Mortgage Affordability Calculator: UAE
How much house can you afford in the UAE? Under Central Bank rules your total loan repayments can't exceed 50% of your gross income, and the loan can't exceed a set share of the property's value (80% for an expatriate's first home up to AED 5 million). Enter your income, debts, rate and term to see your limit.
Updated September 2026
1Your Income and Commitments
Monthly figures in AED. The result updates as you type.
2Loan Terms
Use the rate a bank has quoted you. We don't pre-fill a rate because they change often.
3What You Could Afford
Maximum property price
—
Maximum loan
—
Limited by the 50% debt burden rule
Monthly repayment
—
At your quoted rate, not the stressed rate
Loan limit
- 50% of gross monthly income
- AED 0
- Less existing repayments
- AED 0
- Room for a mortgage repayment
- AED 0
- Loan that repayment supports at your rate + margin
- —
- Income cap (7 × annual income)
- AED 0
- Maximum loan (lower of the two)
- —
Price and down payment
- Loan-to-value cap applied
- 80%
- Loan used
- —
- Down payment needed
- —
- Maximum property price
- —
iEnter your gross monthly income, an interest rate and a loan term to see what you could borrow.
How much house can I afford in the UAE?
The calculator applies three limits from the UAE Central Bank's mortgage regulations and uses the lowest:
- Debt burden ratio (50%). All your repayments, old and new, must fit within half of your gross monthly income. Lenders must test the new mortgage at 2 to 4 percentage points above its rate, so the calculator adds the stress margin you choose (2 points by default) before working out the loan.
- Income multiple.The loan can't exceed 7 times annual income for expatriates or 8 times for UAE nationals.
- Loan-to-value (LTV).The loan can't exceed a share of the property's value, set out below.
Max loan = lower of [ loan that (50% × income − existing repayments) pays off at rate + margin ] and [ income multiple × annual income ]
Max price = max loan ÷ LTV cap (or less, if your cash for the down payment runs out first)
UAE mortgage loan-to-value limits
| Property | Expatriates | UAE nationals |
|---|---|---|
| First home, up to AED 5 million | 80% | 85% |
| First home, over AED 5 million | 70% | 75% |
| Second home or investment | 60% | 65% |
| Off-plan (any buyer) | 50% | 50% |
Maximum loan as a share of the property's value, from Article 3 of the Central Bank's Regulations Regarding Mortgage Loans as amended in 2020. Only one property per borrower counts as a first home. The maximum term is 25 years.
Worked example
Illustrative figures only. The 4% rate is a round number to show the arithmetic, not a quoted rate. An expatriate buying a first home:
| Gross monthly income | AED 30,000 |
| 50% debt burden limit | AED 15,000 |
| Less existing repayments | − AED 3,000 |
| Room for a mortgage repayment | AED 12,000 a month |
| Loan that repays over 25 years at 4% + 2 points (6%) | AED 1,862,482 |
| Income cap: 7 × AED 360,000 | AED 2,520,000 |
| Maximum loan (lower of the two) | AED 1,862,482 |
| Down payment at 80% LTV | AED 465,621 |
| Monthly repayment at 4% | AED 9,831 |
| Maximum property price: 1,862,482 ÷ 0.8 | AED 2,328,103 |
What this affordability calculator doesn't include
- The bank's own policy. Lenders must count household spending, job security and only reliable income, and can discount bonuses. Many will lend less than these rules allow.
- Buying costs. The DLD fee, agent commission and mortgage fees come on top of the down payment. See what buying property in Dubai costs or use the buying cost calculator.
- Investment rules.For a property you will let, lenders must deduct at least two months' rent from the income they count.
- Age and retirement. Each lender sets its own maximum age at the last repayment and checks that you can still afford the loan after retirement.
To see the repayment on a specific price, use the mortgage calculator. For the full picture of how home loans work here, read the UAE mortgage guide. Buying off-plan? Read the off-plan buying guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much can I borrow for a mortgage in the UAE?
Under UAE Central Bank rules, all your loan repayments together can't exceed 50% of your gross income, tested at a rate 2 to 4 points above your loan rate. The loan also can't exceed 7 times your annual income if you are an expatriate, or 8 times for UAE nationals, and must stay within the loan-to-value cap for the property. A bank can lend less.
What is the debt burden ratio (DBR) in the UAE?
The debt burden ratio is the share of your gross salary and regular income that goes on loan repayments, including car loans, personal loans, credit cards and the new mortgage. The Central Bank's maximum is 50%, and lenders are told not to apply the maximum automatically.
How much down payment do I need to buy a home in the UAE?
The down payment is whatever the loan-to-value cap doesn't cover. For an expatriate's first home up to AED 5 million the cap is 80%, so at least 20% down; above AED 5 million it is 70%. UAE nationals can borrow 85% and 75%. Second homes are capped at 60% (expatriates) or 65% (nationals), and off-plan homes at 50% for everyone. Buying costs such as the DLD fee are extra.
What is the maximum mortgage term in the UAE?
25 years. Since a 2019 amendment, the Central Bank no longer sets a maximum age at the last repayment; each lender sets its own under its lending policy, so your age can shorten the term a bank offers.
Can I get a mortgage on an off-plan property in the UAE?
Yes, but the Central Bank caps the loan at 50% of the value for any property bought off-plan, whatever your residency or the price. Lenders must also have the owner's share paid to the developer first and release their money against confirmed construction milestones.
Sources
- UAE Central Bank Rulebook: Regulations Regarding Mortgage Loans, Article 3 (DBR, LTV, term, income multiple)
- UAE Central Bank Rulebook: Regulations Regarding Mortgage Loans, Article 2 (affordability assessment)
- UAE Central Bank: Resolution No. 31/2/2020 raising first-home LTV limits
- UAE Central Bank: Amendments to the mortgage loan regulations (maximum age abolished, 2019)
- UAE Central Bank Rulebook: Bank loans to individuals, Article 7 (50% repayment limit)
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This calculator works only from the figures you enter and is for estimation. It is not financial advice or a loan offer. Check figures with your bank, developer or management company before you commit.