What Is Actually Included in Property Prices in Different Countries

Two apartments may cost the same but require very different total budgets. In one market, an investor receives a fully ready property with furniture, appliances, and a management company. In another, they receive only a finished space that still needs to be equipped, registered, and prepared for rental.

That is why comparing property in different countries solely by price per square meter is misleading. It is important to understand exactly what the advertised price includes, what expenses arise after purchase, and who will handle management.

Bali: fully equipped for rental

Property in Bali is primarily developed for the tourist market. Most investment apartments and villas are therefore handed over fully ready for occupancy and rental.

The price usually includes:

• completed interior finishes;
• furniture;
• household appliances;
• plumbing fixtures;
• textiles;
• lighting;
• tableware;
• decorative elements;
• terrace or pool furnishings and equipment;
• connected utilities.

Investors generally do not need to buy furniture separately or organize the fit-out. Once construction is complete, the property can enter a rental program almost immediately.

Management is also usually arranged in advance. This may be the developer’s own company, a third-party operator, or an international hotel brand.

Personal-use terms depend on the management model. Projects with the developer’s own management company often have fewer restrictions. In hotel projects, the number of days available to the owner may be limited.

Zanzibar: a finished property, but furniture is often separate

In Zanzibar, the price generally includes:

• a completed structure;
• finished interiors;
• a fitted bathroom;
• a kitchen or kitchen area;
• connected utilities;
• air conditioning — depending on the project.

Furniture, appliances, and decorative elements are often paid for separately. A furniture package may cost approximately 3–5 thousand dollars, depending on the type and size of the unit. However, some projects already include a full fit-out in the price.

Many projects on the market are managed by the developer’s own company. Such properties often have no strict restrictions on owner occupancy, but the specific terms must always be checked in the contract.

The Maldives: a fully equipped hotel product

Property in the Maldives is generally part of a resort or hotel complex. The price therefore usually includes a full fit-out:

• interior finishes;
• furniture;
• appliances;
• plumbing fixtures;
• textiles;
• lighting;
• decorative elements;
• everything needed for hotel operations.

Owners do not need to find furniture or a rental company themselves. Management is handled by a designated hotel operator.

However, the hotel format means restrictions on personal use are more common here. The number of days available to the owner and the booking procedure must be specified in the contract.

Dubai: the fit-out depends on the project

In Dubai, there is no single fit-out standard. Most new builds are handed over with completed interior finishes, a kitchen, a bathroom, air conditioning, and connected utilities.

However, furniture and appliances may:

• be fully included in the price;
• be partially included;
• be offered as a separate package;
• not be provided at all.

That is why the labels furnished or fully furnished need to be checked against the specifications. It is important to understand whether beds, sofas, household appliances, lighting, textiles, and decor are included.

The building’s management company maintains common areas but does not necessarily handle apartment rentals. Owners often sign a separate agreement for this.

The budget must also account for registration fees, complex service charges, furnishing, utility connections, and management costs.

Cyprus: finished interiors, but not always rental-ready

In Cyprus, new builds are usually handed over with:

• finished interiors;
• kitchen cabinetry;
• plumbing fixtures;
• built-in wardrobes;
• building services systems;
• air conditioners or provisions for their installation;
• a parking space and storage room — depending on the project.

Furniture, household appliances, textiles, and decor are generally not included in the base price. A separate budget is needed to prepare the apartment for rental.

The company maintaining the complex is responsible for the pool, garden, and common areas but does not necessarily rent out the apartment. Rental management is most often covered by a separate agreement.

It is also necessary to check whether VAT is included, what fees arise during the purchase process, and whether the chosen short-term rental model is permitted.

Spain: interior finishes included, furniture and purchase formalities separate

In new builds in Benidorm, Alicante, and other Costa Blanca cities, the price generally includes:

• completed interior finishes;
• fitted bathrooms;
• kitchen cabinetry;
• built-in wardrobes;
• air conditioning or provisions for its installation;
• access to the complex’s amenities.

