Upfront Costs of Renting in Dubai: Every Fee in 2026

Newcomers are surprised less by the rent than by how much of it falls due at once. Dubai rent is paid in advance through post-dated cheques, and several fees and deposits land in the same week you sign. In roughly the order you pay them:

Dubai's tenancy law lets a landlord take a security deposit when the lease is signed and requires the deposit, or what remains of it, to be refunded when the tenancy ends. The law sets no percentage.

The market convention is about 5% of the annual rent for an unfurnished home and around 10% for a furnished one, since a furnished home has more inside that could be damaged. Some landlords take it as a separate cheque.

You get it back at the end, less deductions for damage beyond ordinary wear and tear or unpaid bills. Our guide on how much deposit you need to rent in Dubai covers how to protect it at move-in and move-out.

Renting through a broker means a one-off commission. The UAE government portal states that brokers in Dubai may charge up to 5% of the annual rent, and VAT at the standard 5% rate is added to the fee. On AED 120,000 a year, a 5% commission is AED 6,000 and the VAT on it is AED 300.

Some landlords, developers and property managers let homes directly with no tenant commission, so ask. Before you pay a broker, check their registration and the listing's advertising permit on the Dubai Land Department's verification service or the Dubai REST app.

Ejari registers your tenancy contract with the Dubai Land Department. The DLD lists the fee as AED 177.75 through its website or the Dubai REST app, and AED 220 at a Real Estate Services Trustee Centre. Landlord and tenant often negotiate who pays, so put the answer in writing. Our Ejari guide covers the full process.

With Ejari issued, you activate electricity and water with DEWA. Its move-in service requires a refundable security deposit of AED 2,000 for an apartment and AED 4,000 for a villa, plus a small non-refundable activation charge, and the deposit comes back when you close the account. Our DEWA setup guide walks through the steps.

Many budgets miss the Dubai Municipality housing fee. It is 5% of the annual rent, and the UAE government portal says it is added to your monthly electricity and water bills. You do not pay it upfront, but on AED 120,000 a year it adds about AED 500 a month to your DEWA bill.

Some buildings, especially in master communities on district cooling, bill air conditioning through a separate cooling provider instead of DEWA. These accounts can carry their own deposit or connection fee, and monthly cooling charges differ a lot between buildings. At the viewing, ask whether cooling is included in the rent, billed by DEWA or billed separately. A lower rent in a building with its own chiller account can end up costing more overall.

Then budget for the move itself: removals or shipping, furniture if the home is unfurnished, curtains and white goods if not supplied, and internet installation. These vary too much for reliable figures, so get two or three quotes.

This hypothetical example assumes an unfurnished apartment at AED 120,000 a year, rented through a broker charging 5%, with Ejari registered online.

One-off fees and refundable deposits come to about AED 14,478 before the DEWA activation charge and moving costs. Add the first rent cheque: on 4 cheques that is AED 30,000, for roughly AED 44,478 due at the start. On a single cheque it is the full AED 120,000, for roughly AED 134,478.

The security deposit and DEWA deposit (AED 8,000 together here) are refundable. After move-in, expect the 5% housing fee of about AED 500 a month on your DEWA bill. Line by line:

The cheque split decides how much cash you need on day one. Paying in 4 cheques instead of 1 cuts the first payment sharply, though the annual rent may be a little higher. Directly managed buildings can remove the commission altogether.

If you are relocating and want a clear budget before you arrive, send EQT your budget, preferred areas and move-in date. We will reply with a shortlist of rental homes and the upfront costs for each, and you can start on our rental page. Fees change, so confirm current amounts with the official channel before paying.