Dubai Rent vs Buy Calculator
Compare renting and buying a home in Dubai over the same period. Buying counts the down payment, purchase costs, loan payments and service charges minus the equity you build; renting counts the rent you pay.
Indicative simulation only. It is not an offer, an approval or financial advice. Prices, rents, rates, costs and growth are the values you enter. Always confirm the figures with the developer, your lender and the competent authorities.
How the comparison works
Over the period you choose, the calculator adds up what each option costs you:
- Renting: the annual rent, changed each year by the rate you enter.
- Buying: down payment + purchase costs + all loan payments + service charges, minus your equity at the end (property value with your own value change assumption, minus the loan still owed).
What the result does not include
The comparison leaves out what you could earn on the down payment if you kept renting, maintenance, insurance and selling costs. Add them mentally, or adjust the inputs, before you decide. The loan-to-value cannot exceed the Central Bank of the UAE limits (80% for an expatriate buying a first home below AED 5 million).
Frequently asked questions
Which purchase costs should I include?
In Dubai, the Dubai Land Department lists a sale registration fee of 4% of the sale value, 2% for the buyer and 2% for the seller, plus fixed fees such as the AED 250 title deed. Add the agent commission and any developer fees that apply to your purchase.
Which value change should I use?
Your own assumption. The calculator contains no forecast: try 0 and a few other values to see when buying or renting comes out ahead.
Why can buying cost less than renting?
Because the equity you build, the value of the property minus the loan, is deducted from the cost of buying at the end of the period.