What is the average Class A rent in Dubai?

Around 145 AED/sqft/yr ($39 USD) across the broader Class A index. Trophy submarkets like DIFC command 20–40% above that.

How many months of rent-free are normal in Dubai?

3 months on a 3-year deal is the standard benchmark. Lease-up product or tenants with strong covenant strength can push higher.

Are rents rising or falling in Dubai?

The Dubai Class A market is currently rising. Vacancy is 5.8%, which sets the negotiating context.

Headline Class A rent in Dubai is around 145 AED/sqft/yr ($39 USD), with 3 months of typical rent-free on a 3-year term.

Headline Class A rent: 145 AED/sqft/yr ($39 USD).
Trophy submarket rents (DIFC) push to roughly AED 380/sqft/yr · ≈ $103 PSF/yr USD.
Typical concessions on a 3-year deal: 3 months free rent.
Vacancy stands at 5.8% — market trend is rising.
Use effective rent (face minus PV of concessions), not headline, to compare deals.

Dubai Class A office rents and incentives

Headline Class A rent in Dubai is around 145 AED/sqft/yr ($39 USD), with 3 months of typical rent-free on a 3-year term.

TL;DR

Headline Class A rent: 145 AED/sqft/yr ($39 USD).
Trophy submarket rents (DIFC) push to roughly AED 380/sqft/yr · ≈ $103 PSF/yr USD.
Typical concessions on a 3-year deal: 3 months free rent.
Vacancy stands at 5.8% — market trend is rising.
Use effective rent (face minus PV of concessions), not headline, to compare deals.

Headline rent vs. effective rent

Asking rents in Dubai are quoted in AED per sqft per year. Across the broad Class A index the figure is 145, but the trophy tier in DIFC reaches roughly AED 380/sqft/yr · ≈ $103 PSF/yr USD. Always discount headline rent by the present value of free rent and tenant improvement allowance to land on effective rent — the only number that compares cleanly across deals.

Rent-free and TI

Standard Dubai concessions on a 3-year Class A lease run to 3 months of base-rent abatement. Trophy lease-ups can push rent-free 25–40% above that benchmark. Local cost-of-occupancy is also shaped by tax — Federal corporate tax of 9% on profits over AED 375,000 — applied since 2023. No personal income tax. No VAT on commercial leases (5% VAT on most other goods/services).

Where rents land by submarket

DIFC sits at the top end (~AED 380/sqft/yr · ≈ $103 PSF/yr USD). Downtown / Business Bay clears around AED 220/sqft/yr · ≈ $59.8 PSF/yr USD as the prime tier. The full submarket map is on the Dubai city page.

Key facts

city	Dubai
country	United Arab Emirates
region	EMEA
classARentLocal	145 AED/sqft/yr
classARentUsd	$39/sqft/yr
vacancy	5.8%
typicalLeaseYears	3
typicalRentFreeMonths	3
submarkets	6
primeYieldPct	7.5%
trophyRent	AED 380/sqft/yr · ≈ $103 PSF/yr USD
primeRent	AED 220/sqft/yr · ≈ $59.8 PSF/yr USD

Frequently asked questions

What is the average Class A rent in Dubai?: Around 145 AED/sqft/yr ($39 USD) across the broader Class A index. Trophy submarkets like DIFC command 20–40% above that.
How many months of rent-free are normal in Dubai?: 3 months on a 3-year deal is the standard benchmark. Lease-up product or tenants with strong covenant strength can push higher.
Are rents rising or falling in Dubai?: The Dubai Class A market is currently rising. Vacancy is 5.8%, which sets the negotiating context.

Editorial provenance

Reviewed by Samuel Okafor — EMEA contributing editor. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.

Primary sources for this page

CBRE Marketview reports — CBRE
JLL Office Insight — JLL
Cushman & Wakefield Marketbeat — Cushman & Wakefield
Savills World Research — Savills
Colliers Global Office Outlook — Colliers

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