The advertised price is never the full story. On top of what you pay for the property itself, there is a set of one-off government and service fees, and the biggest of them is the Dubai Land Department (DLD) fee. Here is what it really costs to buy in Dubai in 2026, with a worked example so you can budget properly.
The DLD fee, the big one
The main cost is the DLD transfer fee, which is 4% of the purchase price, plus a small admin fee of around AED 580 for an apartment. You pay it to the Dubai Land Department to register the property in your name. On a home priced at AED 1,000,000, that is AED 40,000 plus the admin fee.
Registration and title fees
There are a few smaller government fees on top:
- Property registration or trustee fee, usually around AED 2,000 for homes under AED 500,000 or AED 4,000 for anything above that, plus 5% VAT.
- Title deed issuance, roughly AED 250.
- For off-plan, an interim registration called Oqood is recorded with the DLD.
Agency commission, mostly on resale
If you buy a ready or resale property through a broker, you usually pay an agency commission of 2% of the price plus 5% VAT. Buy off-plan directly from the developer, as you would with TownX, and there is normally no buyer’s commission at all. That is one quiet saving of buying new.
If you are using a mortgage
Financing adds a few more costs:
- Mortgage registration fee, which is 0.25% of the loan amount plus about AED 290.
- Bank arrangement or processing fee, usually around 1% of the loan plus VAT.
- Property valuation, roughly AED 2,500 to AED 3,500 plus VAT.
A worked example (AED 1,000,000, bought off-plan direct)
- DLD fee (4%): AED 40,000
- DLD admin fee: about AED 580
- Registration or trustee fee: about AED 4,000 plus VAT
- Title deed: about AED 250
- Agency commission: AED 0, because you are buying direct from the developer
- Total one-off costs: roughly AED 45,000, or about 4.5% of the price
Buy the same home ready and through an agent, and you would add roughly 2% plus VAT in commission, which pushes the total closer to 6.5% or 7%. Treat these as a guide and confirm the exact figures for your own purchase.
Costs after you move in
Once you own the home there are ongoing charges to plan for:
- Service charges, an annual fee per square foot that covers the upkeep of the building and its facilities. The rate varies by community and project.
- Cooling (chiller) charges, and a DEWA deposit for utilities.
Factoring these in keeps your rental yield maths honest.
Why off-plan can cost less to get into
Because off-plan is bought straight from the developer, there is usually no agency commission, and some developers offer to waive or discount the DLD fee as a launch incentive, so it is always worth asking. Put that together with a staged payment plan and you need noticeably less cash to get started than you would buying ready.
Buying with TownX
TownX sells its off-plan apartments directly, so you pay no buyer’s commission, and the team can talk you through every cost line for a specific unit. Take a look at current projects like Ashley Hills in Arjan and 11 Hills Park in Dubai Science Park, or read our guide to the best off-plan investments in Dubai 2026. If you are investing at the AED 2 million level, the same purchase can also count toward a UAE Golden Visa; see our guide to the Golden Visa through Dubai property.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the DLD fee in Dubai? The DLD transfer fee is 4% of the purchase price, plus a small admin fee of around AED 580 for an apartment.
What are the total fees to buy property in Dubai? For a cash off-plan purchase, budget roughly 4.5% of the price in one-off fees. Buying ready through an agent adds about 2% plus VAT in commission, taking the total closer to 6.5% or 7%.
Do you pay agency commission on off-plan property? Usually not. Buying off-plan directly from the developer normally means there is no buyer’s commission.
What are service charges in Dubai? An annual fee charged per square foot to cover the upkeep of a building and its facilities. The rate varies by community and project.
Can DLD fees be reduced? Some developers offer to waive or discount the DLD fee as a launch incentive on off-plan units, so it is worth asking about current offers.
Want a full cost breakdown for a specific apartment? Talk to the TownX team.