Using the Mortgage Calculator

The inputs that change the result

• Property Price (AED): the purchase price.
• Down Payment: enter it in AED or as a percentage; the two stay in sync. The calculator accepts down payments up to 90%.
• Loan Amount: worked out for you as price minus down payment.
• Interest Rate (%): the annual rate. Use the rate from your bank's quote.
• Loan Tenure: 5, 10, 15, 20 or 25 years. 25 years is the Central Bank maximum.

Nationality, purpose and the minimum deposit

Choose UAE National or Expatriate, and whether this is your first home or a second home or investment. The calculator then shows the minimum deposit under the Central Bank's loan-to-value limits: on a first home, 15% (nationals) or 20% (expatriates) up to AED 5 million and 25% or 30% above it; on a second home or investment property, 35% or 40%. If your deposit is lower, it warns you. The regulation has no separate category for non-residents; each bank sets its own terms and may ask for more. Off-plan purchases, where the maximum loan is 50% of the value, aren't covered.

The affordability check

Enter your monthly income and your other monthly loan repayments (car loans, personal loans, credit card minimums). The calculator adds the new mortgage payment and shows your debt burden as a share of income. The Central Bank caps total loan repayments at 50% of income, and the figure turns amber above that. Banks also test the payment at a rate 2 to 4 points higher, so leave some headroom.

What the results mean

• Monthly Mortgage Payment: the fixed monthly instalment that repays the loan with interest over the term.
• Total Interest: everything you pay above the loan amount over the full term.
• Total Payment: loan amount plus total interest.
• Amortization chart: how the total splits between principal and interest.

How the payment is calculated

The calculator uses the standard repayment (amortisation) formula: the annual rate is divided by 12 and the term converted to months, and the payment is the fixed amount that clears the loan on a reducing balance by the last month. It assumes the same rate for the whole term.

What it doesn't include

• Rate changes. Most UAE mortgages move to a variable rate after a fixed period, so real payments can differ.
• Off-plan limits and each bank's own criteria. The deposit warning covers ready property only, and banks can ask for more than the Central Bank minimum.
• Fees and costs: DLD mortgage registration (0.25% of the loan), bank fees, valuation and insurance. Use the buying cost calculator for purchase costs.

Getting a realistic answer

• Keep the down payment at or above the minimum the calculator shows. The UAE Mortgage Guide at /guides/mortgage has the full loan-to-value table.
• Run it a second time with the rate 2 to 4 points higher. Banks test affordability this way.
• Watch the debt burden figure: the new payment plus your other loan repayments must stay within 50% of your income.
• Compare terms: a shorter term raises the monthly payment but cuts the total interest.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• CBUAE Rulebook, Regulations Regarding Mortgage Loans (Circular 31/2013, as amended)
• Dubai Land Department, Mortgage registration application