Dubai Rent Increase Calculator 2026

What the Dubai rent increase rules are

In Dubai, a landlord cannot raise the rent by any amount they like. The increase at renewal is linked to the official rental index run by the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA), which is part of the Dubai Land Department (DLD). The index gives an average rent for homes like yours. The further your rent is below that average, the more the landlord may increase it. If your rent is already close to the average, no increase is allowed.

The rules have two parts. First, there is a cap on the size of the increase, set by Decree No. 43 of 2013. Second, there is a time rule: the landlord must tell you at least 90 days before the contract ends. Both must be met. A correct amount with late notice is not valid, and neither is a timely notice for an amount above the cap.

This calculator works out the cap for you. It does not replace the official index, but it shows you the maths so you can check any notice you receive.

Who the rules apply to

The increase rules cover landlords and tenants of property in the Emirate of Dubai. That includes:

• Residential tenants: apartments, villas and townhouses.
• Commercial tenants, such as offices and shops, although the index data for some commercial types is more limited.
• Private landlords and public or government-linked landlords alike.
• Properties in special development zones and free zones. Article 2 of the decree names the Dubai International Financial Centre as an example.

The rules do not apply in other emirates. Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the northern emirates have their own tenancy laws. If you rent in Sharjah or Abu Dhabi, check with that emirate’s authority.

The rules are about renewals. When you sign a brand-new contract for a home you have not rented before, the rent is whatever you and the landlord agree. The cap protects people who stay.

The legal basis

Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008

This is Dubai’s main landlord and tenant law. It covers registration, rights and duties, eviction and disputes. Three parts matter most for rent increases:

• Article 13 says that when a contract ends, the parties may review its terms, including rent. If they cannot agree, the Rental Dispute Centre can decide a fair rent, taking into account the RERA criteria.
• Article 14 says a party who wants to change any term of the contract at renewal must tell the other party at least 90 days before the contract ends, unless the contract says otherwise.
• Article 10 lets RERA set the criteria for rent increases in line with economic conditions. Decree 43 is built on this power.

Decree No. 43 of 2013 Determining Rent Increase for Real Property

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum issued this decree on 18 December 2013. It came into force on the day it was issued. Article 1 sets the five bands shown in the table below. Article 3 says the average rent is the one in the Rent Index of the Emirate of Dubai approved by RERA. The decree is still in force in October 2026. We found no new law that replaces it.

The Smart Rental Index (2025): what changed and what did not

On 1 January 2025 the Dubai Land Department replaced the old RERA rental calculator with a new tool called the Smart Rental Index. Many tenants asked whether this changed the rent cap. It did not. Here is the difference.

What changed: the way the average rent is worked out. The old calculator used area-wide averages that were updated less often. The new index:

• Uses data from real Ejari-registered contracts, old and new.
• Gives each building a star rating from one to five, based on things like build quality, finishes, maintenance, services and facilities.
• Looks at location, property type and size.
• Updates more often, using artificial intelligence and live market data.

So two flats in the same area can now have different averages if one building is newer or better kept than the other. That is fairer than a single number for the whole district.

What did not change: the five increase bands in Decree No. 43 of 2013 and the 90-day notice rule. You still compare your rent to the index average and apply the same percentages. The calculator on this page uses those unchanged rules. You simply type in the average that the Smart Rental Index shows you.

One practical point. The index can move during the year. Run the official check close to your notice date and keep a screenshot, because the figure on that date is the one that supports or blocks an increase.

RERA rent increase table under Decree No. 43 of 2013

The decree jumps from “up to 10%” to “11%”. It does not say what happens to a gap such as 10.4%. Our calculator treats any gap above 10% and up to 20% as the 5% band, and so on for the other bands. If your gap falls just on a boundary, the official index result decides.

The highest possible increase at a single renewal is 20%. A notice asking for more than 20% is above the legal maximum in every case.

How to calculate the allowed rent increase

Follow these four steps. The calculator does the same.

Step 1: Find the gap between your rent and the average

The gap is measured against the average rent from the index, not against your own rent. This is how the DLD tool and the decree describe it.

Step 2: Find your band

Step 3: Apply the band to your current rent

Step 4: Check the notice

Worked examples

You can type each example into the calculator above and get the same answer.

Example 1: Two-bedroom flat, 25% below the average

Sana pays AED 60,000 a year for a two-bedroom flat in a mid-range building. The Smart Rental Index shows an average of AED 80,000. Her landlord sent a notice by email four months before the end date.

• Gap: (80,000 − 60,000) ÷ 80,000 = 25%
• Band: 21% to 30% below, so up to 10%
• Maximum increase: 60,000 × 10% = AED 6,000
• Maximum new rent: AED 66,000 a year, or AED 5,500 a month

If her landlord asks for AED 75,000, that is AED 9,000 more than the law allows.

Example 2: Small gap, small increase

Mark rents a villa for AED 85,000. The index average is AED 100,000. The gap is 15%, which falls in the 5% band. The maximum increase is AED 4,250 and the maximum new rent is AED 89,250.

Example 3: Long-term tenant, 35% below

Rizwan has lived in the same studio for years. He pays AED 65,000 and the average is now AED 100,000. The gap is 35%, so the 15% band applies. The maximum increase is AED 9,750 and the maximum new rent is AED 74,750. Notice that the landlord cannot jump straight to the market average. Rent moves toward the market step by step.

Example 4: Rent already close to the market

Grace pays AED 95,000 and the average is AED 100,000. The gap is only 5%. The law allows no increase. Her rent stays at AED 95,000 if she renews.