Furniture, appliances, textiles, and decor are often paid for separately. Some developers offer ready-made furniture packages.

In addition to the property price, investors need to account for taxes, notarial formalities, registration, legal support, complex maintenance contributions, and local charges.

It is particularly important to check whether tourist rentals are permitted. Owning an apartment in a resort town does not automatically give you the right to rent it out by the day. Regional regulations, municipal requirements, and decisions of the building’s owners’ association all matter.

Bulgaria: fit-outs range from basic to fully ready

In Bulgaria, properties are offered in various handover conditions.

A property may be sold:

• at a basic stage of construction completion;
• with finished interiors;
• with a kitchen and plumbing fixtures;
• fully furnished and ready for occupancy.

In resort complexes, furniture and appliances are more often included in the price or offered as a separate package. In ordinary residential new builds, buyers frequently need to complete the fit-out themselves.

The presence of a company maintaining the complex does not always mean rental management is available. Annual fees for maintaining the grounds, pools, security, and other amenities must also be taken into account.

Georgia: checking the handover condition is important

In Georgia, the price depends heavily on the condition in which the developer hands over the property.

The market uses various formats:

• black frame;
• white frame;
• green frame;
• completed interior fit-out;
• a fully furnished apartment.

There is no uniform standard across developers. The name of the format alone therefore does not provide a complete understanding of what is included — detailed specifications are needed.

Resort projects in Batumi more often offer ready-to-use apartments with furniture and management. In residential projects in Tbilisi, buyers may need a separate budget for interior work, appliances, and furnishing.

If a project offers guaranteed returns or hotel management, it is necessary to check exactly who provides the guarantee and which expenses are deducted from rental income.

Albania: interior finishes included, furniture depends on the format

In Albania, particularly in Vlorë, Sarandë, Durrës, and Tirana, new builds are most often handed over with completed interior finishes and connected utilities.

The price may include:

• flooring;
• painted walls;
• doors and windows;
• plumbing fixtures;
• basic bathroom equipment;
• air conditioning or provisions for its installation;
• a balcony or terrace.

The kitchen, furniture, and appliances may not be included in the base price. In resort projects, the developer sometimes offers a furniture package or a full fit-out.

A management company is also not always appointed in advance. In some complexes, it handles only grounds maintenance; in others, it may additionally offer rental management.

Land and construction documents, ownership registration, the property’s commissioning status, and the conditions for subsequent rental must also be checked separately.

The main difference between markets

Broadly speaking, all the countries discussed can be divided into three groups.

This classification is approximate. Final terms are always determined by the contract and the specifications of the particular project.

How to compare properties correctly

Before comparing, all options need to be brought to a single measure — the full cost of a ready-to-use investment property.

The calculation must include:

• the property price;
• taxes and registration fees;
• legal formalities;
• interior work, if not included;
• furniture and appliances;
• utility connections;
• preparation for rental;
• service charges;
• the management company’s commission;
• insurance and maintenance;
• taxes on rental income.

After that, the comparison should focus not on advertised gross returns but on net returns — after all recurring expenses and potential vacancy periods.

Conclusion

The phrase “property price” can refer to fundamentally different products in different markets.

In Bali and the Maldives, investors generally buy a fully ready tourist unit with furniture and management. In Dubai, Cyprus, Spain, Albania, and Zanzibar, the fit-out needs to be checked separately. In Georgia and Bulgaria, the difference between basic and fully ready conditions can be particularly significant.

A property with a lower listed price therefore does not always mean a lower investment budget. A proper comparison starts not with the price per square meter but with answers to three questions: what is included in the price, how much extra is needed to make the property fully ready, and who will handle rentals.

About the authors

Vladyslava Kravchenko and Volodymyr Kharlov are co-founders of NESTRA REAL ESTATE GROUP and the team behind the Nestra Insights analytics platform.

They work with international investment property, analyzing rental economics, development risks, property capitalization, and investment exit strategies.