"How much does it cost to renovate an apartment in Dubai?" is the first question every client asks. The honest answer is that it depends on your apartment size, finish level, and how much you change. That is not helpful on its own, so this guide puts real 2026 numbers to it: AED per sqft and per sqm, priced by apartment size and by finish tier, with worked totals you can check a contractor's quote against.
Everything below is based on Renovel's actual project data plus current Dubai market rates for 2026. It includes a line-by-line worked example for a 1,600 sqft luxury apartment, a component-by-component cost table, what pushes Dubai prices up and down, and the real NOC and Dubai Municipality permit process.
Quick answer: in 2026, Dubai apartment renovation costs AED 150 – 300 per sqft (AED 1,600 – 3,200 per sqm) for a standard refresh, AED 300 – 600 per sqft for a mid-range full renovation, and AED 1,000 – 1,500+ per sqft for luxury with marble and imported joinery. A 1,600 sqft apartment therefore runs from about AED 240,000 standard to AED 1.4M+ luxury.
Apartment Renovation Cost Per Sqft and Per Sqm in Dubai
The fastest way to sanity-check a budget is a rate per unit area times your apartment size. These are the 2026 Dubai bands by finish level. Both AED per sqft and AED per sqm are shown so you can work in whichever unit your floor plan uses.
| Finish Level | AED / sqft | AED / sqm | What it buys |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard / Cosmetic | AED 150 – 300 | AED 1,600 – 3,200 | Paint, basic porcelain flooring, fixture swaps, minor carpentry. No layout change. |
| Mid-Range | AED 300 – 600 | AED 3,200 – 6,500 | New flooring throughout, full repaint, mid-tier kitchen and bathrooms, light electrical work. |
| Premium | AED 600 – 1,000 | AED 6,500 – 10,800 | Custom joinery, stone countertops, large-format porcelain, smart-home wiring, some layout change. |
| Luxury | AED 1,000 – 1,500+ | AED 10,800 – 16,000+ | Imported Italian cabinetry, natural marble, Miele or Gaggenau appliances, full layout redesign, full smart home. |
Conversion: 1 sqm = 10.76 sqft. Rates reflect 2026 Dubai contractor pricing and exclude loose furniture. Structural changes add permit fees on top.
Worked Example
Luxury 1,600 sqft Apartment Renovation, Line by Line
A 3-bedroom, 1,600 sqft (149 sqm) apartment in a Marina or Downtown tower, gutted and rebuilt to a luxury spec with natural marble, imported Italian joinery, and premium appliances. Real allocation of a roughly AED 1.15M budget.
| Demolition, disposal, and protection | AED 22,000 |
| Marble flooring, living and dining (approx 70 sqm at AED 650/sqm) | AED 45,500 |
| Engineered oak, three bedrooms (approx 55 sqm at AED 300/sqm) | AED 16,500 |
| Luxury kitchen, imported Italian units + stone + appliances | AED 190,000 |
| Three bathrooms, marble and rain showers (AED 55,000 each) | AED 165,000 |
| Custom joinery: wardrobes, TV units, walk-in closet | AED 140,000 |
| Full rewire, smart-home system, and lighting | AED 95,000 |
| AC: FCU upgrade and thermostats (chilled-water building) | AED 28,000 |
| Painting, false ceilings, gypsum, and feature walls | AED 85,000 |
| NOC, Dubai Municipality permit, DEWA, consultant drawings | AED 28,000 |
| Design, project management, and 12% contingency | AED 335,000 |
| Total (approx AED 720 per sqft) | AED 1,150,000 |
Swap marble for large-format porcelain and imported joinery for quality local units and the same apartment lands nearer AED 640,000, around AED 400 per sqft. That single decision is the biggest lever on the total.
