Total Cost of Buying in Dubai vs Abu Dhabi
Founded 2018 · 2,500+ clients · AED 2B+ in transactions · Rated about 4.8 on Google from around 170 reviews · RERA certified (Dubai) and ADREC certified (Abu Dhabi)
The headline official transfer fee is 4% of the sale value in Dubai and typically 2% in Abu Dhabi, whether you register with ADREC on DARI or with ADGM on Al Reem or Al Maryah Island. Your actual cash outlay still depends on who the contract says must pay, and on mortgage, trustee and administration charges. The worked example below uses an AED 2 million apartment and only official, published fees.
This is an illustration as of 16 Nov 2026, not a quotation or legal advice. Confirm every line on the relevant service card and in your SPA.
What official fees apply in each emirate?
Dubai (DLD)
| Fee | Official amount | Source, as read 16 Nov 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Sale registration | 4% of the sale value, shared equally (2% + 2%) unless agreed otherwise | ECR No. 30 of 2013; DLD property sale registration; DLD initial sale / Oqood |
| Title-deed certificate | AED 250 | DLD property sale registration |
| Map (villas and apartments) | AED 250 | Same card (AED 225 for a Dubai Municipality unified map; AED 100 for land maps outside that category) |
| Knowledge + innovation | AED 10 + AED 10 | Same card; also on the Oqood card |
| Trustee (service partner) | AED 4,000 + VAT if the sale is AED 500,000 or more; AED 2,000 + VAT if less | Same card |
| Mortgage registration | 0.25% of the mortgage value | DLD mortgage registration |
| Mortgage trustee | AED 4,000 + VAT, or AED 5,000 + VAT for a provisional / Oqood mortgage | Same mortgage card |
| Oqood developer self-registration | AED 1,000 | DLD initial-sale card |
The official VAT rate that applies to trustee fees is to be confirmed on the Federal Tax Authority or u.ae at the time you pay; the DLD cards say “+ VAT” but do not print the percentage.
Abu Dhabi — ADREC / DARI
| Fee | Official amount | Source, as read 16 Nov 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Sale registration (legal range) | Not less than 1% and not more than 4%, equally divided unless agreed otherwise | Resolution No. 49 of 2018 |
| Sale registration as applied on DARI | Often 2% of the higher of the valuation or selling price; off-plan 2% of the total sale price | DARI sell-property guide; DARI off-plan registration |
| Late off-plan registration | AED 10,000 if more than 21 days after the contract date | DARI off-plan registration |
| Mortgage registration | 0.1% (1 per thousand) of the mortgage value, maximum AED 1 million per transaction | Resolution No. 49 of 2018 |
| Valuation certificate (residential) | AED 1,000 on the 2018 schedule | Same resolution, item 15 |
Abu Dhabi — ADGM (Al Reem and Al Maryah)
| Fee | Official amount | Source, as read 16 Nov 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Freehold transfer | 2% of the property value or the Registrar’s fair market value, whichever is greater, payable by the transferor (seller) | ADGM Real Property Regulations (Fees) Rules 2024 |
| Mortgage registration | 0.1% of the mortgage value | Same rules |
Worked example: an AED 2,000,000 apartment
Assumptions, all labelled:
- Sale price AED 2,000,000, which is also the valuation.
- Ready apartment (not off-plan), sale value at or above AED 500,000.
- Two Dubai columns: the legal default (buyer pays 2%) and a common contract term (buyer pays the full 4%).
- Abu Dhabi ADREC column assumes the DARI 2% fee, with a sub-line if it is split equally.
- ADGM column follows the official rule that the seller pays the 2%. If your SPA on Al Reem shifts that fee to you, add AED 40,000.
- VAT on trustee fees is shown as “plus VAT”, amount to be confirmed.
- Brokerage, developer NOC, bank valuation and service charges are excluded because they are not fixed in these official tables.
If you pay cash (no mortgage)
| Line | Dubai — buyer pays 2% | Dubai — buyer pays 4% | Abu Dhabi ADREC — buyer pays 2% | Abu Dhabi ADREC — buyer pays 1% | ADGM — official (seller pays 2%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transfer / registration | 40,000 | 80,000 | 40,000 | 20,000 | 0 (seller’s 2%) |
| Title-deed certificate | 250 | 250 | — | — | — |
| Apartment map fee | 250 | 250 | — | — | — |
| Knowledge + innovation | 20 | 20 | — | — | — |
| Trustee fee (ex-VAT) | 4,000 | 4,000 | — | — | — |
| Published buyer-side government and trustee items | 44,520 + VAT on 4,000 | 84,520 + VAT on 4,000 | 40,000 | 20,000 | 0 |
A dash means that item was not found as a published, fixed figure on the official cards we used for that registry. It does not mean the registry charges nothing else. Check the live DARI or AccessRP payment screen.
