself comes with its own set of charges that have nothing to do with the interest rate you’ll spend weeks negotiating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Processing fee.<\/strong> This is what the bank charges to evaluate and sanction your loan in the first place. Expect 0.25% to 1% of the loan amount, subject to a cap that varies by lender. On a \u20b975 lakh loan, even a modest 0.5% fee comes to \u20b937,500. Some banks waive this during promotional periods; don’t bank on it (no pun intended) until it’s confirmed in writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\nLegal and technical verification.<\/strong> Before sanctioning anything, the bank sends its own lawyer to check the property’s title and its own valuer to inspect construction quality and confirm the valuation. You pay for both, usually \u20b95,000 to \u20b915,000 combined, and this is non-refundable even if your loan application doesn’t ultimately go through.<\/p>\n\n\n\nLoan insurance (HLPP).<\/strong> Most banks will strongly push \u2013 and some effectively require \u2013 a home loan protection plan, which pays off your outstanding loan if you die or are disabled during the tenure. This is paid either as a lump sum upfront (often rolled into the loan amount) or as annual premiums. On a \u20b975 lakh loan over 20 years, a lump-sum premium can land anywhere from \u20b91.5 lakh to \u20b93 lakh depending on your age and health. Unlike the other charges here, this one’s actually doing something useful for you , but it’s still real money out of pocket.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMODT and franking.<\/strong> When the bank sanctions your loan, it registers a charge against the property through a Memorandum of Deposit of Title Deeds. This attracts stamp duty of roughly 0.1-0.2% of the loan amount plus franking charges , on a \u20b975 lakh loan, expect another \u20b97,500 to \u20b915,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIf you’re weighing whether to dip into your EPF corpus to reduce how much you need to borrow, ASBL’s guide on EPF withdrawal rules and home purchase strategy for 2026<\/a> is worth reading before you decide on the financing mix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/span>6.Post-Possession Budget: Interior, Utilities, and Maintenance<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nGetting the keys is not the finish line. There’s still a meaningful chunk of spending ahead before the place is actually liveable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Interior work.<\/strong> A bare-shell apartment needs flooring, a kitchen fit-out, wardrobes, painting, light fixtures, bathroom fittings \u2013 none of which is included unless you’ve specifically bought into a furnished or semi-furnished project. Even with restrained taste, budget \u20b98-15 lakh for a 1,500 sq ft flat. Semi-furnished or fully furnished units cost less to finish, but you’ve already paid a premium for that at purchase, so it tends to even out.<\/p>\n\n\n\nUtility deposits.<\/strong> Water, electricity, gas pipeline connections where applicable, and internet each come with its own deposit and sometimes a connection fee. Approx you should expect to budget \u20b930000 – \u20b970000 for other items.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMonthly maintenance.<\/strong> Once the RWA is up and running, maintenance kicks in typically \u20b92 to \u20b95 per sq ft per month for gated communities in Hyderabad. On a 1,500 sq ft unit, that’s \u20b93,000 to \u20b97,500 every month, indefinitely. People budget for the one-time costs and somehow forget this is recurring forever. Don’t make that mistake when you’re working out affordability.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAnd if you’ve taken a floating-rate loan, it’s worth knowing the rules around prepayment before you’re locked into a fee structure you didn’t expect. ASBL’s piece on avoiding home loan foreclosure charges<\/a> walks through the current RBI rules on this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/span>7.A Worked Example: Total Cost of a \u20b91 Crore Apartment in Hyderabad<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nNow let’s use an example. You’re buying a flat that is approximately 1500 sq\/ft under construction located in a gated community with a base price of \u20b9100000000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On a \u20b91 crore flat, that’s \u20b96 lakh ,before the developer has added a single rupee of their own charges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One thing worth flagging: stamp duty is calculated on whichever is higher between your negotiated price and the government’s guidance value for that area. If you’re buying somewhere that’s recently seen its guidance values revised up, and several pockets of Hyderabad have your actual stamp duty bill could be higher than a back-of-envelope 4% calculation on your agreement value suggests. It’s worth getting your lawyer or the builder’s documentation team to confirm the current guidance value for your exact building and floor before you finalise a budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ASBL has covered this in more depth elsewhere, the piece on stamp duty and registration charges<\/a> is worth a read before you head to the sub-registrar’s office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is probably the single most confusing line item for first-time buyers, mostly because it doesn’t apply uniformly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The rule, stripped down: GST only applies to under-construction apartments.