In our experience, the cheapest headline quote is rarely the cheapest bill. What actually varies between states — and between firms — isn't so much the professional fee as what's included in it, and whether the disbursements are passed on at cost or quietly marked up.
What it costs (QLD, NSW, VIC)
Queensland
For a standard residential purchase in 2026, expect $1,000 to $3,100 all-up:
- Professional fees: $800 – $2,500 (fixed-fee is standard).
- Disbursements (searches, registration, PEXA, certificates): $200 – $600, passed on at cost — body corporate searches push it higher.
Units and townhouses sit higher because body corporate searches add cost. Stamp duty is paid separately to the Queensland Revenue Office. Be wary of professional fees well under $800 — someone's cutting corners.
All-in range: $1,000 – $3,100
| Cost item | Range | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Professional fees | $800 – $2,500 | Fixed-fee, standard for residential |
| Searches & disbursements | $200 – $600 | Third-party searches, certificates and PEXA, at cost — body corporate searches push it higher |
Where units sit. Units and townhouses sit at the higher end. Body corporate searches add cost.
Red flag. Professional fees well under $800. Someone is cutting corners.
Stamp duty (transfer duty) is separate and paid to QRO, not your conveyancer. First Home Concession may wipe it entirely.
New South Wales
NSW conveyancing typically runs $1,000 to $3,100 all-up:
| Cost item | Range |
|---|---|
| Professional fees | $800 – $2,500 |
| Disbursements (searches, registration fees, settlement platform charges, etc) | $200 – $600, at cost — strata reports push it higher |
Transfer duty is additional to the purchase price and must be paid on settlement.
Victoria
Victorian conveyancing typically runs $1,000 to $3,100 all-up:
| Cost item | Range |
|---|---|
| Professional fees | $800 – $2,500 (conveyancers lower end, solicitors upper) |
| Disbursements (Section 32 certificates, title and planning searches, PEXA, registration) | $200 – $600, at cost — owners-corporation searches push it higher |
Owners-corporation properties (apartments) cost more because the OC certificate and records review add work. Stamp duty is paid to the State Revenue Office Victoria at settlement.