UAE Rental Yield Calculator 2026
Work out gross and net rental yield on a UAE property, accounting for service charges, other costs and vacancy.
| Gross annual rent | — |
|---|---|
| Vacancy allowance | — |
| Effective rent received | — |
| Annual costs (service + other) | — |
| Net annual income | — |
| Gross yield | — |
| Net yield | — |
In short
Gross rental yield is annual rent divided by property price. Net yield deducts service charges, maintenance and vacancy first. Dubai apartments typically return 5–8% gross; after service charges, net yields are commonly 1–2 points lower.
Who this is for: Property investors comparing Dubai and UAE units on gross and net rental yield before buying.
Gross yield vs. net yield
Gross rental yield is the simplest measure: annual rent divided by purchase price. It ignores running costs, so it overstates your real return.
Net rental yield subtracts service charges, maintenance, insurance, management fees and a vacancy allowance from the rent first, then divides by the purchase price. It gives a much more realistic picture of the return a UAE property actually delivers.
Formulas:
Gross yield = Annual rent ÷ Purchase price × 100
Net yield = (Effective rent − Service charges − Other costs) ÷ Purchase price × 100
This calculator does not include purchase-time costs (DLD transfer fee, agency commission) in the yield — use our Dubai DLD Fee Calculator to see total buying costs separately, since including one-off purchase costs in an annual yield figure would understate it.
Assumptions
- Gross yield = annual rent ÷ purchase price.
- Net yield deducts service charges, other annual costs and the vacancy percentage you enter from the rent.
- Purchase costs (DLD fee, commission) and financing costs are not included.
Worked example
Gross yield = 90,000 ÷ 1,500,000 × 100 = 6.0%
With AED 12,000 service charges, AED 5,000 other costs and 5% vacancy allowance:
Effective rent = 90,000 − 4,500 = 85,500
Net income = 85,500 − 17,000 = 68,500
Net yield = 68,500 ÷ 1,500,000 × 100 = 4.57%
Frequently asked questions
What is a good rental yield in Dubai?
Rules of thumb vary by area and property type, but net yields above 5-6% are generally considered strong for Dubai apartments; villas often run lower (3-5%) with higher capital-appreciation expectations. Compare similar properties in the same building/community rather than relying on a single city-wide average.
Should I use gross or net yield to compare properties?
Net yield, since it accounts for the real running costs that differ significantly between buildings (service charges especially vary a lot by developer and amenities).
Does this include mortgage costs?
No — this is an unleveraged (cash) yield. If you're financing with a mortgage, your cash-on-cash return will differ once you factor in interest costs.
What is a good rental yield in Dubai?
Gross yields of 5–8% are common for apartments, with villas lower. Net yield after service charges is what matters; anything under 4% net means the investment depends on capital growth.
Are service charges included in rent?
No. In Dubai the owner pays annual service charges to the owners' association; they are deducted from rent to get net yield, which is why this calculator asks for them separately.
Related calculators
Found an error? Report it — tell us the inputs, the result you got, what you expected and the rule or source. Confirmed corrections are published within a week.
Ready to build your next digital solution?
Send the brief and you get a scoped response with approach, milestones and a fixed price range. Not a sales call.
A 30-minute call with the engineer who would run your project
Within 2 business daysA written scope: approach, module breakdown, milestones, fixed price range
Within 5 business daysYou decide. No retainer, no obligation, and the scope document is yours to keep either way
Your timelineSend your brief
Three fields to start. Add project details if you have them.