Dubai Commercial Lease Cost Calculator

Compare three Dubai offices, shops or warehouses and see the real cash required — not just the advertised rent.

An easy Excel calculator for Dubai SME tenants, office managers and commercial brokers. Compare up to three commercial properties and estimate cash at signing, cash needed before opening, total first-year cost, effective monthly cost and cost per square foot.

The advertised rent is only the beginning

A commercial property can appear affordable until you add the deposit, initial rent payment, commission, VAT where applicable, service charges, fit-out, utilities, parking and setup costs.

The Dubai Commercial Lease Cost Calculator brings those figures together in one simple Excel workbook.

Enter the details for up to three properties. The calculator converts them into a clear, like-for-like comparison and highlights the options with the lowest calculated cash requirement and cost.

You will see:

• Estimated cash required at signing
• Estimated cash required before opening
• Total first-year cash cost
• Effective monthly cost
• Effective cost per square foot
• Additional cost above the advertised rent
• Recurring annual occupancy cost
• Detailed cost breakdown for each property

It is suitable for comparing fitted and shell-and-core offices, retail units and warehouses.

No complicated property software. No subscription. No accounting knowledge required.

Use it before committing to a property, during budget approval or when presenting commercial options to a client.

Launch price: £19.

What is included

• Professionally formatted Excel calculator
• Comparison for up to three properties
• Worked example already inside the workbook
• Cash-at-signing and pre-opening budget calculations
• First-year and recurring-cost comparison
• Editable Dubai commercial VAT assumptions
• Cost-confirmation checklist
• Quick-start PDF guide
• End-user business licence

Designed for

• Dubai SME owners
• Office and operations managers
• Commercial tenants
• Finance and procurement teams
• Commercial property brokers

Benefits

• Compare up to three properties on equal terms
• Stop relying on headline rent alone
• Separate signing cash from the full opening budget
• Account for fit-out and setup expenditure
• See how rent-free periods affect Year 1 cost
• Compare fitted and shell-and-core properties
• Present a clearer recommendation to a manager or client
• Change every assumption to match the actual quotation
• Make a faster, better-informed shortlist

FAQ

Who is this for?

Dubai SME owners, office managers, finance teams, commercial tenants and brokers comparing offices, retail units or warehouses.

What does “cash at signing” mean?

It estimates the first rent payment, applicable rent VAT, refundable deposits, broker commission, commission VAT and entered administration charges. Actual payment timing depends on the agreement and invoices issued.

What does “cash before opening” mean?

It adds entered fit-out, furniture, moving, approval and other setup costs to the signing requirement, less any confirmed landlord contribution.

Does it compare shell-and-core and fitted properties?

Yes. Enter a different fit-out and setup budget for each property to compare a lower-rent shell-and-core unit with a more expensive fitted unit.

Does it include VAT?

The workbook contains editable VAT assumptions. Commercial rent is modelled using a default 5% gross-cash VAT assumption, but buyers must confirm their invoices and tax treatment with a qualified adviser.

Does it pull current government or building fees automatically?

No. Charges differ and can change. The workbook uses the figures entered by the customer and provides official reference links for verification.

Does it review my lease?

No. It calculates and compares costs. It does not interpret clauses, determine legal rights or advise whether a lease should be signed.

Do I need advanced Excel knowledge?

No. Replace the blue sample cells with your figures and review the calculated results.

Can I use it in Google Sheets?

The product is supplied as an Excel workbook. It may open in Google Sheets, but Microsoft Excel is recommended to preserve the intended formatting and behaviour.

Can brokers use it for clients?

A purchasing broker may use the workbook internally and share exported or printed results with their own clients. The original workbook may not be resold, redistributed or uploaded for public access.

Is it suitable for residential properties?

No. It is designed for Dubai commercial leases.

Can I use it outside Dubai?

The underlying calculations may still be useful, but the labels, assumptions and checklist are designed for Dubai. It is not represented as a regulatory tool for other jurisdictions.

Important

This is a budgeting and comparison tool. It does not review lease clauses or provide legal, tax, accounting, valuation, brokerage or real-estate advice. Outputs are estimates based on the figures entered by the user. Confirm actual charges and obligations before committing to a property.

The product is not affiliated with or endorsed by Dubai Land Department, RERA, Ejari or any UAE government entity.