How do you use the cost per sq ft calculator?
- Enter the property price and pick the property type. The type decides the stamp duty slab and whether GST applies.
- Enter the saleable area from the quote and the carpet area from the RERA agreement. Choose which one the headline rate uses.
- Read the price per sq ft and the all-in rate. Add builder charges and legal fees under “Adjust rates and other charges”.
How it’s calculated
The calculator divides the price, and then the full cost to own, by the area you choose (RERA carpet or saleable).
Formulas used by the calculator
Rate per sq ft = Price ÷ AreaGovt charges = Price × Stamp duty % × (1 + Cess 10% + Surcharge 2%) + Registration 2% of price (per ₹ 1,000 or part)GST = Price × 5% (under construction) or 1% (affordable); 0 for ready or resaleTotal = Price + Govt charges + GST + Builder charges + Legal feesAll-in per sq ft = Total ÷ Area; Loading % = (Saleable ÷ Carpet − 1) × 100Sources: Karnataka Stamp Act, 1957 (stamp duty, cess, surcharge), IGR Karnataka registration fee table, GST Council real estate FAQ.
What does cost per sq ft really measure?
A rate per sq ft is only comparable when you know which area it is on. Builders in Bengaluru usually quote on saleable (super built-up) area, which includes a share of walls, lobbies, lifts and amenities. Carpet area, defined in the RERA Act, is the floor you can actually use inside your walls. The same flat has a lower rate on saleable area and a higher one on carpet area. And the price is not the whole cost: stamp duty, registration, GST on a flat under construction and builder charges all come on top.
How the rates are worked out
Price ÷ area (carpet or saleable)Price + stamp duty, cess, surcharge, registration + GST + builder charges + legalTotal cost to buy ÷ the same areaSaleable area ÷ carpet area − 1Worked example: ₹ 1.5 Cr resale flat
With 1,600 sq ft saleable and 1,200 sq ft carpet, the price is ₹ 9,375 per saleable sq ft and ₹ 12,500 per carpet sq ft. Government charges of ₹ 11,40,000 and ₹ 25,000 of legal checks take the total to ₹ 1,61,65,000: ₹ 13,471 per carpet sq ft, all in.
Worked example: ₹ 80 L flat under construction
A flat with 1,250 sq ft saleable and 950 sq ft carpet is quoted at ₹ 6,400 per saleable sq ft. GST at 5% adds ₹ 4,00,000, government charges ₹ 6,08,000, and the builder bills ₹ 4 L for a car park and club. The total is ₹ 94,33,000, or ₹ 9,929 per carpet sq ft, against ₹ 8,421 on price alone.
How does loading change the rate?
| Saleable sq ft | Loading | ₹ per carpet sq ft | All in, per carpet sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,150 | 15% | ₹ 11,500 | ₹ 12,374 |
| 1,250 | 25% | ₹ 12,500 | ₹ 13,450 |
| 1,350 | 35% | ₹ 13,500 | ₹ 14,526 |
| 1,450 | 45% | ₹ 14,500 | ₹ 15,602 |
What stamp duty and registration apply?
On a sale deed in Bengaluru, Karnataka charges 5% stamp duty on the market value (Karnataka Stamp Act, Schedule Art. 20(1)), a 10% cess on the duty (s.3B) and, inside the Greater Bengaluru Area, a 2% surcharge on the duty (Greater Bengaluru Governance Act 2024, s.170). The registration fee is 2% (IGR notification of 29 Aug 2025, in force from 31 Aug 2025). Together that is 7.6% of the value. The first sale of a flat pays less duty: 2% up to ₹ 20 L and 3% above ₹ 20 L up to ₹ 45 L, so the total is 4.24% or 5.36%. Resale flats, plots and houses pay 5% at any price. Rates verified 18 Oct 2026 · confirm on Kaveri Online before registering.
What should you check before comparing two flats?
- Compare both on carpet area, using the figure in the RERA registration and the agreement for sale.
- Ask each builder for a full cost sheet, including car park, club, deposits and corpus fund.
- Have a property lawyer check the title and approvals before you pay a booking amount.
Frequently asked questions
Related answers and guides
- Carpet Area vs Super Built-Up Area Under RERA
- Affordable Housing GST: Does Your Flat Get 1%?
- Bangalore Property Rates per Sq Ft Area Wise: 2026 GV Table
- Compare Two Apartments Side by Side: A Bengaluru Method
Sources
- Carpet area: Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, section 2(k).
- Stamp duty 5% (Schedule Art. 20(1)), first-sale flat slabs (Art. 20(2A)) and 10% cess (s.3B): Karnataka Stamp Act 1957, consolidated copy (DPAL); ₹ 35–45 L slab: Karnataka Stamp (Amendment) Act 2021.
- 2% surcharge on duty in the Greater Bengaluru Area: Greater Bengaluru Governance Act 2024, s.170.
- Registration fee 2%: IGR Karnataka, Table of Registration Fees (Notification RD/46/MNMU/2025) and IGR press note, 29 Aug 2025.
- Rates verified 18 Oct 2026 · confirm on Kaveri Online before registering.
- GST 5% / 1%: CBIC real estate FAQ.
- Price, areas, builder charges and legal fees: your inputs.
Indicative figures from the numbers you enter, not a quote. For GST, indicative only. Please verify with your Chartered Accountant before acting. For title, approvals and the agreement for sale, please consult a property lawyer before acting.
Comparing flats in Bengaluru? Talk to an acre&key advisor.