Short answer: on a cash purchase of a ready property in Dubai, plan for about 6% to 7% in fees on top of the price. The two big items are the 4% Dubai Land Department transfer fee and the 2% agency commission. Everything else is small fixed charges. If you are using a mortgage, add roughly 1% to 1.5% more.
| Fee | Amount | Paid to | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| DLD transfer fee | 4% of price + ~AED 580 admin | Dubai Land Department | Ready property |
| Oqood registration | 4% of price + small admin fee | DLD via developer | Off-plan |
| Registration trustee fee | AED 4,000 + VAT (AED 2,000 + VAT below AED 500k) | Trustee office | Ready property |
| Agency commission | 2% of price + 5% VAT | Brokerage | Resale (usually nil on developer launches) |
| Developer NOC | AED 500 to 5,000 | Developer | Resale |
| Mortgage registration | 0.25% of loan + AED 290 | DLD | Mortgaged purchases |
| Bank arrangement fee | Up to 1% of loan | Bank | Mortgaged purchases |
| Valuation fee | About AED 2,500 to 3,500 + VAT | Bank / valuer | Mortgaged purchases |
| Title deed issuance | AED 250 + small knowledge/innovation fees | DLD | All |
| Conveyancing (optional) | AED 5,000 to 10,000 | Conveyancer | Buyers who want independent handling |
Cash buyer. DLD fee AED 80,000 + AED 580 admin; trustee fee AED 4,200 including VAT; agency commission AED 42,000 including VAT; developer NOC about AED 1,000; title deed and admin about AED 300. Total: roughly AED 128,000, or 6.4% of the price.
Mortgage buyer (80% loan, AED 1.6M). Add mortgage registration AED 4,290, a bank arrangement fee of up to AED 16,000, and a valuation of about AED 3,150. Total: roughly AED 151,000, or 7.6%, plus the 20% down payment of AED 400,000. Note that UAE banks do not finance the fees, so budget for them in cash.
On a developer launch you normally pay no agency commission (the developer pays the broker), the 4% is paid as the Oqood fee rather than a transfer fee, and the price is spread over a payment plan, typically 10% to 20% on booking with the balance during construction and on handover. Some developers waive part or all of the DLD fee as a launch incentive. When the property is later resold, the normal 4% transfer fee applies again to the next buyer.
Dubai has no annual property tax, no capital gains tax and no tax on rental income. Ongoing costs are the community service charge (set per square foot and published in the RERA index), a 5% housing fee on annual rent if you occupy the home, and utilities. This is the main reason the all-in cost of ownership compares well with London, Singapore or Hong Kong even after the 4% entry fee.
The Dubai Land Department charges 4% of the purchase price, plus a small admin fee (about AED 580 for apartments and villas). It is payable at the trustee office on transfer day. For off-plan purchases the equivalent 4% is paid as the Oqood (interim registration) fee.
By regulation it is the buyer’s cost, and in almost all resale transactions the buyer pays the full 4%. Some developers absorb part or all of the DLD fee on off-plan launches as a promotion, which is worth asking about before you sign.
Budget roughly 6% to 7% on top of the price for a cash purchase: 4% DLD, about 2% agency commission plus VAT, the trustee fee (AED 4,000 plus VAT for properties over AED 500,000) and a developer NOC. With a mortgage, add about 0.25% of the loan for mortgage registration, a bank arrangement fee of up to 1%, and a valuation fee.
No. There is no annual property tax, capital gains tax or income tax on rent. The ongoing cost is the service charge, set per square foot by community and published in the RERA service charge index, plus a 5% municipality housing fee on the annual rent if you live in the property.
Buying property worth AED 2 million or more qualifies the owner for a 10-year renewable Golden Visa. The property can be ready or off-plan from an approved developer, and mortgaged property qualifies subject to the bank’s confirmation.
Yes. Non-residents can buy freehold property in designated freehold areas, which cover most of new Dubai: Downtown, Dubai Marina, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Hills, Business Bay, JVC, Dubai Creek Harbour and dozens more. No residency visa is needed to purchase.
Figures are current market practice as of October 2026 and can change with DLD or bank policy. For a line-by-line cost estimate on a specific property, talk to The Top Masters.