<\/strong> Once a project has its completion certificate or occupancy certificate, it’s no longer considered a “service” under GST law , it’s a property transfer, and that’s outside GST’s reach entirely. So a ready-to-move flat with a valid OC attracts zero GST.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you’re buying something still being built, GST in 2026 is 5% of the agreement value<\/strong>, and there’s no input tax credit benefit attached to it , meaning the developer can’t offset it against what they’ve already paid on cement and steel and labour, so the full 5% lands on you as a real, unrecoverable cost.(Source<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n On a \u20b91 crore under-construction unit, that’s \u20b95 lakh. There’s also a concessional 1% rate for affordable housing (units under \u20b945 lakh meeting certain carpet area conditions), though that’s not particularly relevant if you’re looking at mid-segment or premium Hyderabad projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So if you’re looking at a flat that is under construction compared to one that is finished, don’t just look at the base prices of both. In taking an example of a flat sold as under construction for \u20b995100000, upon the addition of GST you’ll find this will actually cost you \u20b999750000, nearly the same as the full retail value of \u20b91 crore for a finished flat that won’t have any GST. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So make sure you establish to yourself that you are getting a cheaper deal than what is shown to you before assuming your initial under-construction flat will be cheaper because you were shown that flat with no consideration for other item costs.Run that comparison before you assume the under-construction option is the cheaper one<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is where most of the genuine confusion lives, because unlike stamp duty or GST, none of this is standardised. Every developer prices it differently, and brochures almost never spell it out clearly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Builders charge extra for units they consider more desirable: higher floors, corner positions with two open sides, pool or garden views, and east-facing flats. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It’s an add-on priced per square foot, and in Hyderabad in 2026 you’ll typically see anywhere from \u20b9100 to \u20b9400 per sq ft depending on the project and exactly what’s being charged for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On a 1,500 sq ft flat, even a modest \u20b9200 per sq ft PLC adds \u20b93 lakh. Stack a floor premium and a view premium together and you can be looking at 2-5% added to the total cost. Always ask for the complete PLC schedule before you compare units ,the price you saw advertised is almost certainly for the base-floor, no-PLC unit, not the one you actually want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Covered parking is rarely bundled into the base price. A single covered slot typically runs \u20b93-6 lakh depending on whether it’s stilt, podium, or basement. A second slot, if the project even allows one, costs roughly the same again. This isn’t refundable, and it’s genuinely part of what you’re paying for the unit, not a separate convenience fee you can skip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most gated communities in Hyderabad bundle in a clubhouse \u2014 gym, pool, function hall, the works \u2014 and charge a one-time, non-refundable membership fee for it. Expect \u20b91.5 lakh to \u20b93 lakh. Worth checking whether this is already folded into the price you were quoted or sitting as a separate line item waiting to surprise you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes called a corpus fund contribution, this is a lump sum the developer collects at possession to keep the building running \u2013 security, housekeeping, and lift maintenance \u2013 until the Resident Welfare Association is formally set up. It usually works out to 12-24 months of monthly maintenance, somewhere between \u20b91 lakh and \u20b92.5 lakh for a decent mid-to-premium apartment. Once handed over, it generally becomes part of the society’s reserves and isn’t something you get back , different from a true security deposit. Monthly maintenance after that point is a separate, ongoing cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On negotiability: don’t expect much movement here. A PLC on a popular unit basically never moves. Parking is fixed. The club fee is fixed. If there’s room anywhere, it tends to show up during a project’s launch phase, where a developer might throw in a free parking slot or waive one PLC component to move early bookings. Treat that as a bonus if it happens , don’t build your budget assuming it will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you’re financing this purchase, and most buyers in Hyderabad are, the loan itself comes with its own set of charges that have nothing to do with the interest rate you’ll spend weeks negotiating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Processing fee.