Rental yield calculator for property in Dubai
How much rent is left after all costs? Enter the purchase price and the rent – the calculator shows you the buying costs, the gross and net rental yield and, if you like, the cash flow with a mortgage.
Your result
Where your rent goes
Off-plan: rent only comes in after handover. Until then, you pay according to the developer’s payment plan.
Short-term letting requires a holiday home permit from the Department of Economy and Tourism.
Buying costs
Investment
With a mortgage
We run the numbers with real data for the property you have in mind – rent, service charges and developer included.
How the rental yield calculator works
The gross rental yield is the annual rent divided by the purchase price. It is useful for a quick comparison but says little about what actually ends up with you.
The net rental yield is more meaningful: from the annual rent we deduct management and vacancy, the service charges and other costs, and divide the result by the total investment – the purchase price plus buying costs.
The calculator works out the buying costs exactly as our guide to buying costs for property in Dubai: 4% registration fee for the Dubai Land Department, AED 4,200 for the Registration Trustee, AED 520 for the title deed and fees and, for ready properties, 2% agent commission plus VAT. For off-plan purchases, the developer pays the commission.
With a mortgage, you also see the monthly instalment, the cash flow after it and the return on equity. Note: banks may not finance the buying costs – they come on top of your equity.
What matters for rental yield in Dubai
- Service charges: They vary considerably from project to project and help decide how much of the rent is left. Check them before you buy.
- Long-term or short-term: Holiday letting often brings more rent, but also more work, higher management costs and fluctuating occupancy.
- No property tax: If you let the property, the 5% housing fee on the rental value is paid by your tenant, not by you.
- Taxes at home: There is no personal income tax in the UAE. Whether your country of residence taxes the rent is something to clarify with your tax adviser.
FAQ
What is a good rental yield in Dubai?
That depends on the location, the property and how you let it. More important than a high gross yield is what is left after service charges, vacancy and management – exactly what the net rental yield shows you.
Where do I get a realistic rent?
The Dubai Land Department’s rental index shows typical rents by area and apartment size. For a specific property, we check comparable leases that have actually been signed.
Is capital growth included?
No. The calculator only shows the ongoing return from the rent. Possible capital growth comes on top when you sell, but it is not guaranteed.
Updated: October 2026. Example calculation without guarantee. Taxes in your country of residence, furnishing and capital growth are not included; the exchange rate is an approximation.
