Comparison of service charges for apartments vs villas in Dubai
Service charges are recurring fees attached to residential property ownership in Dubai. Homeowners must pay service charges in Dubai to maintain and keep residential properties. These charges cover a variety of property management expenses and are different for each type of residential property. Evaluating the prospects of buying residential property in Dubai? Make sure you go through our comprehensive comparison of service charges for apartments vs villas in Dubai.
COMPREHENSIVE COMPARISON OF SERVICE CHARGES FOR APARTMENTS VS VILLAS IN DUBAI
Service charges in Dubai are applicable to all types of properties. These recurring fees are charged on a square foot basis and can range anywhere between AED 3 and AED 30 or sometimes even more.
To compare service charges for popular areas in the city, let’s first compare the applicable recurring service charges for apartments vs villas in Dubai
All of the amounts mentioned below have been extracted for the comparison of service charges for apartments vs villas in Dubai are from the Dubai service charges index portal on the official website of the Dubai Land Department.
AFFORDABLE COMMUNITIES
This comparison of service charges for apartments vs villas in Dubai is for affordable areas.
DAMAC HILLS 2
DAMAC Hills 2 is a project of DAMAC Properties with the sole focus on promoting the idea of a self-sustained community with a green lifestyle. The properties in the area are surrounded by landscaped parks and gardens. The service charges for villas in DAMAC Hills 2 Acuna are as follows.
General Fund | Rate (AED per square feet) |
|---|---|
General Fund Services | Rate (AED per square feet) 0.23 |
General Fund Maintenance | Rate (AED per square feet) 0.38 |
General Fund Improvement | Rate (AED per square feet) 0.06 |
General Fund Utilities Services | Rate (AED per square feet) 0.02 |
General Fund Management Services | Rate (AED per square feet) 0.51 |
General Fund Master Community | Rate (AED per square feet) 3.13 |
General Fund Reserved Fund | Rate (AED per square feet) 0.23 |
General Fund Total | Rate (AED per square feet) 5.05 |
JUMEIRAH VILLAGE CIRCLE
Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC) is a master community project by Nakheel. The area is a sought-after by renters and buyers alike because of its lush green spaces and a range of top-notch amenities. Let’s have a look at the service charges for villas for sale in Diamond Views 1, JVC.
General Fund | Rate (AED per square feet) |
|---|---|
General Fund Services | Rate (AED per square feet) 4.16 |
General Fund Maintenance | Rate (AED per square feet) 2.79 |
General Fund Utilities Services | Rate (AED per square feet) 2.56 |
General Fund Management Services | Rate (AED per square feet) 1.10 |
General Fund Insurance | Rate (AED per square feet) 0.29 |
General Fund Master Community | Rate (AED per square feet) 0.89 |
General Fund Improvement | Rate (AED per square feet) 0.35 |
General Fund Income | Rate (AED per square feet) -0.43 |
General Fund Reserved Fund | Rate (AED per square feet) 1.07 |
General Fund Total | Rate (AED per square feet) 9.19 |
- 4 BEDS
- |
- 5 BATHS
- |
- 2283 SQFT
- 4 BEDS
- |
- 5 BATHS
- |
- 1706 SQFT
- 2 BEDS
- |
- 4 BATHS
- |
- 2032 SQFT
- 4 BEDS
- |
- 6 BATHS
- |
- 2754 SQFT
- 4 BEDS
- |
- 5 BATHS
- |
- 1678 SQFT
- 3 BEDS
- |
- 3 BATHS
- |
- 2599 SQFT
- 4 BEDS
- |
- 5 BATHS
- |
- 2008 SQFT
- 4 BEDS
- |
- 6 BATHS
- |
- 1678 SQFT
- 4 BEDS
- |
- 6 BATHS
- |
- 4346 SQFT
LUXURY COMMUNITIES
Next, we compare apartment vs villa service charges in Dubai for luxury communities.
