Interactive Cost Calculator
Select your property price below to see the exact cost breakdown. Toggle between cash and mortgage to see how financing affects your total.
Your Cost Breakdown
Complete Fee Breakdown
Let's go through every single fee, what it's for, and who pays it.
1. DLD Transfer Fee — 4%
The Dubai Land Department charges a 4% transfer fee on the property purchase price. This is the single largest cost and is payable at the time of ownership transfer. For off-plan properties, this fee is paid at handover when the title deed is issued (not at the time of booking). It's typically split 50/50 between buyer and seller by convention, but in practice the buyer usually pays the full 4% — this is negotiable.
2. Agency Commission — 2% + VAT
The standard real estate agency commission in Dubai is 2% of the property price plus 5% VAT (effectively 2.1% total). This is a one-time fee paid by the buyer to the agent who facilitated the transaction. At Binayah, this is the only fee we charge — no hidden admin fees, no "finder's fees," no extras.
3. DLD Admin / Trustee Fees
The DLD-registered trustee office charges an admin fee for processing the transfer. This is typically AED 4,200 for properties above AED 500,000 (AED 2,100 for properties below), plus AED 580 for the title deed issuance. These are fixed fees regardless of property value.
4. NOC Fee
The developer charges AED 500-5,000 for issuing a No Objection Certificate (NOC), confirming no outstanding service charges on the property. This is typically paid by the seller, not the buyer — but confirm this during negotiations.
5. Mortgage-Specific Fees (If Applicable)
If you're financing your purchase with a mortgage, you'll pay an additional 0.25% mortgage registration fee to the DLD, plus a property valuation fee of AED 2,500-3,500, and a bank processing fee of approximately 1% of the loan amount.
Some agents or developers may try to charge additional "admin fees," "registration fees," or "processing fees" beyond the standard 2% commission. At Binayah, we never charge hidden fees. If any agent quotes you additional charges beyond the standard fees listed here, ask them to explain exactly what the fee covers and whether it's mandated by DLD or RERA.
Costs at Every Budget Level
Here's what you'll pay in total at five common price points — so you know the exact number before you start.
| Fee | AED 500K | AED 1M | AED 2M | AED 5M | AED 10M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DLD Fee (4%) | 20,000 | 40,000 | 80,000 | 200,000 | 400,000 |
| Agency (2.1%) | 10,500 | 21,000 | 42,000 | 105,000 | 210,000 |
| Admin + Title Deed | 4,780 | 4,780 | 4,780 | 5,830 | 5,830 |
| Total (Cash) | 35,280 | 65,780 | 126,780 | 310,830 | 615,830 |
| As % of Price | 7.1% | 6.6% | 6.3% | 6.2% | 6.2% |
Because the admin fees are fixed while DLD and agency are percentage-based, higher-value properties have a slightly lower total cost percentage. A AED 10M property costs ~6.2% in fees vs ~7.1% for a AED 500K property. This makes premium property marginally more efficient from a fee perspective.
Off-Plan vs Ready — Cost Differences
The fee structure differs slightly depending on whether you're buying off-plan or ready property.
Off-plan: You pay an Oqood registration fee of 4% at booking (this is the same as the DLD fee — it converts to your title deed at handover). Some developers absorb this cost as a promotional incentive. You don't pay trustee fees at booking. Agency commission may be paid by the developer rather than the buyer — ask Binayah about this as it varies by project.
Ready property: You pay all fees at transfer day — DLD 4%, agency 2.1%, admin fees. Everything is settled in one appointment at the DLD trustee office.
On select off-plan projects, the developer pays the DLD 4% fee and/or the agency commission as a launch incentive. This can save you 4-6% in upfront costs. Binayah tracks which developers are currently offering fee waivers — ask us for the latest list of projects with reduced buying costs.
Get a Personalized Cost Breakdown
Tell us your budget — we'll send you the exact AED-by-AED cost breakdown plus current projects where developer fees are waived.
Taxes You Don't Pay in Dubai
This is arguably the single biggest reason international investors choose Dubai. Unlike virtually every other major property market, Dubai charges zero recurring taxes on property ownership and income.
To put this in perspective: a London landlord earning AED 200,000/year in rent pays up to 45% income tax (AED 90,000). A Dubai landlord earning the same rental income keeps all of it. Over 10 years, that's AED 900,000 in tax savings — often more than the original buying costs.
How Dubai Buying Costs Compare Globally
| Cost Element | Dubai | London | Singapore | New York |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transfer/Stamp Duty | 4% | 5-12% | 3-4% (citizens) 8-20% (foreign) | 1-2.6% |
| Agent Commission | 2% | 1.5-3% | 1-2% | 5-6% |
| Legal Fees | Included | 0.5-1% | 0.3-0.5% | 0.5-1% |
| Annual Property Tax | None | Council Tax | ~4% annual | ~1.2%/year |
| Income Tax on Rent | 0% | 20-45% | 0-22% | 10-37% |
| Capital Gains Tax | 0% | 18-28% | 0-20% | 15-20% |
| Total Upfront | ~7% | ~12-15% | ~8-25% | ~10-13% |
Ongoing Costs After Purchase
After buying, the only recurring costs are service charges and utilities. There are no annual property taxes.
| Ongoing Cost | Typical Amount |
|---|---|
| Service Charges (annual) | AED 12-30 per sqft / year |
| DEWA Housing Fee (if renting out) | 5% of annual rental value |
| DEWA Security Deposit (one-time) | AED 2,000 |
| Building Insurance | Usually included in service charges |
| Landlord Insurance (optional) | AED 500-1,500 / year |
| Property Management (optional) | 5-8% of annual rent |
Service charges cover maintenance of common areas (lobbies, pools, gyms, elevators, security, landscaping). They vary widely by building and community: AED 12-15/sqft for affordable buildings, AED 20-25/sqft for mid-range, and AED 25-35+/sqft for luxury towers and villa communities. For a 1,000 sqft apartment, expect AED 12,000-25,000 per year. Binayah always discloses service charges before purchase.
