Construction Cost Calculator
An indicative build cost for a UAE project by area, specification and type, before margin. A published rate per square metre normally covers structure, envelope and basic finishes only — not preliminaries, professional fees, authority approvals, external works or fit-out beyond a basic standard, and never land. This calculator adds those separately and returns a range no tighter than 15% either side, because real tender returns on identical scope vary more than that.
Step 1 of 3
What you are building
Dubai residential is usually quoted per square foot; commercial and consultants work in square metres. The result shows both.
Step 2 of 3
Specification
Standard functional finishes and standard MEP. Mid-range better materials, some bespoke joinery. High-end imported finishes, full MEP specification. Ultra-luxury bespoke throughout, smart systems, imported stone.
A basement materially affects cost per square metre.
Step 3 of 3
What to include
Indicative build cost
AED 0
Enter your details to see the estimate.
| Breakdown | Amount |
|---|---|
| Base construction (area × rate) | — |
| Preliminaries | — |
| MEP | — |
| External works | — |
| Professional fees | — |
| Authority approvals | — |
| Contingency | — |
| Total indicative cost | — |
| Cost per sqm | — |
| Cost per sqft | — |
Calculated in your browser. Your figures never reach our servers, and nothing you type here creates a record.
This is a planning estimate for early feasibility, not a quote. A priced BOQ from a licensed contractor is the only figure to commit against. Land is excluded.
Benchmark rates are drawn from published 2025–26 UAE market commentary and are pending confirmation against a dated source. Once confirmed, this page will name the source and its date, and the rates will be reviewed every six months.
The concept
What “construction cost” includes and what it does not
Cost per square metre of built-up area is the standard way UAE construction is benchmarked, and it is useful for feasibility. It is also routinely misread.
The published rate almost always covers structure, envelope and basic finishes. It usually does not cover preliminaries, professional fees, authority approvals, external works, or fit-out beyond a basic standard — and it never covers land.
A villa quoted at “AED 400 per square foot” that arrives at AED 600 all-in has not been mis-quoted. The rate and the budget are two different numbers, and the gap between them is the six items above.
The rates
What building costs in the UAE
| Type | Standard | Mid | High-end | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Villa | ~4,200 | ~6,500 | ~9,000–11,000 | 15,000+ |
| Apartment building | ~4,300 | ~6,000 | ~9,500 | — |
| Commercial | ~5,500 | ~6,400 | ~7,300 | — |
| Fit-out only | ~1,900 | ~3,000 | ~4,800–6,500 | — |
AED per square metre of built-up area. Roughly AED 390–1,020 per sqft for villas, AED 400–880 for apartments, AED 510–680 for commercial, and AED 180–600 for fit-out.
What moves a project between tiers: material choice — local porcelain against imported marble more than doubles a floor — bathroom and kitchen count, ceiling heights, structural complexity, and basement construction. Larger builds see a lower cost per square foot from economies of scale even as total cost rises.
What this excludes
What the estimate does not cover
- Land — never included.
- Financing costs.
- Furniture, fittings and equipment beyond fixed joinery.
- Contractor margin variation — tender returns on identical scope vary widely.
- Escalation — material prices move, and a two-year build carries risk the estimate does not.
- Abnormals — poor ground conditions, difficult access, service diversions.
The range shown is never tighter than ±15%, because real tender returns on the same scope routinely vary more than that. A narrower band would imply a precision the method does not have.
Frequently asked questions
Construction cost questions
What is included in a per-square-metre rate?
Normally structure, envelope and basic finishes. It usually excludes preliminaries, professional fees, authority approvals, external works and fit-out beyond a basic standard, and it never includes land. That gap is why a rate and a budget are different numbers.
How much should I allow for contingency?
Between 5 and 15%, with 10% a common starting point. Allow more where the design is not fixed, the ground conditions are unknown, or the programme runs long enough for material prices to move.
What are preliminaries in a construction budget?
The cost of running the site rather than building anything: site setup, supervision, temporary works, welfare, security and plant. Typically 8 to 12% of the construction cost.
Why do contractor quotes vary so much on the same drawings?
Differences in how each contractor reads the specification, how they allocate preliminaries, what programme they assume, and how much risk they have priced. It is also the strongest argument for a properly priced bill of quantities.
Does this include land or financing?
No. Land, financing costs, furniture and equipment beyond fixed joinery, escalation and abnormal ground conditions are all excluded. The estimate is a construction figure, not a project budget.
Is this a quote?
No. It is a planning estimate for early feasibility. A priced bill of quantities from a licensed contractor is the only figure to commit against.