How much does it cost to buy an apartment in Dubai?

What pushes renters in Dubai to think seriously about buying? Anyone who has spent time in the city has seen how it goes. People arrive for work, rent a place, and move between neighbourhoods until the rent renewal lands a little higher than expected for something that never becomes theirs. That is often when the search for an apartment for sale in Dubai begins. The hard part is not buying property itself but making sense of the numbers. The price in the listing is only one piece of the picture, alongside the down payment, transfer fees, monthly payments, and the ongoing costs that follow. When everything is laid out clearly, buying either starts to feel realistic or it doesn’t, and that is where the real cost comes into focus.

Key Takeaways

• Apartments in Dubai mostly sell between AED 500,000 and AED 3 million, where demand remains strongest.
• Buyers should budget 7-8% extra on top of the price for fees and charges.
• Expats usually need a 20% down payment for apartments under AED 5 million.
• Off-plan homes made up about 65% of apartment sales due to lower entry prices and payment plans.
• Service charges, utilities, and management fees affect the true cost of ownership.

What Is the Current Price of Apartments in Dubai?

According to Property Monitor, Dubai saw about 167,000 apartment sales worth around AED 325 billion in 2025. That made up roughly 82% of all property deals in the city. Apartments account for most of the market, which explains why buyers, investors, and long-term residents keep coming back to Dubai apartments for sale instead of looking elsewhere.

The average apartment price in Dubai now sits at AED 1,670 per square foot, up 12% from the year before. That number covers all kinds of homes, from small studios to one and two-bedroom apartments in many different areas.

Putting that into real terms makes it easier to picture. 

Studio Apartment in Dubai Price 

A 600 sq ft studio in the city comes in close to AED 1 million. These units are common in areas like JVC and Dubai South and tend to attract first-time buyers and investors because they are easier to rent and manage.

1-Bedroom Apartment in Dubai Price

In 2025, an 800 sq ft one-bedroom apartment ranged between AED 750,000 and AED 1.4 million, depending on location, building quality, and whether the unit was off-plan or ready. This size suits people who want a bit more space without jumping into higher price brackets, which is why one-bedroom homes are popular across communities like Business Bay, Jumeirah Village Circle, and Dubai Hills Estate.

2-Bedroom Apartment in Dubai Price

A 1,200 sq ft two-bedroom apartment costs around AED 2 million. These homes appeal to couples or small families who plan to stay longer, especially in well-connected areas where demand from renters and buyers stays steady.

Homes cost less in some neighbourhoods and more in others, especially near the sea or around Downtown. Even so, these numbers give a useful reference. 

What Price Range Had the Most Demand in Dubai in 2025?

Most of the action in 2025 happened within price bands where apartments sell easily, and demand rarely dries up. About 72% of apartment sales sat between AED 500,000 and AED 3 million, which happens to be the range most people feel comfortable committing to. Homes in this bracket attract end users and investors, so they move faster and carry less risk over time. That steady turnover is one of the reasons this price range anchors Dubai’s apartment market.

Where to Find the Lowest Price Apartments for Sale in Dubai?

The lowest-priced apartments for sale in Dubai are found in areas like Jumeirah Village Circle, Dubai South, Dubai Production City, and parts of Arjan. In these neighbourhoods, studio apartments can start at around AED 450,000 and go up to AED 550,000, which is why they appeal to first-time buyers and investors looking for an easier entry point.

What works in their favour is demand from renters. These neighbourhoods stay busy, so apartments do not sit empty for long. That steady flow of tenants helps prices hold up and keeps resale moving, even at the lower end of the market.

What Extra Costs Do Buyers Pay in Dubai?

The price on the listing is only part of the story. The city adds a few fixed charges when a property changes hands, which often catch first-time buyers in Dubai by surprise.

Here is what comes up:

Dubai Land Department fee: 4% of the purchase price

Registration trustee fee: AED 4,200 for properties over AED 500,000, or AED 2,100 for properties below AED 500,000

Admin fee: AED 580 (AED 250 Title Deed Certificate fee included)

Real estate agent commission: usually 2% plus VAT.

Mortgage Related Costs

DLD mortgage registration fee: (0.25% of loan + flat fee)

Bank processing fee: around 1% + VAT

Property valuation fee: AED 2,500-3,500 + VAT

So a buyer picking up an AED 1 million apartment should expect to set aside roughly AED 70,000 to AED 80,000 in addition to the purchase price. 