Full Renovation Cost by Apartment Size
These totals cover a complete renovation: flooring throughout, kitchen, all bathrooms, painting, ceiling work, and electrical or lighting. They exclude loose furniture. Sizes use typical Dubai layouts, a 1-bed near 750 sqft and a 3-bed near 1,600 sqft.
| Apartment | Typical Size | Standard | Mid-Range | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | ~450 sqft (42 sqm) | AED 70,000 – 130,000 | AED 130,000 – 260,000 | AED 260,000 – 400,000+ |
| 1-Bed | ~750 sqft (70 sqm) | AED 115,000 – 225,000 | AED 225,000 – 450,000 | AED 450,000 – 675,000+ |
| 2-Bed | ~1,200 sqft (111 sqm) | AED 180,000 – 360,000 | AED 360,000 – 720,000 | AED 720,000 – 1,080,000+ |
| 3-Bed | ~1,600 sqft (149 sqm) | AED 240,000 – 480,000 | AED 480,000 – 960,000 | AED 960,000 – 1,440,000+ |
| 4-Bed+ | ~2,200 sqft (204 sqm) | AED 330,000 – 660,000 | AED 660,000 – 1,320,000 | AED 1,320,000 – 2,000,000+ |
Estimates based on 2026 Dubai market rates. Actual cost depends on scope, building condition, and materials specified. Contact Renovel for a project-specific quote.
Cost Breakdown by Component
Every apartment renovation is the sum of these trades. Kitchens, bathrooms, and joinery dominate most budgets. Use the per-unit rates to build your own estimate line by line.
| Component | AED Range | Basis | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demolition & disposal | AED 8,000 – 25,000 | per apartment | Strip-out of old tiles, fittings, and joinery, plus skip and municipality disposal. Bigger units and full gut jobs sit at the top of the range. |
| Flooring (supply + install) | AED 50 – 800 / sqm | per sqm | Ceramic/porcelain AED 50–150, large-format porcelain AED 150–300, engineered wood AED 120–350, natural marble AED 300–800. Marble roughly quadruples the flooring line versus porcelain. |
| Kitchen (full remodel) | AED 20,000 – 120,000+ | per kitchen | Cabinetry is 35–45% of the kitchen budget. Local MDF/PVC cabinets sit low; imported Italian lacquer with stone counters and integrated appliances pushes past AED 100,000. |
| Bathroom (per unit) | AED 8,000 – 50,000+ | per bathroom | The highest cost per sqm in any apartment. Waterproofing, tiling, sanitaryware, and glass all stack up. Marble and walk-in rain showers move a bathroom into the AED 40,000+ tier. |
| Painting | AED 10 – 60 / sqm | per sqm | Standard emulsion AED 10–25 per sqm; specialty finishes, Venetian plaster, or feature walls AED 25–60 per sqm. |
| Joinery & built-ins | AED 600 – 1,800 / linear m | per linear metre | Wardrobes, TV units, and shelving. Local production sits low; imported carcasses and premium hardware sit high. |
| Electrical & rewiring | AED 15,000 – 35,000 | per apartment | Full rewire, new distribution board, additional points, and lighting circuits. Requires DEWA approval for any main works. |
| AC (split vs chilled water) | AED 8,000 – 15,000 / ton | per ton of cooling | Split-system replacement is straightforward. Chilled-water (district cooling) buildings restrict work to FCU and thermostat changes, which needs FM sign-off and specialist contractors. |
Ranges span standard to luxury finishes. Kitchen and bathroom figures are per unit; flooring, painting, and joinery are per unit area or length.
What Affects Apartment Renovation Cost in Dubai?
Understanding what drives renovation costs helps you make smarter decisions about where to spend and where to save.
NOC & permit fees
Every high-rise renovation needs a No-Objection Certificate from the building FM (AED 500–3,000) and, for anything structural, a Dubai Municipality permit (AED 2,500–15,000). Some buildings also charge a refundable contractor deposit and demand approved-contractor lists that raise labour rates.
Chilled-water vs split AC
Split-system apartments let you swap units freely (AED 8,000–15,000 per ton). District-cooling (chilled-water) towers restrict you to FCU and thermostat work under FM supervision, which limits contractor choice and adds sign-off time.
