Find out the largest mortgage a UAE bank can legally offer you, and the property price it supports. Enter your income, your existing debts and the rate you have been quoted. The calculator applies the Central Bank of the UAE’s Regulations Regarding Mortgage Loans: the 50% debt burden ratio, the stress test, the loan-to-value caps and the income multiple. It then shows which of these limits you hit first.
The Central Bank Limits Behind the Calculator
Four separate limits apply, and your maximum mortgage is the lowest of them:
| Limit | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Debt burden ratio (DBR) | All loan and credit card repayments together: max 50% of gross salary and regular income | Bank loans regulation, Article 7; Mortgage regulations, Article 3(1) |
| Stress test | Repayments tested at 2 to 4 percentage points above the loan rate (or above the rate after any introductory period) | Mortgage regulations, Article 3(1) |
| Income multiple | Max 7 times annual income for expatriates, 8 times for UAE nationals | Mortgage regulations, Article 3(4) |
| Loan-to-value (LTV) | Max share of the property’s appraised value that can be borrowed (table below) | Mortgage regulations, Article 3(2) |
| Term | Max 25 years | Mortgage regulations, Article 3(3) |
Maximum Loan-to-Value by Buyer and Property
| Property | Expatriates | UAE nationals |
|---|---|---|
| First home, value up to AED 5 million | 80% (20% down) | 85% (15% down) |
| First home, value above AED 5 million | 70% (30% down) | 75% (25% down) |
| Second home or investment property | 60% (40% down) | 65% (35% down) |
| Off-plan property, any buyer | 50% (50% down) | 50% (50% down) |
LTV is measured against the bank’s independent valuation, not the agreed price, so a low valuation means a bigger down payment. Each borrower can use the first-home limits for only one property. The expatriate thresholds are written as “less than” and “more than” AED 5 million, and the calculator treats a property at exactly AED 5 million as the lower band.
Worked Example
An expatriate earning AED 30,000 a month, with a AED 2,000 car loan payment, is quoted 4.5% over 25 years for a first home. The bank stress tests at 3 points above that.
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Room for a mortgage payment | 50% × AED 30,000 − AED 2,000 | AED 13,000.00 |
| Loan by repayments | AED 13,000.00 a month at 7.5% over 300 months | AED 1,759,155 |
| Loan by income | 7 × AED 360,000 | AED 2,520,000 |
| Maximum loan | The lower of the two | AED 1,759,155 |
| Monthly payment at 4.5% | Over 25 years | AED 9,777.95 |
| Price that loan funds at 80% LTV | AED 1,759,155 ÷ 0.8 | AED 2,198,944 |
Here the stress-tested repayment is the binding limit: at 7.5% the AED 13,000 a month supports less than the seven-times-income cap of AED 2,520,000. To buy at AED 2,198,944 this buyer needs AED 439,789 in cash for the 20% down payment, before transfer and registration fees.
What Banks Check on Top of These Limits
The regulations are a ceiling, and they tell banks not to apply the 50% DBR automatically. Banks must include an allowance for normal household spending, discount or exclude bonuses and other non-guaranteed income, and check that any balance left at retirement can be paid from retirement income (Articles 2 and 3). For an investment property they must also deduct at least two months’ rent from the income they count.
The down payment must come from your own resources, not from a personal loan or credit card. Our guide to getting mortgage pre-approval in Dubai covers the documents banks ask for. The Dubai property transfer costs guide lists the fees you pay on top of the down payment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much mortgage can I get in the UAE on my salary?
Your total loan repayments, including the new mortgage and any credit cards, cannot exceed 50% of your gross monthly income, tested at 2 to 4 percentage points above your loan rate. The loan is also capped at 7 times annual income for expatriates and 8 times for UAE nationals, under the Central Bank’s mortgage regulations.
What is the minimum down payment for a mortgage in the UAE?
For an expatriate buying a first home under AED 5 million, 20%, because the maximum loan-to-value is 80%. It rises to 30% above AED 5 million, 40% for a second or investment property, and 50% for off-plan property. UAE nationals need 15%, 25% and 35% for the same cases.
What is the DBR limit for UAE mortgages?
50% of gross salary and any regular income from a defined source. The Central Bank’s bank loans regulation counts every loan installment and credit card payment towards it, and the mortgage regulations tell banks not to apply the maximum automatically.
What is the maximum mortgage term in the UAE?
25 years. The age by which the loan must be repaid is set by each bank’s own lending policy, and banks must check that any balance left at retirement can be serviced from retirement income.
Can I use a personal loan for the down payment?
No. The Central Bank’s mortgage regulations require the down payment to come from the borrower’s own resources, not from other borrowing such as personal loans or credit cards.
Why is my bank offering less than this calculator?
The Central Bank sets maximums and expects banks to lend more conservatively. Banks also deduct household living costs, discount bonuses and variable income, apply their own age limits, and value the property independently, which can come in below the price you agreed.
Official Sources
- Central Bank of the UAE: Regulations Regarding Mortgage Loans (C 31/2013, as amended by Board Resolutions 96/2019 and 31/2/2020), Articles 2 and 3
- Central Bank of the UAE: Regulations Regarding Bank Loans and Other Services Offered to Individual Customers, Article 7 (Repayment Installments)
Disclaimer: this calculator gives an estimate for general information only. It is not a loan offer, a pre-approval or financial advice, and banks apply their own criteria within the Central Bank limits. Rules checked October 2026.