Service charges on Dubai properties run from about AED 3 to AED 30 per square foot a year, and you work out your own bill with one sum: the size of your unit in square feet, multiplied by the rate RERA has approved for your building.
A 1,000 sq ft apartment in a building approved at AED 15 per sq ft pays AED 15,000 a year, usually billed quarterly. Figures current as of September 2026.
A service charge is the yearly fee every owner in a shared building or gated community pays to the owners association for running the parts of the property that everyone uses: lobbies, lifts, corridors, pools, gyms, security, cleaning, landscaping, building insurance and a reserve for future repairs. It is set per square foot of your unit, approved by RERA, the Real Estate Regulatory Agency of the Dubai Land Department, and it is the owner's bill, not the tenant's.
It is not the same as your DEWA bill for electricity and water inside your home, and it is not a property management fee. Those are separate costs, covered further down this page.
| Type of building | Typical rate per sq ft | What the money goes on |
|---|---|---|
| Simple mid market apartment block | AED 3 to AED 12 | Cleaning, lifts, security, insurance, the sinking fund |
| Building with a pool, gym and concierge | AED 12 to AED 20 | The above plus leisure facilities and more staff |
| Prime and branded towers | AED 20 to AED 30 and above | Full service operation, valet, extensive common areas |
Downtown Dubai carries the highest charges in the city, averaging around AED 21 per sq ft, and individual towers there go well past AED 30. The range is wide because you are not paying for your flat, you are paying a share of the building around it.
Every registered building has a rate approved by RERA and published in the Dubai Land Department's service charge index. The index is the number that matters: an owners association cannot simply invoice whatever it likes, and a bill that does not match the approved rate is worth questioning before you pay it.
Look up the building by name in the DLD service charge index, take the approved rate per square foot, and multiply it by your unit's built up area as written on your title deed. Use the built up area, not the usable floor space, because that is the figure the charge is calculated on.
The index is published by the Dubai Land Department, and the same figures can be looked up through the DLD's Dubai REST app. You choose the master community and the building, and the index shows the approved rate per square foot for each type of unit, with the budget broken down by category. Our guide on the DLD, RERA and the Dubai REST app explains which body does what, and how to check service charges before you buy walks through the questions to ask alongside the index.
Because the charge follows the building, not the flat. A 1,000 sq ft unit in a tower with a pool, a gym, a concierge desk and two lifts costs far more to run than the same 1,000 sq ft in a walk up with a cleaner. The second reason is the sinking fund, the reserve for replacing lifts, chillers and roofs. Buildings that fund it properly charge more now and hit owners with fewer emergency levies later.
Apartments carry the widest spread of service charges in Dubai, because two towers in the same street can offer completely different levels of service. As a guide, using the ranges above:
Within any one community, the rate is set building by building. Always ask for the approved rate for the exact tower, not the community average. If you searched for Dubai Properties, the developer behind communities such as Jumeirah Beach Residence and Arjan, its buildings follow exactly the same rules: the owners association submits a budget, RERA approves a rate, and the rate appears in the index.
Our guide to why service charges vary between buildings explains the gaps in more detail.
The service charge pays for the shared parts of the building. Maintenance inside your own apartment is a separate cost that the owner pays directly. Budget for:
If the flat is let, who pays for which repair is set by the tenancy contract. Our guide to maintenance in a Dubai rental covers the usual split between landlord and tenant.
Prime and branded towers sit at the top of the scale, at AED 20 to AED 30 per sq ft and above. In Downtown Dubai, individual towers go well past AED 30. The reasons are what you would expect: a full hotel style service operation, valet parking, concierge, extensive common areas and, in branded residences, the operator's own service standards.
Because these units are large, the yearly bill grows quickly. A 3,000 sq ft apartment at AED 30 per sq ft pays AED 90,000 a year, before chiller or utilities. That is why, at the top of the market, the service charge deserves as much scrutiny as the purchase price. Ask what the operator's services include, whether the charge covers chilled water, and how the reserve fund is set. Our guide to luxury property in Downtown Dubai covers the towers where these charges are most common.
These two are often confused, and they are paid to different people for different things.
| Service charge | Property management fee | |
|---|---|---|
| Paid to | The owners association, through its management company | The agency you hire to manage your own unit |
| Pays for | The shared parts of the building or community | Finding and managing a tenant, collecting rent, arranging repairs inside your unit |
| How it is set | Per square foot, approved by RERA | Usually 5 to 8 percent of annual rent on a long term let, or a flat fee |
| Optional? | No, every owner pays it | Yes, you choose whether to use a manager |
A property manager does not pay your service charge for you unless you have agreed that they will. See what property management costs in Dubai for the detail.
The sum is always the same: built up area in sq ft × approved rate per sq ft = the yearly charge. Divide by four for the usual quarterly bill. The rates below are examples; use the approved rate for your own building.
| Home | Built up area | Example rate | Yearly charge | Each quarter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio in a mid market block | 450 sq ft | AED 12 | AED 5,400 | AED 1,350 |
| 2 bedroom flat with pool and gym | 1,200 sq ft | AED 18 | AED 21,600 | AED 5,400 |
| 4 bedroom villa in a gated community | 3,000 sq ft | AED 5 | AED 15,000 | AED 3,750 |
Check the area on your title deed, not the marketing brochure: the charge follows the registered built up area.
