Buyer Guides · Costs

Dubai Property Buying Costs: Every Fee, Itemised

The short answer: Budget roughly 7–8% on top of the price for a cash resale purchase in Dubai: 4% DLD transfer fee (+ AED 580 admin), AED 4,000 + VAT trustee fee (≥ AED 500k), 2% + VAT agent commission, and a developer NOC fee (commonly AED 500–5,000). A mortgage adds 0.25% of the loan + AED 290 registration plus bank fees. Off-plan buyers pay the 4% as an Oqood registration instead.

The complete schedule, so the closing statement never surprises you.

Updated 4 Jul 2026 · Regulatory figures per Dubai Land Department and UAE Central Bank published rules — always confirm current schedules

Worked example: AED 1,500,000 resale apartment, cash

Item	Basis	Amount
DLD transfer fee	4% of price + AED 580	AED 60,580
Trustee office	Fixed, ≥ AED 500k	AED 4,000 + VAT
Agent commission	2% + VAT	AED 31,500
Developer NOC	Set by developer	AED 500–5,000
Indicative total	~6.6% of price	≈ AED 99,000–104,000

Add the 10% security deposit cheque held during the sale (returned/applied at transfer). With a mortgage, add 0.25% of the loan + AED 290 registration, bank arrangement (~1% of loan) and valuation fees — which is how "7–8% all-in" becomes the honest planning number.

Off-plan costs differ in shape, not size

Off-plan buyers pay the same 4% DLD fee as an Oqood registration at purchase, no trustee transfer until handover, and usually no agent fee (the developer pays distribution). What replaces those line items is time: instalments under the payment plan flow into the project's RERA-supervised escrow account until completion.

The recurring costs people forget

Service charges — set per building, charged per square foot annually. On Hayat Island (RAK) around AED 12/sqft; Dubai towers vary widely by amenity load. Ask for the current statement before offering.
DEWA — connection deposits and monthly utilities (RAK: EWE/FEWA equivalents).
District cooling — where the building uses a chiller provider, capacity charges apply even when the unit is empty.

Ras Al Khaimah

RAK purchases register with RAK Municipality under its own fee schedule, which is not identical to Dubai's. We deliberately do not print RAK numbers here — confirm the current schedule with the municipality or with us at the time of purchase.

Questions buyers ask

What is the DLD transfer fee in Dubai?

4% of the purchase price, plus a small administrative fee (AED 580 for apartments and villas). By market custom the buyer pays it, though it is negotiable in the contract.

What do trustee offices charge?

AED 4,000 plus VAT for properties of AED 500,000 and above (AED 2,000 plus VAT below that). The transfer itself completes at the trustee office.

What does the agent charge?

Typically 2% of the purchase price plus VAT on resale transactions. On new developer sales the developer usually pays the agent, not the buyer.

What extra costs come with a mortgage?

Mortgage registration at 0.25% of the loan amount plus AED 290, a bank arrangement fee (commonly up to 1% of the loan), and a property valuation fee set by the bank.

Are there hidden costs after purchase?

The recurring ones are service charges (per square foot, set per building — on Hayat Island around AED 12/sqft; Dubai buildings vary widely), DEWA connection deposits, and district-cooling (chiller) charges where applicable. Ask for the building's current service-charge statement before you offer.