Example 5: Late notice

Omar pays AED 50,000 and the average is AED 100,000. The gap is 50%, which would normally allow a 20% rise to AED 60,000. But the landlord only told him 45 days before the end date. Because the 90-day notice was missed, the increase cannot apply at this renewal. Omar’s rent stays at AED 50,000 for the next term, unless his contract sets a different notice period.

Tenant rights at renewal

Here is what you can expect as a tenant when your contract is ending:

• No mid-term increase. The rent in your registered contract is fixed until the end date.
• Written notice. Any change to terms, including rent, needs notice at least 90 days before the end. Email, registered mail and notices through official systems are commonly used. Keep proof of when you received it.
• Index-backed amounts only. The increase must fit the index band. You can check it yourself on the DLD Rental Index.
• Automatic renewal. Under the law, if you stay in the property after the end date and the landlord does not object, the contract is treated as renewed for the same period or one year, whichever is less, on the same terms.
• Protection from eviction. After the contract ends, the landlord can only ask you to leave for specific reasons in Article 25 of the law. These include selling the property, the owner or a close relative moving in, or major renovation or demolition. The landlord must give you 12 months notice through a notary public or registered mail. Disagreeing about an unlawful increase is not one of these reasons.
• Maintenance. Unless the contract says otherwise, the landlord is usually responsible for major maintenance and repairs. Rent increases and maintenance are separate matters.

Landlords have rights too. They can ask for the full increase that the index supports, and they can refuse to renew for a lawful reason with proper notice. A fair renewal is easier when both sides use the same official numbers.

Ejari and why it matters

Ejari is Dubai’s official system for registering tenancy contracts. The word means “my rent” in Arabic. Every new contract and every renewal should be registered. Ejari matters for rent increases for three reasons:

• The Smart Rental Index is built from Ejari data, so registered contracts make the average more accurate.
• You need a valid Ejari to file a case at the Rental Dispute Centre.
• You need Ejari for many services, such as DEWA connections and family visa applications.

You can register through the Dubai REST app or a real estate trustee centre. As of 2026, published fee guides put online registration at about AED 178 in total and trustee centre registration at about AED 220, including knowledge, innovation and service fees. Fees change, so check the amount on the app before you pay.

The Rental Dispute Centre

If you and your landlord cannot agree, the Rental Dispute Centre (RDC) at the Dubai Land Department is the place to go. It was set up by Decree No. 26 of 2013 and handles rent cases in Dubai, so you do not go to the ordinary courts.

How the process works

1. Try to settle first. Reply to the notice in writing. Show the landlord the index result. Many cases end here.
2. File a case. You can file online through the DLD or RDC platforms or in person. You will need your Emirates ID, passport, Ejari, the title deed copy if you have it, the notice and any messages between you.
3. Translation. Proceedings are in Arabic. Documents in other languages need legal translation.
4. Mediation. A conciliator first tries to help you reach agreement.
5. Hearing. If mediation fails, the case goes to the first-instance panel, which issues a judgment.
6. Appeal. Appeals are possible in larger cases, within strict time limits.

Fees

The filing fee for a rental dispute is 3.5% of the annual rent, with a minimum of AED 500 and a maximum of AED 20,000. Small service fees are added. On an annual rent of AED 66,000 the main fee would be AED 2,310. Weigh this against the amount in dispute before you file.

Common mistakes

1. Measuring the gap against your own rent. The gap is measured against the index average. Using your own rent gives a bigger gap and a wrong band.
2. Applying the band to the average rent. The percentage is applied to your current rent, not the market figure.
3. Using a listing site as the average. Asking prices on property portals are not the official index.
4. Ignoring the date of the notice. Count back 90 days from the contract end date. A late notice blocks the increase for that renewal.
5. Not checking your building rating. Under the Smart Rental Index, your building’s star rating can change the average. Make sure you selected the correct building and unit type.
6. Signing first and checking later. Once you sign and register a renewal at a higher rent, it is harder to argue about it.
7. Forgetting the Ejari renewal. An unregistered contract weakens your position if a dispute starts.

Practical tips for tenants

• Set a reminder four months before your contract ends. Check the index then and again when any notice arrives.
• Save a screenshot or PDF of the index result with the date shown.
• Reply to any notice in writing. Be polite and refer to the decree and the index figure.
• If you want to move instead, compare the cost of a new rental with buying. Our UAE Mortgage Calculator shows monthly payments, and our Dubai Property Transfer Fee Calculator shows buying costs.
• Housing allowance often does not cover a full rent rise. Check your package with our UAE Salary Calculator.
• If you are leaving Dubai or changing jobs at the same time, plan your exit dates with the UAE Notice Period Calculator, so you do not pay rent on a home you no longer need.

To get official help, start with the Dubai Land Department. Its website and the Dubai REST app have the Rental Index, Ejari services and the Rental Dispute Centre. The DLD call centre can also explain procedures. For complex cases, speak to a lawyer licensed in Dubai.

Frequently asked questions

Disclaimer

This calculator and guide are for general information only and are not legal advice. The official Dubai Land Department Rental Index result, your contract terms and any decision of the Rental Dispute Centre take priority. Laws and fees can change. Confirm your position with the DLD or a licensed lawyer before you act.

Sources and references

Decree No. 43 of 2013 Determining Rent Increase for Real Property in the Emirate of Dubai: Dubai Legislation Portal; Law No. 26 of 2007 Regulating the Relationship between Landlords and Tenants, as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008 (Articles 10, 13, 14 and 25); Decree No. 26 of 2013 establishing the Rental Disputes Settlement Centre; Dubai Land Department Rental Index service; DLD Smart Rental Index launched January 2025, as reported by WAM and The National.