If you add a first-home expat mortgage at the 80% Central Bank cap (property of less than AED 5 million), the maximum loan is AED 1,600,000. Banks may offer less.
| Extra mortgage-registration line | Dubai | Abu Dhabi ADREC | ADGM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official percentage | 0.25% × 1,600,000 = 4,000 | 0.1% × 1,600,000 = 1,600 | 0.1% × 1,600,000 = 1,600 |
| Trustee (ex-VAT), Dubai ready title | 4,000 + VAT | Not stated as a matching fixed trustee fee on the 2018 schedule | Not stated in the fee line above |
| Knowledge + innovation + title (Dubai card) | 20 + 250 where a deed is issued | — | — |
Off-plan mortgages are capped at 50% LTV for all buyers, so the same AED 2 million unit would support a maximum loan of AED 1,000,000 under the Central Bank rules, and the percentage fees would be calculated on that lower amount. See Mortgages for expats and non-residents and the mortgage calculator.
What is not in the official tables?
Do not treat the worked example as a complete “all-in” budget. Still add, after you have confirmed them:
- Brokerage, if any, as agreed in writing.
- Developer NOC or administration fees on a resale or at handover — amounts vary and are to be confirmed with the developer.
- Bank valuation, processing and insurance if you borrow.
- First-year service charges, which you should read from the DLD Service Charge Index in Dubai, or from the Department-approved budget in Abu Dhabi. See Service charges explained.
- Late-registration penalties, including AED 10,000 on DARI if an off-plan sale is registered more than 21 days after the contract date.
Process and escrow rules are covered in Buying off-plan in Dubai and Buying off-plan in Abu Dhabi. For an ADGM unit such as Baheen Tower, use the ADGM column. For a Dubai unit such as Kaia on Dubai Islands, use the DLD column.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to buy in Abu Dhabi than in Dubai?
The headline government transfer fee is typically 4% in Dubai and 2% in Abu Dhabi or ADGM, so the official registration bill is usually lower in Abu Dhabi. Your cash outlay still depends on what the SPA says about who pays.
Does the buyer always pay Dubai’s full 4%?
No. The Resolution and the DLD service card say the 4% is shared equally unless the parties agree otherwise. Many contracts still require the buyer to pay the full 4%. Read the fee clause.
What is the official mortgage-registration fee?
In Dubai, 0.25% of the mortgage value, plus trustee and knowledge fees. In Abu Dhabi (ADREC), 0.1% of the mortgage value, capped at AED 1 million per transaction. In ADGM, 0.1% of the mortgage value.
Are agency commissions included in this comparison?
No. Brokerage fees are agreed in the brokerage contract and are not a fixed official percentage in the schedules cited here.
Do I pay the 4% twice on an off-plan Dubai purchase?
No. The DLD registration fee is 4% of the sale value, paid once when the off-plan contract is registered on Oqood. There is no second 4% when that certificate is converted to a title deed.
Which other costs should I add?
Developer NOC or administration fees, bank valuation and processing charges, first-year service charges, and moving costs. Confirm each with the developer, the bank and the official service-charge source.
Official sources (as of 16 Nov 2026)
- DLD property sale registration
- DLD initial sale / Oqood
- DLD mortgage registration
- Executive Council Resolution No. 30 of 2013
- Resolution No. 49 of 2018, on ADREC
- DARI sell-property guide and off-plan registration
- ADGM Fees Rules 2024
- CBUAE Article 3 — LTV caps used in the mortgage illustration
Last updated: 16 Nov 2026
Abdul Shakoor, Founder & CEO, Your Key — RERA certified (Dubai) and ADREC certified (Abu Dhabi)
For a fee walkthrough on a specific unit, contact Your Key, call or message +971 54 451 7999, or email main@yourkey.ae. Offices in Abu Dhabi (M01, Al Mansouri Building, Al Gheel Street, Al Danah) and Dubai (Office 17, 35th Floor, Al Saqr Business Tower, DIFC).