<\/strong> This is what the bank charges to evaluate and sanction your loan in the first place. Expect 0.25% to 1% of the loan amount, subject to a cap that varies by lender. On a \u20b975 lakh loan, even a modest 0.5% fee comes to \u20b937,500. Some banks waive this during promotional periods; don’t bank on it (no pun intended) until it’s confirmed in writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Legal and technical verification.<\/strong> Before sanctioning anything, the bank sends its own lawyer to check the property’s title and its own valuer to inspect construction quality and confirm the valuation. You pay for both, usually \u20b95,000 to \u20b915,000 combined, and this is non-refundable even if your loan application doesn’t ultimately go through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Loan insurance (HLPP).<\/strong> Most banks will strongly push \u2013 and some effectively require \u2013 a home loan protection plan, which pays off your outstanding loan if you die or are disabled during the tenure. This is paid either as a lump sum upfront (often rolled into the loan amount) or as annual premiums. On a \u20b975 lakh loan over 20 years, a lump-sum premium can land anywhere from \u20b91.5 lakh to \u20b93 lakh depending on your age and health. Unlike the other charges here, this one’s actually doing something useful for you , but it’s still real money out of pocket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n MODT and franking.<\/strong> When the bank sanctions your loan, it registers a charge against the property through a Memorandum of Deposit of Title Deeds. This attracts stamp duty of roughly 0.1-0.2% of the loan amount plus franking charges , on a \u20b975 lakh loan, expect another \u20b97,500 to \u20b915,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you’re weighing whether to dip into your EPF corpus to reduce how much you need to borrow, ASBL’s guide on EPF withdrawal rules and home purchase strategy for 2026<\/a> is worth reading before you decide on the financing mix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Getting the keys is not the finish line. There’s still a meaningful chunk of spending ahead before the place is actually liveable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Interior work.<\/strong> A bare-shell apartment needs flooring, a kitchen fit-out, wardrobes, painting, light fixtures, bathroom fittings \u2013 none of which is included unless you’ve specifically bought into a furnished or semi-furnished project. Even with restrained taste, budget \u20b98-15 lakh for a 1,500 sq ft flat. Semi-furnished or fully furnished units cost less to finish, but you’ve already paid a premium for that at purchase, so it tends to even out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Utility deposits.<\/strong> Water, electricity, gas pipeline connections where applicable, and internet each come with its own deposit and sometimes a connection fee. Approx you should expect to budget \u20b930000 – \u20b970000 for other items.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Monthly maintenance.<\/strong> Once the RWA is up and running, maintenance kicks in typically \u20b92 to \u20b95 per sq ft per month for gated communities in Hyderabad. On a 1,500 sq ft unit, that’s \u20b93,000 to \u20b97,500 every month, indefinitely. People budget for the one-time costs and somehow forget this is recurring forever. Don’t make that mistake when you’re working out affordability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And if you’ve taken a floating-rate loan, it’s worth knowing the rules around prepayment before you’re locked into a fee structure you didn’t expect. ASBL’s piece on avoiding home loan foreclosure charges<\/a> walks through the current RBI rules on this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now let’s use an example. You’re buying a flat that is approximately 1500 sq\/ft under construction located in a gated community with a base price of \u20b9100000000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/span>3.GST on Apartment Purchase: When It Applies and How Much<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>4.Builder Charges: PLC, Parking, Club Membership, and Maintenance Deposit<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
PLC , Preferential Location Charge<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Parking<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Club Membership<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Maintenance Deposit<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>5.Home Loan Costs: What Banks Charge Beyond the Interest Rate<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>6.Post-Possession Budget: Interior, Utilities, and Maintenance<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>7.A Worked Example: Total Cost of a \u20b91 Crore Apartment in Hyderabad<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n