What does it actually cost to buy a Dubai apartment in 2026?

If a property is listed at AED 3,000,000, the actual capital you need available on transfer day is closer to AED 3,197,000 once all fees settle. This guide explains every line.

Dubai Land Department (DLD) transfer fee — 4 % of purchase price. On AED 3M, that is AED 120,000. This is a statutory fee, non-negotiable, and paid to the DLD on the transfer day itself. It is not a tax the seller pays on your behalf; it is a fee the buyer pays to transfer the title.

Trustee office fee — AED 4,000 + 5 % VAT (AED 4,200) for sales above AED 500K. The Dubai Land Department has delegated transfer-processing to a small number of licensed trustee offices (Daman, Tamleek, Kanaan, etc.). The trustee fee is paid at the office on transfer day. Below AED 500K, the trustee fee is AED 2,000.

DLD knowledge fee (AED 580) and innovation fee (AED 40). Small statutory add-ons that appear on the transfer voucher.

Title deed issuance — AED 250. Paid on the transfer day.

DubaiHomes brokerage commission — 2 % of purchase price + 5 % VAT. On AED 3M: AED 60,000 + AED 3,000 VAT = AED 63,000. This is paid to DubaiHomes on the day the MOU (Form F) is signed by both parties. Our commission is the same whether you purchase in cash or via mortgage.

Mortgage fees (if financing). - Lender's arrangement fee: 0.5 %–1 % of loan amount - Property valuation: AED 2,500–3,500 (one-off) - Mortgage registration with DLD: 0.25 % of loan amount + AED 290

Service-charge pro-rata. On transfer, the seller and buyer pro-rate the current year's service charge based on the transfer date. This figure typically runs AED 2,000–15,000 depending on the building and the time of year.

A practical example. On a 3M apartment purchased in cash via DubaiHomes, with no mortgage:

- Purchase price: AED 3,000,000 - DLD 4%: AED 120,000 - Trustee fee: AED 4,200 - DLD knowledge + innovation: AED 620 - Title deed: AED 250 - DubaiHomes commission (2% + VAT): AED 63,000 - Service-charge pro-rata (estimated): AED 7,500 - Total cash required on transfer day: AED 3,195,570

If you are mortgage-financing, subtract the amount the bank is releasing to the seller and add the mortgage fees above.

Our recommendation: budget 6.5 % of purchase price on top of the listed price if you are paying cash. For a mortgaged purchase, budget 7–7.5 %.