Buying property in Dubai
What the portal price leaves out, and what a purchase costs from signature to key.
The asking price is only the beginning. Add the 4 percent transfer fee to the Land Department, the agency commission, the trustee office, the developer's no-objection certificate, and mortgage costs if you finance. On off-plan there is a payment plan to read line by line and a handover date that is rarely the one in the brochure. We put the full number on the table first.
How we help
- 01The all-in cost of the purchase, transfer fee, agency, trustee and NOC included
- 02Ready or off-plan, and what each one risks in your case
- 03Which buildings in a district actually resell, and which sit on the market
- 04What the service charge per square foot runs at in that tower
- 05Whether the purchase clears the Golden Visa threshold, and how the timing works
What people are asking right now
Ranges from the market, not live listings. We move them when the market moves.
| District | Type | Asking range | Per |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai Marina | Studio | AED 8,000 - 11,000 | mo |
| Dubai Marina | 1 BR | AED 11,000 - 15,000 | mo |
| JLT | Studio | AED 6,000 - 9,000 | mo |
| JLT | 1 BR | AED 8,000 - 12,000 | mo |
| Business Bay | 1 BR | AED 8,500 - 13,000 | mo |
| JVC | Studio | AED 4,500 - 7,000 | mo |
| Palm Jumeirah | 1 BR | AED 20,000 + | mo |
Swipe sideways for the rest
Tell us what you need
The more concrete you are, the more useful our answer.
Questions people ask first
How much comes on top of the price?
Budget 6 to 8 percent for a ready property: 4 percent to the Land Department plus AED 580 admin, roughly 2 percent agency, around AED 4,000 trustee, plus the developer NOC. A mortgage adds about 1 percent bank fee and 0.25 percent mortgage registration.
Can a foreigner buy anywhere?
In freehold areas, yes, with full ownership. That covers most of what people ask about: Marina, JVC, Business Bay, Downtown, Dubai Hills, Palm Jumeirah. Leasehold areas are the exception and the contract says which one you are in.
Does buying give me residency?
A property worth AED 2,000,000 or more qualifies for the ten-year Golden Visa, AED 750,000 for the two-year investor route. The property has to be handed over, and mortgage rules differ from bank to bank.
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Free, no sign-up, leave whenever.
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