ARABIAN RANCHES
One of the most popular villa communities in Dubai, Arabian Ranches is known for its luxurious homes and well-appointed sub-communities. Here’s the amount of service charges you have to pay for villas in Al Reem 1.
General Fund | Rate (AED per square feet) |
|---|---|
General Fund Services | Rate (AED per square feet) 0.72 |
General Fund Maintenance | Rate (AED per square feet) 0.42 |
General Fund Utilities Services | Rate (AED per square feet) 2.56 |
General Fund Insurance | Rate (AED per square feet) 0.01 |
General Fund Master Community | Rate (AED per square feet) 1.31 |
General Fund Reserved Fund | Rate (AED per square feet) 0.38 |
General Fund Total | Rate (AED per square feet) 2.81 |
PALM JUMEIRAH
The largest manmade island in the world, Palm Jumeirah is famous in Dubai for its aesthetic views and luxurious properties. The area offers a variety of properties including beachfront villas and flats. The service charges for XXII Carat Club Villas, the opulent community in Palm Jumeirah are as follows.
General Fund | Rate (AED per square feet) |
|---|---|
General Fund Services | Rate (AED per square feet) 2.42 |
General Fund Maintenance | Rate (AED per square feet) 5.29 |
General Fund Utilities Services | Rate (AED per square feet) 3.47 |
General Fund Management Services | Rate (AED per square feet) 2.84 |
General Fund Insurance | Rate (AED per square feet) 0.19 |
General Fund Master Community | Rate (AED per square feet) 4.76 |
General Fund Reserved Fund | Rate (AED per square feet) 0.53 |
General Fund Total | Rate (AED per square feet) 19.50 |
SERVICE CHARGES FOR APARTMENT COMPLEXES
Let’s now look at how the service charges for apartments in Dubai compare with villas. Again, for the comparison, we will observe the service charges in Dubai for the four most popular areas for buying apartments in the emirate.
AFFORDABLE COMPLEXES
Our next section of comparison of service charges between flats and villas in Dubai starts with affordable communities.
JUMEIRAH VILLAGE CIRCLE
Being one of the most sought-after district for buying apartments in Dubai, Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC) offers an impressive portfolio of properties. Within the community, people prefer the apartments for sale in Aria Residence. The service charges for a flat in this complex are listed below.
General Fund | Rate (AED per square feet) |
|---|---|
General Fund Services | Rate (AED per square feet) 3.49 |
General Fund Maintenance | Rate (AED per square feet) 4.01 |
General Fund Utilities Services | Rate (AED per square feet) 4.15 |
General Fund Management Services | Rate (AED per square feet) 0.75 |
General Fund Insurance | Rate (AED per square feet) 0.10 |
General Fund Master Community | Rate (AED per square feet) 0.86 |
General Fund Reserved Fund | Rate (AED per square feet) 1.00 |
General Fund Total | Rate (AED per square feet) 14.36 |
DUBAI SILICON OASIS
Dubai Silicon Oasis or DSO, is a suburban community in Dubai. The area offers a free trade zone to facilitate companies operating in the technology park. If you’re looking for a holistic lifestyle, this area will tick all boxes. With multiple residential buildings, DSO offers affordable apartments for both families and singles. Let’s look at the service charges for flats in Axis Residence 1.
General Fund | Rate (AED per square feet) |
|---|---|
General Fund Services | Rate (AED per square feet) 2.02 |
General Fund Maintenance | Rate (AED per square feet) 4.03 |
General Fund Utilities Services | Rate (AED per square feet) 3.26 |
General Fund Management Services | Rate (AED per square feet) 0.72 |
General Fund Insurance | Rate (AED per square feet) 0.56 |
General Fund Master Community | Rate (AED per square feet) 1.17 |
General Fund Reserved Fund | Rate (AED per square feet) 1.37 |
General Fund Total | Rate (AED per square feet) 13.13 |
LUXURY COMPLEXES
Next in our analysis of service charges for apartments vs villas in Dubai, we look at luxury apartment complexes.
