Dubai Property Buying Costs Calculator (DLD Fees)

How are Dubai property buying costs calculated?

The biggest cost is the Dubai Land Department (DLD) transfer fee of 4% of the purchase price. On top of that come smaller fixed fees, then mortgage-related fees if you borrow, and the agent's commission if you use one. The calculator adds each line separately so you can see where the money goes.

The lines it uses:

• DLD transfer fee: 4% of the price. By law it is split 2% and 2% between buyer and seller, but in practice the buyer usually pays all of it.
• Registration trustee office fee: AED 2,000 + VAT if the price is under AED 500,000, or AED 4,000 + VAT if it is AED 500,000 or more.
• Title deed and map fees: AED 520 in total on the DLD list for an apartment or villa (AED 250 title deed, AED 250 map, AED 10 knowledge and AED 10 innovation fees).
• Mortgage registration: 0.25% of the loan plus about AED 290 in fixed fees.
• Bank valuation: typically AED 2,500 to 3,500 + VAT.
• Bank arrangement fee: up to 1% of the loan + VAT, depending on the bank.
• Agent commission: market practice is 2% + VAT.

A worked example

You buy a ready apartment on the secondary market for AED 2,000,000, with a mortgage of AED 1,600,000 and an agent charging 2%. VAT is 5%.

That is about 7.5% of the price, on top of your down payment. If you paid cash instead, you would drop the three bank lines and the mortgage registration, and the total would be AED 126,720, or about 6.3%.

Off-plan from a developer works differently. You pay the 4% DLD fee plus Oqood registration and admin fees, which vary by developer and usually land somewhere around AED 1,000 to 5,000. The calculator uses AED 1,250 as an indication only. On a AED 1,500,000 off-plan unit bought in cash without an agent, that gives roughly AED 61,250.

Rules and fees that vary

Some lines are fixed by the Dubai Land Department. Others are set by banks, developers or agents, so treat them as estimates:

• Fixed by DLD: the 4% transfer fee, trustee office fees, title deed and map fees, and the 0.25% mortgage registration fee.
• Set by your bank: valuation and arrangement fees. Some banks waive or discount them during offers.
• Set by the developer: Oqood admin fees on off-plan units. Developers sometimes cover part of the DLD fee on launches, too.
• Negotiable: agent commission. 2% is common practice, not a legal rate.

Costs this calculator does not include

• The down payment itself. For an expat first home up to AED 5 million, banks can lend at most 80%, so you need at least 20% of the price in cash before fees. The UAE mortgage calculator shows the exact minimum.
• Service charges. On ready homes, the seller usually settles service charges up to the transfer date, but you pay them from then on.
• Moving in. Utility connection, deposits and furniture are separate. Our moving to Dubai checklist covers those.
• Insurance. Banks normally require life and property insurance with a mortgage.

Tips to keep costs down

• Ask for the fee sheet early. A trustee office or agent can give you a written breakdown before you sign the sale contract.
• Negotiate the commission. On higher prices, a lower percentage or a capped fee is often possible.
• Compare bank packages. A slightly higher rate with no arrangement fee can cost less overall on a short hold.
• Read the full guide. Buying property in Dubai: the real costs goes through each step from offer to title deed.

Fees on this page follow the DLD lists and common market practice. Always confirm the final amounts with your trustee office, bank and agent before you transfer money.