A villa owner usually pays two separate things. The first is the community service charge, for the roads, landscaping, security and shared facilities of the gated community, calculated the same way as above. The second is everything inside the plot, which the owner pays for directly: air conditioning servicing, the garden, the pool, the roof and exterior paint. The first is predictable and billed; the second depends on the age and size of the house, so budget for it separately.
Owners outside the UAE pay the same way as owners in Dubai: to the owners association's management company, whose approved budget sits in the Dubai Land Department's Mollak system. Bills arrive by email and can be paid online or by bank transfer, so you do not need to be in the country. If you let the property, the charge stays with you as the owner, not the tenant, and it is worth building it into the rent you ask. Our property management page covers what else changes when you own from abroad.
For the rules behind the bill, see owners associations and service charges and how to read the service charge index.
A one bedroom flat let at AED 90,000 a year with a service charge of AED 15,000 earns AED 75,000 before any other cost, a sixth less than the headline rent. Work out the net figure before you buy, not after: rental yields by community shows what is left after running costs.
Service charges and maintenance fees are annual payments made by property owners to cover the costs associated with maintaining and managing common areas and shared facilities within a development. These fees ensure that the community remains well-maintained, safe, and enjoyable for all residents.
Common areas and facilities typically include:
In Dubai, service charges are calculated on a per-square-foot basis and can vary significantly depending on the location, type of property and the level of amenities offered. The charges are typically outlined by the developer or the property management company responsible for the development.
The Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA), a division of the Dubai Land Department (DLD), oversees the regulation of service charges. RERA ensures that these charges are fair and transparent. The agency requires all developers and management companies to submit their service charge proposals for approval before implementing them.
Once approved, these charges are published on the RERA Service Charge Index, allowing property owners to compare fees across different developments. It’s important to check this index to ensure that the charges you’re paying align with RERA-approved rates.
These fees cover the maintenance of large common areas and shared facilities within a master community, such as parks, roads and security. Examples of master communities include Dubai Marina and Emirates Living.
These are specific to individual buildings and cover the maintenance and management of common areas within the building itself. This includes corridors, lobbies, elevators and building-specific facilities like gyms and pools.
Utility charges may also be included in your service fees, covering communal utility expenses like water and electricity used in common areas.
A portion of your service charges may be allocated to a sinking fund, which is a reserve fund used for major repairs or upgrades in the future. This ensures that there is enough money available to cover significant maintenance costs without requiring additional payments from property owners.
Several factors can influence the amount of service charges you pay:
Property Size
Larger properties typically incur higher service charges due to the greater demand for maintenance and management.
Facilities and Amenities
Developments with more amenities, such as multiple swimming pools, gyms and landscaped gardens, tend to have higher service charges to cover the increased maintenance costs.
Location
Prime locations with high demand, such as Downtown Dubai or Palm Jumeirah, often have higher service charges compared to less central areas.
Developer and Management Quality
The reputation and quality of the developer or property management company can also impact service charges. Well-maintained developments managed by reputable companies may command higher fees due to the level of service provided.
Service charges are essential for maintaining the quality and value of your property. A well-managed development with regular maintenance and high standards of upkeep ensures that the property remains attractive to residents and potential buyers alike.
Neglecting maintenance can lead to a decline in property values, making it harder to sell or rent your property in the future.
Additionally, service charges contribute to creating a pleasant and secure living environment, which is particularly important in Dubai’s luxury developments where residents expect high standards of living.
Failing to pay service charges can lead to serious consequences, including:
Legal Action
The property management company can take legal action against delinquent owners, leading to penalties or even the possibility of foreclosure.
Restrictions
Non-payment may result in restrictions on using shared facilities and amenities, affecting your quality of life.
Decline in Property Value
If service charges are not paid, the overall maintenance of the community can suffer, leading to a decline in property values and attractiveness to future buyers or tenants.
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Between about AED 3 and AED 30 per square foot a year. Simple apartment blocks sit at the bottom of that range, buildings with pools and gyms in the middle, and prime or branded towers at the top. Downtown Dubai averages around AED 21 per sq ft.
Multiply your unit size in square feet, as written on the title deed, by the rate RERA has approved for your building. A 1,000 sq ft flat at AED 15 per sq ft pays AED 15,000 a year.
In the Dubai Land Department service charge index, which publishes the RERA approved rate per square foot for every registered building. If an invoice does not match the approved rate, ask the owners association to explain it before paying.
The owner. It is a cost of ownership and is not passed to a tenant on a standard Dubai tenancy contract, which is why it needs to come out of your rental yield when you work out what a unit really returns.
The owners association can pursue the debt and, in serious cases, block the sale of the unit until the arrears are cleared. Unpaid charges follow the property, so always check for arrears before buying.
Yes. Villa owners pay a community service charge for the roads, security, landscaping and shared facilities of their community, and pay for maintenance inside their own plot, such as air conditioning, the garden and the pool, directly.
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TRPE Real Estate is a company registered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Trade License No. 999314 · RERA ORN 28357 · Office 1201, Ascott Park Place, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai. Regulated by the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA).
