Dubai Property Buying Cost Calculator
See exactly how much cash you need at handover. Includes DLD transfer (4%), agent commission (2%), mortgage registration, trustee fee, valuation, NOC, and every other line item Dubai buyers actually pay.
Purchase details
Purchase type
Total cash you need at handover
AED 810,808
On a AED 2,500,000 property — fees are 7.4% of price
Full breakdown
- Down payment25% of priceAED 625,000
- DLD transfer fee4% of property price (standard across all freehold areas)AED 100,000
- DLD admin feeFlat AED 580AED 580
- Agent commission2% of priceAED 50,000
- Agent VAT5% on agent commissionAED 2,500
- DLD trustee feeFlat AED 4,000 (split with seller in some deals)AED 4,000
- Bank valuation feeRequired by lenderAED 2,500
- Mortgage registration0.25% of loan amountAED 4,688
- Mortgage admin feeFlat AED 290AED 290
- Mortgage processing~1% of loan (varies by bank)AED 18,750
- Developer NOC feeEmaar typically AED 1,500-5,000AED 2,500
The Real Cost of Buying in Dubai
Most buyers underestimate Dubai property closing costs by AED 50-100k. The headline figure is the 4% DLD transfer fee. The hidden ones are the 2% agent commission (+5% VAT), AED 4,000 trustee fee, mortgage registration (0.25% of loan), and the AED 1,500-5,000 developer NOC fee.
Total fees run roughly 6-8% of property price for mortgaged purchases, and 5-6% for cash purchases. That's AED 150,000-200,000 on a AED 2.5M property before you've paid a single dirham toward the mortgage principal.
The single biggest variable is the down payment. UAE Central Bank caps loan-to-value at 80% for residents and 75% for non-residents on properties up to AED 5M. Above AED 5M, the LTV cap drops to 60-65%, meaning you need a 35-40% down payment.
FAQs
Roughly down payment + 6-8% in fees. On a AED 2.5M mortgaged purchase: 25% down (AED 625k) + ~AED 195k in fees = ~AED 820k total cash. The calculator above breaks down every line item.