Dubai property costs & fees — complete 2026 breakdown

The rule of thumb: 7-9% on top of price

For a typical off-plan or ready property purchase in Dubai, budget 7-9% of the headline price to cover all transaction fees and taxes. For an AED 1.5M unit, that's AED 105,000-135,000 in additional costs.

These fees are one-time, paid at purchase or at handover. Recurring costs (service charges, utilities) come later and are covered separately below.

DLD fees — the big chunk

Dubai Land Department (DLD) registration fee — 4% of the property purchase price. This is the largest single fee and is, by convention, paid in full by the buyer.

Many developers run promotions where they cover the 4% DLD fee for off-plan units — always ask. This can save AED 60,000+ on a AED 1.5M unit.

Other DLD fees:

• DLD admin fee — AED 40 for off-plan, AED 580 for ready property.
• Oqood fee (off-plan only) — AED 1,000-2,000 to register your interim ownership during construction.
• Title deed issuance fee — AED 250.
• Mortgage registration fee (if applicable) — 0.25% of mortgage value + AED 290.

Trustee office fees

All resale property transfers must be processed at a DLD-licensed Trustee Office (intermediary that prepares and witnesses the transaction).

• Property value under AED 500,000: AED 2,000 + VAT
• Property value AED 500,000+: AED 4,000 + VAT (≈ AED 4,200 total)

For off-plan purchases directly from the developer, you don't use a trustee — the developer's sales team handles registration. This saves the AED 4,200.

NOC — only for resale

NOC (No Objection Certificate) is required only when buying from a previous owner (not directly from a developer). The master developer issues it after confirming there are no outstanding service charges or community fees on the unit.

• Cost: AED 500–5,000 depending on developer (Emaar, DAMAC, Nakheel each charge differently).
• Timing: issued 3-10 days after request.
• Paid by: the seller, typically. But on resale of off-plan SPAs (assignments), buyer often pays.

You do not need an NOC for a direct off-plan purchase from the developer.

Broker / agent commission

If you bought through a broker, expect 2% of the purchase price + 5% VAT on the commission (so 2.1% effective).

On HomeBase, we do not add commission to the developer's price — what you see is what you pay. The broker fee, if any, is disclosed upfront on the project page.

If you're buying directly from the developer through our platform, there's no broker commission to you.

Mortgage costs (if you finance)

Foreign non-resident buyers can usually obtain a mortgage of 50-65% Loan-to-Value (LTV) from UAE banks. Residents can borrow up to 80% LTV on their first property.

Mortgage-related fees:

• Bank arrangement fee — 0.5-1% of loan amount.
• Property valuation — AED 2,500-3,500 (paid to bank's appraiser).
• Mortgage registration fee — 0.25% of mortgage value (paid to DLD).
• Life insurance (often required) — varies by age and loan amount.

Mortgage rates in 2026 typically run 4.5-6.5% APR for UAE residents, slightly higher (5.5-7.5%) for non-residents. Many buyers refinance after handover to capture lower rates.

Service charges — annual, ongoing

Once you own, you pay an annual service charge to the building's owners' association for maintenance of common areas (lobby, lifts, pools, security, etc.).

• Typical range: AED 8–25 per square foot per year.
• Luxury / branded buildings: can hit AED 35–50/sqft.
• Mid-market apartments: AED 12–18/sqft is normal.

Example: a 1,000 sqft apartment with AED 15/sqft service charge = AED 15,000 per year.

Service charges are published per building/community on the DLD service charge index (free to look up). Always check before buying — a high service charge can erode rental yield by 1-2 percentage points.

Ongoing taxes — the good news

Dubai has:

• Zero personal income tax on rental income.
• Zero capital gains tax on resale profits.
• Zero inheritance tax — you can leave the property to heirs without UAE tax.
• No annual property tax.

The only ongoing costs are:

• Service charges (above).
• Utilities (DEWA — water/electricity), typically AED 200-600/month for a 1-bed.
• Cooling charges if your building uses district cooling (Empower/Tabreed), AED 100-500/month.
• Optional: home insurance, ~AED 500-1,500/year.

Hidden costs to watch

Less obvious but worth budgeting:

• Currency exchange spread — banks typically charge 1-2% on top of the mid-market rate. Wise or fintech FX can save half of that.
• International transfer fees — outgoing SWIFT from your home bank often AED 100-300 per transfer.
• Lawyer / conveyancer — optional but recommended for first-time foreign buyers, AED 5,000-15,000.
• Power of Attorney if buying remotely — AED 1,000-2,000 to draft and notarize in the UAE, plus consulate fees in your home country.
• Furniture — even 'furnished' off-plan units often arrive bare. Budget AED 30,000-80,000 for basic furnishing of a 1-bedroom.