When a client tells me their budget, I ask whether that number is the price or the cash they actually have. Those are two different things in Dubai. The price buys the apartment. The cash also has to cover roughly 7 to 8 percent in one-time fees that never show up in a listing. The mortgage calculator puts both numbers on the table before you fall in love with a unit.
What this tool does
The calculator answers the two questions every financed buyer has at the same time. First, what is the monthly payment. Second, how much cash do you need ready on day one. Most calculators show you only the payment, and that is where buyers get misled, because the day-one cash, your deposit plus every side fee, is usually far higher than people assume. This tool puts both numbers side by side so your decision rests on the real figures, not a guess.
Start with who you are
The first input is nationality, because it sets your default loan-to-value cap:
- Non-resident: 65 percent
- Resident expat: 80 percent
- UAE national: 85 percent
These are the standard Central Bank caps, and the calculator lets you override every one of them, because banks adjust for income, property value above Dh5M, and your profile. Your age matters too. UAE banks cap the tenure at the smaller of 25 years and the loan-end age minus your age, so a 38-year-old aiming to repay by 65 gets 25 years, but a 55-year-old does not.
Every input, explained
After nationality, a few inputs remain, and each one moves the result. Here is what they mean:
- Property price: the amount you agree to pay. Every percentage in the breakdown is calculated off this figure.
- Down payment percent: the share of the price you pay in cash. The default is 20 percent. The higher you set it, the smaller the loan and the monthly payment.
- Interest rate: the annual rate on the loan. The default is 3.99 percent, but your real rate depends on the bank and your profile.
- Tenure: the number of years to repay. The default is 25 years, and the ceiling, as I said, is tied to your age.
The number people forget
The defaults are a 3.99 percent rate, 20 percent down, and 25 years. Punch in your price and the right panel splits into two big numbers: the monthly payment, and the cash needed on day one. That second number is the one that saves deals. It itemizes the full fee stack:
- DLD transfer: 4 percent plus a small admin charge
- Agency: 2 percent plus VAT
- Mortgage registration: 0.25 percent of the loan plus Dh290
- Bank processing, valuation, and trustee fees
- NOC, which is often seller-paid on a resale
Worked example at Dh1.5M
Take a resident expat buying at Dh1.5M with 20 percent down. The down payment is Dh300,000. On top of that, the one-time fees land near Dh100,000: roughly Dh60,000 for the DLD, Dh31,500 for agency with VAT, plus mortgage registration, valuation, and trustee. So the real cash on day one is about Dh400,000, not Dh300,000. That extra Dh100,000 is exactly what catches buyers who only budgeted the deposit.
Common mistakes
Over the years I have watched buyers repeat the same few mistakes. Catch them early and you will not be blindsided:
- They budget only the deposit and forget the one-time fees, which add tens of thousands of dirhams to the day-one cash.
- They assume the loan cap is the same for everyone, when it is lower for a non-resident and means bringing more cash.
- They treat the 25-year tenure as fixed, when an older buyer gets a shorter term and a higher monthly payment.
- They take the default rate as the final rate, when the real rate comes from the bank and should be typed back into the tool.
Who should use it
Anyone planning to finance part of the purchase should run this tool before choosing a property. If you are still setting your budget, it tells you how high a price your cash can really reach. If you have a unit in mind, it shows you the monthly payment and the day-one cash. Even if you plan to pay all cash, the fee section is useful, because that 7 to 8 percent is fixed for every buyer.
If you are buying off-plan instead of resale, the fee timing is different and the payment is staged. I break that down in off-plan payment plans decoded. And once you know the monthly cost, run the yield calculator to see whether the rent actually covers it.
Source: UAE Central Bank LTV caps and Dubai Land Department fee schedule, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
About Dh 400,000 on day one for a resident expat with 20 percent down. The deposit is Dh 300,000, and the one-time fees add roughly Dh 100,000: about Dh 60,000 for the DLD transfer, Dh 31,500 for agency with VAT, plus mortgage registration, valuation and trustee fees. Budgeting only the deposit is exactly the mistake that catches most buyers.
Plan for roughly 7 to 8 percent of the price in one-time fees. The stack is the DLD transfer at 4 percent plus a small admin charge, agency at 2 percent plus VAT, mortgage registration at 0.25 percent of the loan plus Dh 290, and bank processing, valuation and trustee fees. The NOC is often seller-paid on a resale, and the 7 to 8 percent applies even if you buy all cash.
The standard Central Bank caps are 65 percent for a non-resident, 80 percent for a resident expat and 85 percent for a UAE national. Banks adjust for income, property value above Dh 5M and your profile, so the mortgage calculator lets you override each cap. Tenure is capped at the smaller of 25 years and the loan-end age minus your age.
Yes, age shortens the maximum tenure and raises the monthly payment. UAE banks cap the term at the smaller of 25 years and the loan-end age minus your age, so a 38 year old repaying by 65 gets the full 25 years while a 55 year old does not. Type your real rate and term back into the tool rather than trusting the defaults.