By Majid Akhbar, Head of Mortgage · Published 17 June 2026 · Updated 22 September 2026 · 9 min read · Rates refreshed September 2026

Mortgage on an AED 2 million property UAE 2026: deposit, monthly payments and total costs

How much deposit do you need?

The minimum deposit is set by the CBUAE Mortgage Finance Regulation, not by individual banks. Banks cannot lend above the LTV limits set by the regulator. For an AED 2 million property, here is how the numbers break down by buyer type.

Source: CBUAE Mortgage Finance Regulation.

The deposit must come from your own funds. Banks require at least 3 months of bank statements to verify the money is yours and has not been borrowed. A gift from a close family member may be accepted by some banks, but will need supporting documentation.

What will the monthly payment be?

Monthly payment depends on the loan amount, the interest rate, and the loan term. Below are approximate monthly payments for an AED 1.6 million loan (the maximum for an expat buying a AED 2 million first home at 80% LTV) at current market rates.

Read the top two rows again. The Islamic product is the cheaper one. At this loan size the gap is AED 122 a month, or about AED 36,700 over a 25-year term, and it runs the opposite way to the one most UAE buyers assume.

What you pay for that is certainty. Sharjah Islamic Bank fixes 3.75% for 1 year only, then moves to 3-month EIBOR + 1.75%. Emirates NBD fixes for 2 years, wants your salary transferred to the bank, and moves to 1-month EIBOR + 1.99%. That tenor prices 15 basis points below the 3-month today, but the margin is wider, so the all-in follow-on comes to 6.01% against Sharjah Islamic's 5.66%. On AED 1.6 million, one extra year of certainty is worth more than AED 122 a month to plenty of buyers. It is not the cheaper product once the fix ends.

These are illustrative figures. Your actual rate will depend on your profile, the bank, and the property. Use the mortgage calculator with your exact rate and term for a precise figure.

What are the upfront costs beyond the deposit?

Upfront fees on an AED 2 million purchase add up quickly. Most buyers underestimate these costs. Here is what to budget on top of your deposit.

DLD fees from Dubai Land Department published fee schedule. The bank arrangement fee runs from 0% to 1% of the loan amount, a number of lenders currently charge nothing at all, and a mortgage broker can often negotiate it down. Confirm all fees with your lender before applying.

If you buy through an agent, a 2% agency fee (AED 40,000 on an AED 2 million property) may apply on top of the above. Not all buyers use an agent, and this is separate from the lender fees.

What salary do you need to qualify?

The CBUAE sets a maximum debt burden ratio (DBR) of 50% of gross monthly income for most employed borrowers. Your total monthly debt payments (including the new mortgage) cannot exceed half your salary. Here is what that means for an AED 8,349 monthly mortgage payment.

That table is the regulator's test, not the bank's. Lenders add an income floor of their own on top of the DBR cap, and they don't publish it consistently: it moves with employer category, salary transfer, and the product you apply for. Ask the lender for its minimum in writing before you commit to a valuation. Check your eligibility for your specific income and debt profile using the eligibility checker.

Property value scenarios

These figures use an 80% LTV (expat first home), a 3.78% rate, and a 25-year term.

Can you get an Islamic mortgage on an AED 2 million property?

Yes. DIB, ADIB, Sharjah Islamic Bank and Emirates Islamic all offer Sharia-compliant home finance on AED 2 million properties. The deposit and LTV rules are identical to conventional mortgages, as they are set by CBUAE and apply to all lenders regardless of structure.

Islamic home finance uses Diminishing Musharakah or Murabaha structures rather than an interest-bearing loan. The pricing order has flipped. The lowest profit rate we can source is 3.75% at Sharjah Islamic Bank, which puts the monthly payment at AED 8,226 on an AED 1.6 million facility over 25 years, under the AED 8,349 the cheapest conventional rate we can source produces at 3.78%.

Look past the headline before you switch. That Sharjah Islamic rate is fixed for 1 year. Dubai Islamic Bank asks 3.95% and holds it for 3 years, then reverts at 3-month EIBOR + 1.00%, the thinnest margin of any lender on our tracker, and ADIB holds 3.99% for 3 years off the 1-month EIBOR + 1.60%. On a 25-year facility the reversion margin decides the total, not the first 12 months. For a side-by-side comparison, see the rates table.

Which banks offer mortgages for AED 2 million properties?

Most major UAE banks lend on properties at this price point without restriction. AED 2 million is well within lending appetite for all the main players.

Main conventional lenders: ADCB, Emirates NBD, FAB, HSBC, Mashreq, CBD, RAKBANK, Standard Chartered.

Main Islamic lenders: DIB, ADIB, Sharjah Islamic Bank, Emirates Islamic.

At this loan size the salary transfer question is worth settling early. Emirates NBD, FAB, ADIB and Dubai Islamic Bank all require it for their sharpest pricing. HSBC and Standard Chartered do not, and price higher for the freedom. HSBC also tiers by relationship rather than quoting one rate, so the number you are shown depends on which segment you bank in.

For current rates from each bank, use the rate comparison table. Rates change regularly in line with EIBOR and CBUAE base rate movements.

Frequently asked questions

Can an expat get a mortgage on an AED 2 million property in the UAE?

Yes. Same criteria as any UAE mortgage. Expats need a UAE residency visa, typically 6 months or more of UAE employment, and a gross monthly salary of at least AED 16,698 with no other debts. Self-employed buyers need 2 years of audited accounts.

What deposit do I need for an AED 2 million property?

20% (AED 400,000) for an expat first home. 15% (AED 300,000) for a UAE national first home. For a second home or investment property, the minimum deposit rises to 40% for expats (AED 800,000) and 35% for UAE nationals (AED 700,000).

What is the monthly payment on an AED 1.6 million mortgage?

At 3.78% over 25 years, the lowest conventional rate we can source, roughly AED 8,349. At the 3.75% Islamic profit rate, roughly AED 8,226, because the Islamic floor currently sits below the conventional one. Use the mortgage calculator for a precise figure based on your exact rate and term.

Do I need to earn more to buy an AED 2 million property?

Your total monthly debt payments cannot exceed 50% of your gross monthly salary under CBUAE rules. An AED 8,349 monthly payment with no other debts requires at least AED 16,698 gross per month. Banks then apply their own income floor on top of that, and they don't publish it consistently, so ask the lender for its minimum in writing.