Building data · reviewed May 2026
Dubai service charges, building by building
Service charges are the annual owner fees that fund a building's maintenance, cooling, security and reserve fund — quoted in AED per sqft per year and set through the Owners Association budget under RERA oversight. Across the 7 buildings REAISALE has profiled, the latest charges run from AED 18 to AED 38/sqft/year — with the multi-year trajectory per building below, numbers most buyers only discover after purchase.
Statistics summary
- Buildings profiled
- 7
- Lowest charge in the set
- AED 18/sqft/yr (Burj Vista)
- Highest charge in the set
- AED 38/sqft/yr (One at Palm Jumeirah)
- Median across the set
- AED 24/sqft/yr
- Fastest riser (last year)
- Marina 23 (+10%)
- Data last reviewed
- May 2026
Figures from the REAISALE Building DNA registry — a profiled set, not a citywide census.
The data: actual charges per building
| Building | District | First on record | Latest | Change | Last-year YoY | City percentile* | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burj Vista | Downtown Dubai | AED 15 (2021) | AED 18 (2025) | +20% | +5.9% | 42 | Medium-high |
| Marina 23 | Dubai Marina | AED 17 (2021) | AED 22 (2025) | +29% | +10% | 62 | Medium |
| Bluewaters Residences | Bluewaters Island | AED 20 (2021) | AED 23 (2025) | +15% | +4.5% | 58 | Medium-high |
| Cayan Tower | Dubai Marina | AED 20 (2021) | AED 24 (2025) | +20% | +4.3% | 68 | Medium |
| Palm Tower | Palm Jumeirah | AED 23 (2021) | AED 26 (2025) | +13% | +4% | 72 | Medium |
| Address Residences Sky View | Downtown Dubai | AED 24 (2021) | AED 28 (2025) | +17% | +3.7% | 78 | Medium |
| One at Palm Jumeirah | Palm Jumeirah | AED 33 (2021) | AED 38 (2025) | +15% | +2.7% | 95 | Medium-high |
*City percentile: where the building's charge sits across the city (0 = cheapest, 100 = most expensive) — lower is better for buyers. Sorted by latest charge. Figures derive from OA filings and public records with the per-building confidence grade shown; each building's Building DNA page carries the full confidence breakdown and yearly history.
Typical ranges by building type
Conventional residential towers
AED 18–24 /sqft/yr
4 profiled buildings
Mixed-use towers
AED 26 /sqft/yr
1 profiled building
Branded residences
AED 28–38 /sqft/yr
2 profiled buildings
Ranges reflect the latest recorded charge across our profiled set only — they are honest observed bounds, not a citywide statistic. Branded residences carry the operating cost of the brand; that is part of what you buy.
What service charges cover, and who sets them
Every jointly-owned building in Dubai is run by an Owners Association (with a management company), which budgets annually for maintenance, district cooling of common areas, security, cleaning, insurance and the reserve — or “sinking” — fund that pays for big future works like façade and chiller replacement. The budget is approved under RERA oversight and billed to owners per sqft of their unit, typically in quarterly instalments. The charge applies whether the unit is rented, occupied or empty.
The approved rate for any building in the city can be checked on the Dubai Land Department's official service-charge index (via the Dubai REST platform) — always verify the current approved figure for a specific unit before you transact. What DLD's index does not show is the trajectory: a charge that has climbed every year tells you something about the building's operating discipline that a single number cannot. That trajectory is what the table above adds.
How charges hit your net yield
Service charges come out of the rent before anything reaches you. A real example from the table: Marina 23 carries AED 22/sqft/year (2025), so an 850 sqft apartment pays about AED 18,700 a year — against AED 100,000 of gross rent, roughly 18.7% of the income is gone before mortgage, management or maintenance. That is why two buildings with the same gross yield can deliver very different net returns. Screen units on the ranked feed, compare districts on the District Value Index, and read the full framework in the 2026 investment guide.
Coverage note: this table covers the 7 buildings REAISALE has profiled so far — a deliberately small set done properly, growing as new Building DNA pages pass review. Figures derive from OA filings and public records at the stated confidence grades (last reviewed May 2026); they are a market reference, not a quote for any specific unit. Verify the current approved charge with DLD before transacting.
Dubai service charges — FAQ
What are service charges in Dubai?
▾
Service charges are the annual fees every property owner pays for the running of the building or community: maintenance, cooling of common areas, security, cleaning, landscaping and the reserve (sinking) fund. They are quoted in AED per square foot per year, set through the Owners Association budget, and apply whether the unit is rented out or not.
How much are service charges in Dubai?
▾
Across the 7 buildings REAISALE has profiled, the latest recorded charges run from AED 18/sqft/year (Burj Vista, Downtown Dubai) to AED 38/sqft/year (One at Palm Jumeirah) — branded residences sit at the top of the range, conventional residential towers lower. This is a profiled set, not a citywide census; verify any specific building on the DLD service-charge index.
Who sets and approves service charges in Dubai?
▾
The building's Owners Association (with its management company) prepares an annual budget, which is reviewed and approved under RERA's oversight before it can be billed to owners. The approved rate for any building can be checked on the Dubai Land Department's official service-charge index (via the Dubai REST platform).
How do service charges affect rental yield?
▾
Directly — they come out of the rent before it reaches you. Example from our data: Marina 23 carries AED 22/sqft/year (2025), so an 850 sqft apartment pays about AED 18,700 a year. Against AED 100,000 of gross rent, that is roughly 18.7% of the income gone before mortgage, management or maintenance.
Can I negotiate service charges?
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No — the rate is set at building level through the approved Owners Association budget, not per unit. What you can do is let the charge shape your offer: a building with a materially higher charge must be bought at a lower price to deliver the same net yield, and a fast-rising charge trajectory is a legitimate negotiation argument.
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