Ongoing Costs After Buying an Apartment in Dubai

Apartments in Dubai also come with yearly running costs. Service charges cover items such as lifts, security, pools, parking, and shared building costs. Most towers charge somewhere between AED 12 and AED 25 per square foot each year, so an 800 sq ft one-bedroom apartment might cost around AED 10,000 to AED 16,000 just to keep the building running.

DEWA covers electricity and water, and the charges vary depending on how much air conditioning, lighting, and appliances are used. The total initial payment ranges from AED 2,130 to AED 2,155, depending on the meter size.

Here is the breakdown:

Refundable Security Deposit: AED 2,000 for apartments. This is refunded only when you sell the property or close the account.

Electricity & Water Connection: AED 100 for small meters or AED 300 for large meters.

Registration Fee: AED 10.

Knowledge & Innovation Fees: AED 20 (AED 10 each).

Owners who rent their homes may choose property management Dubai companies to handle tenants, repairs, and rent collection. These services normally take about 5 to 10% of the yearly rent, which many owners see as a fair trade for fewer calls and fewer problems.

Are More Buyers Using Mortgages or Paying Cash?

In 2025, mortgages had slightly edged ahead of cash purchases. About 52% of buyers used bank financing, while 48% paid in cash. 

Most expat buyers in Dubai use a mortgage to make the purchase work. Banks cover up to 80% of the price on homes under AED 5 million, so the buyer puts down the remaining 20%. On an AED 1 million apartment, that means bringing about AED 200,000 up front, plus the buying fees.

In 2026, home loans in Dubai generally fall between 3.99% to over 6%. With a 25-year loan of AED 800,000 at around 5%, monthly payments are roughly AED 4,700. That number looks very familiar to anyone already paying rent for an apartment for rent in Dubai, which is why many long-term renters start to consider buying. When the monthly cost feels close, owning a place starts to make more sense than renewing another lease.

Off-Plan vs Ready Apartments

A large share of Dubai’s apartment sales now comes from off-plan homes. These attract buyers mainly because of how the payments work. Developers price them a little lower and spread the cost out over time, sometimes starting with just 10-20% up front.

Many buyers want keys straight away, rental income from day one, or a home they could move into without waiting. Such buyers keep the ready apartment market active and liquid. However, about two out of every three apartment purchases in 2025 were for off-plan units.

The table below shows how many off-plan transactions there were in 2025 compared to ready properties.

Source: Property Monitor

One route suits buyers who are happy to wait and pay gradually. The other fits those who want the keys straight away and rental income from day one. Tenant demand supports both, which is why off-plan and ready apartments sell side by side across Dubai.

betterhomes Performance Insights (2025)

Looking at betterhomes transactions gives a clear picture of how buyers behaved in 2025. It shows what people were willing to pay, which property types they focused on, and where apartment deals kept happening throughout the year.

Average apartment selling price: AED 2M (+13%)

Communities leading apartment transactions: Dubai Marina, Jumeirah Village Circle, JLT

Average apartment rent: AED 140,000 (+4%)

Areas with the strongest apartment price growth: Motor City, Living Legends, Jumeirah Village Triangle, Al Furjan, and Town Square.

Most new apartment completions: Jumeirah Village Circle, Arjan, Business Bay, and Sobha Hartland.

Looking ahead, apartments will remain the bulk of new supply. Nearly 81,000 apartment units are expected to be completed in 2026, with the highest concentration again in Dubai South, Jumeirah Village Circle, and Business Bay.

Conclusion

Buying an apartment in Dubai rarely comes down to a single number. It comes from seeing how the pieces fit together. The home's price, fees, monthly payments, and what similar places rent for all shape the real cost. When those numbers make sense together, the idea of owning starts to feel real. It is usually the point where paying rent stops feeling right and paying for a place of your own begins to feel like the better move. In a city where apartments keep changing hands and new tenants keep arriving, knowing the true cost makes it much easier to decide what works.

For a wider view of how apartment prices, buyer demand, and transaction volumes shaped up across the city, betterhomes’ Yearly 2025 Dubai property market report provides in-depth context on what drove market activity in 2025.