Dubai Service Charge Calculator

Service charges (also called maintenance fees) are annual fees paid by property owners to cover building maintenance, security, common area upkeep, and community facilities. In Dubai, these fees apply to all properties within master-planned communities and strata-titled buildings — which includes the vast majority of apartments and many villa communities. Service charges are set annually and collected either as a lump sum or in quarterly instalments, depending on the Owners Association.

Service charges in Dubai are regulated by RERA (Real Estate Regulatory Agency) and must be used only for approved expenditure as defined in the annual budget. As a property owner, you have the right to attend Annual General Meetings (AGMs), review the building's financial statements, and vote on the service charge budget. RERA must approve any material changes to the approved budget, providing an additional layer of oversight. Non-payment of service charges can result in penalties and may prevent you from selling or refinancing your property through the Dubai Land Department.

Service charges are calculated per square foot of your property's total area — this is the built-up area (BUA) as registered with the Dubai Land Department, not just the internal living space. BUA includes walls, shared lobbies, and utility areas attributed to your unit. As a practical example: a 1,000 sq ft apartment in JVC at a rate of AED 14 per sq ft would have annual service charges of AED 14,000 (approximately AED 1,167 per month). In contrast, the same 1,000 sq ft in Downtown Dubai at AED 45 per sq ft would cost AED 45,000 per year — nearly AED 3,750 per month. This makes service charges a critical factor to evaluate when comparing properties at different price points across communities.

Example Calculation