Dubai Service Charge Index | AED per sqft by Community

Dubai service-charge index by community

What owners pay in annual service charges across Dubai communities — AED per square foot per year, from official owners-association (Mollak) filings. The recurring cost of holding a home, before mortgage or rent.

AED 14.84

Median service charge

per sqft / year

AED 29

Highest

Burj Khalifa District

AED 1

Lowest

Communities · 2023

#	Community	AED / sqft	Range	YoY	Buildings
1	Burj Khalifa District	AED 29	16–40	+13.7%	15
2	Bluewaters Island	AED 28	28–28	+6.5%	1
3

Community

AED / sqft

Burj Khalifa District

AED 29

Bluewaters Island

AED 28

What a service charge is — and why it matters

In Dubai, every freehold apartment or villa in a managed development pays an annual service charge to its owners association — the pooled fund that keeps the building and community running: security, cleaning, chilled water for the AC, lifts, pool and gym upkeep, insurance, and a reserve fund for big future repairs. It is billed in AED per square foot per year and set through the Mollak system, which every RERA-approved community must file through.

It matters because it is the recurring cost of holding a home, separate from your mortgage or rent. On a 1,000 sqft apartment, AED 15/sqft is AED 15,000 a year — every year you own it. For a landlord it comes straight off your rental yield; for an owner-occupier it is a running cost to budget; for a buyer comparing two towers, it can be the difference that tips a decision.

How to read the table

AED / sqftThe median annual charge across all priced buildings in that community — a robust middle value, not skewed by one luxury tower.

RangeThe lowest to highest building charge in the community — a wide range means it depends heavily on which tower you buy in.

YoYChange versus the prior year. Rising charges (shown in red) mean a higher holding cost over time.

BuildingsHow many buildings were priced — more buildings means a more reliable community median.

Rule of thumb

Across Dubai the typical service charge is around AED 14.84/sqft. Mid-market communities (JVC, Dubai Marina, JLT) sit near AED 12–18; premium districts (Downtown, Palm Jumeirah) run AED 20–30+ for the extra amenities and prime-location upkeep. A charge well below its neighbours can signal deferred maintenance as often as a bargain.

Figures are community-level medians from official 2023 Mollak filings and are indicative — always confirm the exact service charge for a specific unit before you buy. This is general market information, not financial or investment advice.

Dubai service-charge index by community

Annual service charge by community

What a service charge is — and why it matters

How to read the table