DUBAI MARINA
A hotspot for property buyers in search of upscale apartments in Dubai, the Dubai Marina district has an excellent collection of high-end residential towers. Look at the service charges payable for owning an apartment in Trident Bayside.
General Fund | Rate (AED per square feet) |
|---|---|
General Fund Services | Rate (AED per square feet) 2.60 |
General Fund Maintenance | Rate (AED per square feet) 5.02 |
General Fund Improvement | Rate (AED per square feet) 0.37 |
General Fund Utilities Services | Rate (AED per square feet) 5.99 |
General Fund Management Services | Rate (AED per square feet) 1.00 |
General Fund Insurance | Rate (AED per square feet) 0.85 |
General Fund Master Community | Rate (AED per square feet) 0.41 |
General Fund Income | Rate (AED per square feet) -0.01 |
General Fund Reserved Fund | Rate (AED per square feet) 0.48 |
General Fund Total | Rate (AED per square feet) 16.71 |
- 2 BEDS
- |
- 3 BATHS
- |
- 1652 SQFT
DOWNTOWN DUBAI
Also on this list for Dubai service charges comparison is Downtown Dubai. Again, like Dubai Marina, Downtown specialises in luxury apartments with choices ranging from smaller studios to lavish penthouses. Apartments for sale in Burj Views, Downtown Dubai, are particularly popular among buyers. The breakup for their Dubai Land Department service charges is listed below.
General Fund | Rate (AED per square feet) |
|---|---|
General Fund Services | Rate (AED per square feet) 2.37 |
General Fund Maintenance | Rate (AED per square feet) 2.66 |
General Fund Improvement | Rate (AED per square feet) 0.22 |
General Fund Utilities Services | Rate (AED per square feet) 3.84 |
General Fund Management Services | Rate (AED per square feet) 1.25 |
General Fund Insurance | Rate (AED per square feet) 0.60 |
General Fund Master Community | Rate (AED per square feet) 1.62 |
General Fund Income | Rate (AED per square feet) -0.07 |
General Fund Reserved Fund | Rate (AED per square feet) 0.49 |
General Fund Total | Rate (AED per square feet) 12.98 |
APARTMENT VS VILLA – SERVICE CHARGES IN DUBAI
This comparison of service charges in Dubai clearly shows that the average recurring service fee for apartments is generally higher than that of villas for buying in Dubai. The higher recurring fee for apartments is mainly because most residential buildings in Dubai come with additional facilities – like swimming pools, gyms, elevators and more – that need constant maintenance and upkeep of common areas.
However, when you compare property sizes, the lower service charges per square foot can add up to a substantial amount for villas. So it’s best to do the maths before making a long term investment. Apartment or villa service charges in Dubai cannot be ignored.
FAQS ABOUT SERVICE CHARGES IN DUBAI
WHICH AREAS IN DUBAI OFFER AFFORDABLE FLATS?
The most popular areas to rent affordable apartments in Dubai are International City, Dubai South, Dubai Production City and Al Warsan.
WHICH AREAS HAVE THE MOST AFFORDABLE VILLAS IN DUBAI?
Mirdif and DAMAC Hills 2 are the top areas to rent affordable villas in Dubai. Both communities offer a variety of facilities to make life easier for its residents.
WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT THE DUBAI LAND DEPARTMENT (DLD)?
Read our guide to learn about the functionalities of the Dubai Land Department.
And that sums up our guide to Dubai service charges comparison. Service charges for apartments and villas are a significant expense and should be considered in the decision-making process.
We hope you found the information you were looking for. Before you invest in real estate, it’s best to weigh the pros and cons of buying a property in Dubai.
You might also want to get a clear idea of the cost of investing in Dubai property prior to making your decision. It also helps to familiarise yourself with the legal steps of buying a property in Dubai.
