Dubai rental yield calculator
Gross and net yield with every cost line. Enter cheque frequency and your EMI to see the real monthly cash-flow pattern.
What is a good rental yield in Dubai?
As of mid 2026, ready Dubai apartments typically print 5 to 8% gross: JVC around 8.2%, Business Bay around 7.1%, Dubai Marina around 6.4%, Downtown around 5.6%. Net yield after service charge and running costs usually lands 1.5 to 2.5 percentage points lower. The calculator below computes your exact number line by line.
Basics
1, 2, 4, 6, 12 cheque options are typical in Dubai
Service charge
Optional costs
Monthly cash flow: in, out, cumulative
Cost breakdown (annual)
Where this yield sits in Dubai
How to calculate rental yield in Dubai
Gross yield is annual rent divided by the purchase price. Net yield is the same sum after you take the yearly running costs off the rent. If you only look at gross, you are counting money that never reaches you.
The calculator opens on a Dh1,500,000 unit let for Dh95,000 a year. Gross yield is 6.33%. Take off a Dh18,000 service charge and net yield is 5.13%, about Dh6,417 a month in cash flow.
Gross vs net rental yield: what each cost takes off
Same default unit. Each row takes one more cost off the rent; the last column is net yield after that cost and every row above it.
| Line | Per year | Yield after it |
|---|---|---|
| Annual rent (gross) | Dh95,000 | 6.33% |
| Service charge | Dh18,000 | 5.13% |
| Management, 7% of rent | Dh6,650 | 4.69% |
| Vacancy, 6% of rent | Dh5,700 | 4.31% |
| Maintenance, 8% of rent | Dh7,600 | 3.80% |
The costs a listing never mentions take about 2.5 percentage points off the yield here, and cut monthly cash flow from Dh6,417 to about Dh4,754. If you manage the unit yourself or have a long-term tenant, switch the rows off in the calculator.
Dubai service charges and the 25% balcony rule
Dubai service charges are levied on chargeable area, and under the approach most owner associations use, 25% of the balcony counts towards it. In per-sq-ft mode the calculator takes a 900 sq ft interior with a 120 sq ft balcony as 930 sq ft. At Dh18 per sq ft that is Dh16,740 a year, of which Dh540 is the balcony.
Rates vary a lot from building to building, and that alone separates two units at the same price. The same 930 sq ft unit at different rates:
| Service charge per sq ft | Per year | Net yield |
|---|---|---|
| Dh10 | Dh9,300 | 5.71% |
| Dh15 | Dh13,950 | 5.40% |
| Dh18 | Dh16,740 | 5.22% |
| Dh25 | Dh23,250 | 4.78% |
| Dh30 | Dh27,900 | 4.47% |
The cheapest and dearest rows are more than a full percentage point apart. Ask for the exact service charge of the unit you are buying, from the seller or the building manager, before you sign.
What is a good rental yield in Dubai in 2026?
My Dubai Rental Yield Index, July 2026 edition, puts gross yields across 12 core areas between 4.8% on Palm Jumeirah and 8.2% in Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC), with a median of 6.7%.
| Area | Gross yield |
|---|---|
| Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC) | 8.2% |
| Dubai Silicon Oasis | 8.0% |
| Dubai South | 7.8% |
| Business Bay | 7.1% |
| Dubai Marina | 6.4% |
| Arabian Ranches, villas | 5.4% |
| Palm Jumeirah | 4.8% |
On the calculator's default unit, net lands 1.2 points below gross if you only take off the service charge, and 2.5 points below once management, vacancy and maintenance are in. For your own area, enter that building's real rent and service charge.
Rent cheques and monthly cash flow
Dubai rent is usually paid in post-dated cheques, one to twelve a year, and the service charge is usually invoiced quarterly. Cash does not arrive or leave evenly, so the calculator shows it month by month.
If you bought with a mortgage, add the instalment. On the default case with a Dh6,000 monthly payment and only the service charge deducted, about Dh417 a month is left over. Switch every cost on and that turns negative.
Yield on your total cost, not just the price
The price is not the only cash that leaves you. On the same Dh1,500,000 unit bought with cash: the 4% DLD fee plus admin is Dh60,600, the 2% agency fee with VAT is Dh31,500, and the registration trustee is Dh4,200. That is Dh96,300.
Divide the Dh77,000 of net income by everything you paid, Dh1,596,300, and net yield drops from 5.13% to 4.82%. That is the honest number to set against a bank deposit rate.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average rental yield in Dubai?
In the July 2026 edition of the Dubai Rental Yield Index, gross yields across 12 core areas run from 4.8% on Palm Jumeirah to 8.2% in JVC, with a median of 6.7%. On the calculator's default unit, net is 1.2 to 2.5 points below gross.
How do you calculate gross rental yield?
Divide annual rent by the purchase price. A Dh1,500,000 unit let for Dh95,000 a year has a gross yield of 6.33%.
How do you calculate net rental yield in Dubai?
Take the yearly costs (service charge, management, vacancy and maintenance) off the rent, then divide by the price. On the default case, net is 5.13% after the Dh18,000 service charge alone and 3.80% after every cost.
How much does the service charge reduce my yield?
On the default Dh1,500,000 unit, a Dh18,000 service charge takes about 1.2 points off. At Dh10 per sq ft net yield is 5.71%; at Dh30 it is 4.47%.
What is the 25% balcony rule for service charges?
Under the approach most Dubai owner associations use, 25% of balcony area counts as chargeable area. A 120 sq ft balcony adds 30 sq ft, which at Dh18 per sq ft is Dh540 a year.
Which area in Dubai has the highest rental yield?
In the July 2026 index, Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC) has the highest gross yield at 8.2%, followed by Dubai Silicon Oasis at 8.0% and Dubai South at 7.8%.
Is a 6% rental yield good in Dubai?
A 6% gross yield is a little below the 6.7% median of the 12 core areas, and above prime areas such as Palm Jumeirah at 4.8%. Judge it on net yield, after that building's own service charge.
Should I include management and vacancy costs?
If a company manages the unit, yes. The calculator assumes 7% management, 6% vacancy and 8% maintenance, which takes the default case from 5.13% to 3.80% net.
What is yield on total cost?
Net annual income divided by everything you paid, price plus one-time buying costs. On the default case, Dh77,000 divided by Dh1,596,300 is 4.82%.
Does the number of rent cheques change the yield?
Not the annual yield, but it changes when cash arrives. Rent can come in one to twelve cheques and the service charge is invoiced quarterly, so the calculator shows cash flow month by month.