Tool Letting in Dubai
Dubai rental yield calculator
Enter the price, the rent and the service charges to see what a Dubai property really returns once the costs of owning it come off.
In short
- Gross yield is the year's rent divided by the price; net yield takes off service charges, empty weeks, management and upkeep first.
- An AED 1.5M apartment let for AED 110,000 a year yields 7.3% gross and about 5.6% net, with AED 18,000 of service charges.
- Service charges are usually the largest cost, so check the building's rate on the DLD service charge index before you buy.
Net yield
5.6%
Gross yield
7.3%
Net, after buying costs
5.3%
- Annual rent
- AED 110,000
- Empty weeks
- − AED 4,231
- Service charges
- − AED 18,000
- Management (incl. VAT)
- − AED 0
- Maintenance
- − AED 3,300
- Net income a year
- AED 84,469
Net income is about AED 7,039 a month. “After buying costs” adds a resale buyer's 4% DLD fee, 2% agency fee + VAT and the trustee fee (about AED 95,700) to the price. Every buying cost explained
Gross to net
What comes off the rent before it reaches you.
- Service charges
- Billed to the owner every year, per sq ft. Usually the biggest cost, from around AED 12 to 35 per sq ft in apartment towers.
- Empty weeks
- The gap between tenants. Two to four weeks a year is a sensible allowance for a well-priced yearly let.
- Management
- Optional on a yearly let, often around 5–8% of the rent plus VAT. Holiday homes cost far more to run.
- Maintenance
- AC servicing, repairs and repainting between tenants. A few percent of the rent covers most years.
Find a building's rate in service charges explained, and the rules for tenants, deposits and rent rises in renting out your property. Comparing areas? See the best areas for buy-to-let investors, and pair this with the mortgage calculator if you're borrowing.
Indicative figures as of October 2026, not financial advice. Rents and service charges vary by building and by year; mortgage interest is not included.