--- title: "Mortgage affordability calculator" canonical: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/tools/mortgage-affordability-calculator markdown: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/md/tools/mortgage-affordability-calculator.md type: calculator description: "For UAE residents and nationals: the most a bank can lend on your salary under the Central Bank limits on debt burden, income and loan to value, the highest price that reaches, and the cash you need for the down payment and fees." updated: 2026-11-12 publisher: "UAE Property Agents (Omnia)" language: en-GB usage: "You may read, quote, summarise and cite this content, including in AI answers, with attribution to UAE Property Agents and a link to the canonical URL. Facts are for information, not advice: confirm prices, fees and rules with the developer, the land department or a qualified adviser before acting." --- # How much can I borrow in the UAE? > For UAE residents and nationals: the most a bank can lend on your salary under the Central Bank limits on debt burden, income and loan to value, the highest price that reaches, and the cash you need for the down payment and fees. Interactive version: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/tools/mortgage-affordability-calculator. Fee rules last reviewed 12 November 2026. Figures are estimates for planning, not quotations or advice. ## How it works A UAE lender checks three limits before it lends, and the lowest of the three decides what you can borrow. All three are set by the Central Bank of the UAE in its [Regulations Regarding Mortgage Loans](https://rulebook.centralbank.ae/en/rulebook/regulations-regarding-mortgage-loans), and banks may apply stricter ones. **Debt burden.** Your monthly repayments on every loan, the new mortgage included, can be at most 50% of your gross salary and other regular income. Banks test the new mortgage at 2 to 4 percentage points above its rate, so a rate rise would still be affordable. Car loans, personal loans and credit cards all count against the 50%. **Income.** The loan can be at most 8 times your annual income if you are a UAE national, or 7 times if you are an expatriate. **Loan to value.** The loan can be at most a set share of the property's value: | Buyer | First home up to AED 5 million | First home above AED 5 million | | --- | --- | --- | | UAE national | 85% | 75% | | Expatriate | 80% | 70% | For a second or later home the cap is 65% for UAE nationals and 60% for expatriates, whatever the value. For a property bought off-plan it is 50% for everyone. **Term and age.** The longest term is 25 years. The age by which the loan must be repaid is not set by the Central Bank; each bank sets its own. Enter your bank's limit and the calculator shortens the term to fit. **The cash you need.** The down payment has to come from your own funds, not from a personal loan or a credit card. On top of it you pay the land department's fees in cash: in Dubai, the 4% transfer fee and 0.25% of the loan to register the mortgage, plus a trustee fee on a resale. The bank adds its own arrangement and valuation fees, which vary by bank; enter your quotes and they are added to the total. **UAE nationals on a housing programme.** Where a local government housing programme guarantees the loan, the Central Bank allows a debt burden of up to 60%. The calculator uses the standard 50%. Source: Central Bank of the UAE, Regulations Regarding Mortgage Loans (Circular 31/2013, consolidated 8 April 2020), checked 13 November 2026. ## Limits used | Limit | UAE national | Expatriate | | --- | --- | --- | | Loan to value, first home up to AED 5 million | 85% | 80% | | Loan to value, first home above AED 5 million | 75% | 70% | | Loan to value, second and later homes | 65% | 60% | | Loan to value, off-plan | 50% | 50% | | Maximum loan, times annual income | 8 | 7 | | Debt burden, share of gross income | 50% | 50% | | Maximum term | 25 years | 25 years | Lenders stress test the repayment at 2 to 4 percentage points above the rate. The age at final repayment and the bank's arrangement and valuation fees are set by each lender, so the calculator applies them only when entered. Source: [Central Bank of the UAE, Regulations Regarding Mortgage Loans (Circular 31/2013, consolidated 8 April 2020)](https://rulebook.centralbank.ae/en/rulebook/regulations-regarding-mortgage-loans), checked 13 November 2026. ## Read more The [full guide](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/guides/uae-mortgages-for-residents) explains the subject in depth. ## Questions and answers ### How much can I borrow on my salary in the UAE? Under the Central Bank's rules, your monthly repayments on all loans, the new mortgage included, can be at most 50% of your gross income, and the loan can be at most 7 times your annual income as an expatriate or 8 times as a UAE national. The loan-to-value cap then limits it against the price. The calculator shows all three and which one decides. ### What is the minimum down payment for a UAE resident? On a first home up to AED 5 million, 20% for an expatriate and 15% for a UAE national; above AED 5 million, 30% and 25%. On a second home, 40% and 35%. Off-plan, 50% for everyone. Buying costs are paid in cash on top. ### Can I use a personal loan for the down payment? No. The Central Bank requires the down payment to come from your own resources, not from other borrowing such as a personal loan or a credit card. ### What is the longest mortgage term in the UAE? 25 years. The age by which the loan must be repaid is set by each bank rather than by the Central Bank, so ask your bank for its limit. ### Do UAE nationals get different mortgage limits? Yes. UAE nationals can borrow up to 85% of the value on a first home up to AED 5 million, against 80% for expatriates, and up to 8 times annual income, against 7. Where a government housing programme guarantees the loan, the debt burden limit rises to 60%. --- Source page: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/tools/mortgage-affordability-calculator. Published by UAE Property Agents, Omnia Capital Group. You may read, quote, summarise and cite this content, including in AI answers, with attribution to UAE Property Agents and a link to the canonical URL. Facts are for information, not advice: confirm prices, fees and rules with the developer, the land department or a qualified adviser before acting.