New to Dubai and looking to rent your first home? Or, simply seeking to relocate or upgrade? The emirate offers residents a plethora of choice to appeal to all lifestyle preferences. Location is unquestionably the most important factor to consider when renting a home. Though, equally as essential is understanding costs, as ultimately, your budget will determine where you choose to live.
Factors that influence the price of rent in Dubai:
- Property type; villa, townhouse or apartment
- Size; square footage of the property
- Layout; not all square footage is created equal and floor-plans can often materially impact price
- Quality; the age of the property as well as the finishings and appliances throughout can affect price
- Location; prime locations, particularly waterfront communities, will come at a higher price point. Proximity to the city centre as well as transport links can also affect price
- Views; properties with prime views can often command a higher price
- Furnished or unfurnished; furnished properties are usually priced at a premium
- Market conditions
Understanding your budget
Housing is typically the average person’s largest monthly expense. As a general rule of thumb, no more than 30% of your salary should be spent on housing.
For example, on a salary of AED 20,000 per month, AED 6,000, or less, per month should be allocated toward housing, equating to AED 72,000 per year.
However, everyone’s financial situation is different. If you don’t spend much on transportation or entertainment, you may have more room to move with your housing budget.
“As the Dubai property market matures, residents are finally seeing rents reduced to a level that is considered affordable and, in turn, their cost of living is going down”
LYNNETTE ABAD, DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH & DATA, PROPERTY FINDER
How to search by your budget
Now that you have a guideline in determining your budget for housing expenses, you can start looking for properties that fall within the following ranges:
| Monthly Salary | Average Annual Rent (based on 30% allocation of monthly income) |
| AED 5,000 | AED 18,000 |
| AED 5,000 – AED 10,000 | AED 18,000 – AED 36,000 |
| AED 10,000 – AED 15,000 | AED 36,000 – AED 54,000 |
| AED 15,000 – AED 20,000 | AED 54,000 – AED 72,000 |
| AED 20,000 – AED 25,000 | AED 72,000 – AED 90,000 |
Recommended communities by budget
(As of September 2019, the following communities depicted the following three-month average prices)
If you earn between AED 5,000 and AED 10,000 per month
| Community | Average Rent | What you’ll get |
| Al Nahda | AED 33,900 | Studio apartment |
| Deira | AED 38,000 | Studio apartment |
| Discovery Gardens | AED 34,000 | Studio apartment |
| Dubailand | AED 30,000 | Studio apartment |
| Dubai Production City | AED 29,000 | Studio apartment |
| Dubai Silicon Oasis | AED 34,000 | Studio apartment |
| International City | AED 28,000 AED 36,000 | Studio apartment 1BR apartment |
If you earn AED 10,000 to AED 15,000
In addition to the above communities, you can expand your search to the following:
| Community | Average Rent | What you’ll get |
| Al Barsha | AED 43,000 | Studio apartment |
| Al Furjan | AED 36,000 | Studio apartment |
| Discovery Gardens | AED 50,000 | 1BR apartment |
| Dubai Sports City | AED 48,000 | 1BR apartment |
| Dubai Silicon Oasis | AED 46,500 | 1BR apartment |
| Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) | AED 45,000 | Studio apartment |
| Jumeirah Village Circle | AED 38,000 AED 54,000 | Studio apartment 1BR apartment |
| Jumeirah Village Triangle | AED 40,000 AED 51,000 | Studio apartment 1BR apartment |
| Motor City | AED 45,000 | Studio apartment |
| Remraam | AED 48,000 | 1BR apartment |
If you earn AED 15,000 to AED 20,000
In addition to the above communities, you can expand your search to the following:
| Community | Average Rent | What you’ll get |
| Al Furjan | AED 58,000 | 1BR apartment |
| Barsha Heights (Tecom) | AED 60,000 | Studio apartment |
| Business Bay | AED 54,000 AED 72,000 | Studio apartment 1BR apartment |
| Downtown Dubai | AED 65,000 | Studio apartment |
| Dubai Marina | AED 55,000 | Studio apartment |
| Dubai Sports City | AED 68,000 | 2BR apartment |
| Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) | AED 65,000 | 1BR apartment |
| Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) | AED 67,000 | 1BR apartment |
If you earn between AED 20,000 and AED 25,000 per month
In addition to the above communities, you can expand your search to the following:
| Community | Average Rent | What you’ll get |
| DIFC | AED 68,000 | Studio apartment |
| Downtown Dubai | AED 90,000 | 1BR apartment |
| Dubai Creek Harbour | AED 75,000 | 1BR apartment |
| Jumeirah Golf Estates | AED 85,000 | 2BR apartment |
| Jumeirah Village Triangle | AED 70,000 | 2BR apartment |
| Palm Jumeirah | AED 70,000 | Studio apartment |
| Town Square | AED 60,000 AED 80,000 | 2BR apartment 3BR apartment |
If you earn above AED 25,000 per month
For those earning above AED 25,000, you have the financial freedom to rent in most, if not all, areas within Dubai. Many luxury properties in the following communities are well within your reach:
- Arabian Ranches
- Bluewaters Island
- City Walk
- DIFC
- Downtown Dubai
- Emirates Hills
- Jumeirah
(The above recommendations are based on the assumption that 30% of one’s salary is allocated to monthly/annual rental payments)
Additional costs associated with renting in Dubai
| Security Deposit | 5% of annual rent |
| Agency Fees | Between 2-5% of annual rent |
| DEWA Fees | Apartments AED 2,000 (refundable deposit upon vacating and clearing any outstanding charges) AED 110 (non-refundable connection fee) Villa AED 4,000 (refundable deposit upon vacating and clearing any outstanding charges) AED 300 (non-refundable connection fee) |
| Housing Fees (Dubai Municipality Fee) | 5% of annual rent divided into 12 monthly payments added to DEWA bills |
| Ejari Fees | AED 220 |
When it comes to renting in Dubai, there is no shortage of housing options from the community, to property type, to configuration – there is something to appeal to every taste and budget. Understanding your budget is imperative before entering into any rental agreement to ensure that your commitment does not leave you thinly spread at the end of each month. It is also important to be aware of the costs beyond just the regular monthly rental payment. A thorough understanding of costs will leave you well placed to commence your property search to find the perfect property, aligned with your lifestyle preferences.