Marble vs porcelain
Natural marble runs AED 300–800 per sqm installed against AED 50–300 for porcelain. Marble also needs sealing and heavier substrate prep. Choosing large-format porcelain that mimics marble is the single biggest saving on most premium apartments.
Imported vs local joinery
Kitchens and wardrobes are 30–45% of most apartment budgets. Local UAE-made carcasses cost a fraction of imported Italian or German units, which also carry 8–12 week shipping lead times that extend the programme.
Condition of the existing space
Older Bur Dubai and Deira buildings often hide corroded plumbing or failed waterproofing that only appears once walls open. Newer Marina and Downtown towers are usually cleaner. Budget a 10–15% contingency either way.
Scope of work
A cosmetic refresh (paint, flooring, fixtures) costs a fraction of a full gut that moves walls, relocates plumbing, and rewires. Layout changes also trigger the permit process, adding fees and weeks.
Timeline and the Dubai NOC and Permit Process
In Dubai you cannot start swinging a hammer on day one. Almost every high-rise renovation needs approvals first, and those approvals sit on the critical path. Here is the real sequence and how long each step takes.
| Approval | Typical Fee | Time | When it applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building FM NOC | AED 500 – 3,000 | 3 – 7 days | Almost every apartment. The facilities management company issues a No-Objection Certificate and may require a refundable deposit. |
| Dubai Municipality permit | AED 2,500 – 4,000+ | 2 – 4 weeks | Any layout change, wall removal, or plumbing relocation. Master developers such as Emaar or Nakheel may run their own process. |
| DEWA approval | AED 1,000 – 3,000 | 5 – 10 days | Rewiring or main electrical works and any new water connections. |
| Structural permit | AED 5,000 – 15,000 | 4 – 8 weeks+ | Removing or altering structural walls. Needs stamped engineer drawings and is the longest lead item. |
A professional renovation company applies for the NOC and permits on your behalf. Consultant drawings add AED 3,000 – 15,000 when a permit demands them.
Once approvals clear, on-site time depends on scope. Realistic on-site durations after the NOC is granted:
- Studio or 1-bed cosmetic refresh: 2 to 4 weeks.
- Full 2 to 3-bed renovation: 6 to 12 weeks.
- Luxury full gut with imported joinery: 12 to 20 weeks, driven by 8 to 12 week manufacturing lead times.
Order imported kitchens and wardrobes at the very start. They are almost always the item that decides your finish date, not the building work. Add a 15 to 20% time buffer for approval delays and hidden repairs.
Turnkey Renovation vs. Partial Renovation
Partial / Room-by-Room
- + Lower upfront cost
- + Can be done in stages
- – Coordination risk if multiple contractors
- – May not look cohesive
- – Can cost more overall doing room-by-room
Turnkey Renovation
- + One point of contact throughout
- + Cohesive design result
- + Usually more cost-effective overall
- + Faster completion
- – Higher upfront investment
How to Budget for Your Dubai Renovation
A realistic renovation budget in Dubai has four components:
- Core renovation work: structural, plumbing, electrical, tiling, flooring, painting. Use the estimates above as a baseline.
- Custom joinery and built-ins: kitchen cabinets, wardrobes, TV units. Often quoted separately from the main renovation.
- Fixtures and fittings: sanitaryware, lighting, switches, door handles. Mid-range fixtures for a 2-bed apartment typically add AED 15,000 – 35,000.
- Contingency, always 10 to 15%: older buildings in Dubai often reveal hidden plumbing or waterproofing issues once walls are opened. Set money aside for surprises.
For a 2-bedroom apartment full renovation with mid-range finishes, a realistic total including joinery, fixtures, permits, and 12% contingency is AED 360,000 – 720,000. Drop to a standard finish and the same apartment lands nearer AED 180,000 – 360,000.
Ready to Get an Accurate Quote?
Every apartment is different. The most reliable way to budget is a site visit and scope discussion with our team. We respond within 2 hours during business hours.