Commercial fit out costs Dubai: AED per sq ft by type
Commercial fit out costs in Dubai run from about AED 60 per sq ft for warehouse space to more than AED 700 per sq ft for a restaurant with a full kitchen. The rate you pay is set by segment, by the shell condition your landlord hands over, and by how much MEP and life safety scope sits inside your contract.
Why work with Monde
- 50+ in-house specialists working under our own contracting licence, not a broker network
- Dedicated project manager on every commercial fit out
- Commercial-only scope: offices, retail, F&B and hospitality
- Google rating 5 from 3 reviews
- Fixed lump sum pricing against approved shop drawings
- UAE-wide delivery from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates
What drives commercial fit out cost in Dubai
Four things decide your rate: the landlord handover, the authority requirements, the brand standard and the deadline. A shell and core unit with no ceiling grid, no sprinkler coverage and no power distribution costs far more to fit than a CAT A floor that already has a raised floor and a working AHU. This is a commercial budgeting exercise, not a home renovation.
Each segment prices differently. Offices are driven by workstation density, meeting room count and data infrastructure. Retail is driven by frontage, glazing and brand millwork. F&B is driven by the kitchen, grease extraction and Civil Defence requirements. Warehouses are driven by racking loads, floor flatness and power capacity. If you are budgeting an office specifically, our office fit out cost Dubai, AED per sq ft breakdown goes deeper.
Do not compare these figures to villa renovation rates. A commercial fit out carries DET licensing, Civil Defence sign off, landlord design review and a programme tied to your trade licence and opening date. None of that applies to residential work. Work with a commercial fit out contractor in Dubai who prices against drawings instead of a rough per sq ft guess.
Commercial fit out cost per sq ft in Dubai
These are 2026 contractor rates for Dubai, covering construction and finishing only. Authority fees, landlord charges and VAT sit on top.
| Segment | Typical AED per sq ft |
|---|---|
| Office CAT A | 90 to 150 |
| Office CAT B | 165 to 260 |
| Retail, shell and core to trading standard | 200 to 450 |
| F&B, restaurant or cafe including kitchen | 350 to 700 |
| Warehouse or light industrial | 60 to 140 |
| Hospitality, guest rooms and back of house | 400 to 800 |
Worked example: 2,500 sq ft office in Business Bay
A tenant takes 2,500 sq ft of CAT A space in Business Bay and wants CAT B delivery: 30 workstations, three meeting rooms, a reception, a pantry, a server room and full AV and data.
At AED 165 to AED 260 per sq ft, the contract lands between AED 412,500 and AED 650,000.
The spread comes from three things. Joinery quality. How much of the HVAC must be re-ducted once the partition layout changes. And whether the sprinkler grid has to be redesigned to suit the new rooms.
What that number excludes:
- DET fit out permit and Dubai Municipality fees
- Civil Defence drawing approval and inspection
- Landlord design review, NOC and any reinstatement bond
- DEWA supply upgrades and sub-meter works
- Loose furniture, laptops, AV hardware and software licences
- 5% VAT, plus design and consultant fees
One more trap. Ask whether the rate is per built area or per leasable area. On a 2,500 sq ft lease that difference can move the bill by 10 to 15%.
Washrooms and pantry wet areas appear in every commercial fit out, and tiling, vanity joinery and lighting are where finish budgets are won or lost.
Commercial fit out cost breakdown by line item
A commercial fit out budget in Dubai splits roughly like this. The shares overlap depending on scope, and they move with segment.
| Line item | Share of contract value |
|---|---|
| Demolition and site clearance | 3 to 6% |
| MEP, electrical, DB and containment | 15 to 22% |
| HVAC and ducting | 10 to 16% |
| Fire and life safety, sprinklers, detection, alarms | 5 to 9% |
| Partitions, ceilings and flooring | 18 to 25% |
| Joinery, millwork and feature walls | 10 to 18% |
| AV, data, CCTV and access control | 6 to 10% |
| Project management and preliminaries | 8 to 12% |
| Commercial kitchen equipment, F&B only | 12 to 25% |
Kitchen equipment is the biggest single swing on an F&B job. A cafe can be equipped for AED 120,000. A full restaurant with a grease trap, extraction hood, make-up air unit and walk-in chiller can pass AED 500,000 on equipment alone.
Approvals follow the kitchen, not the dining room. Changing the kitchen layout after design freeze is the most expensive change order you can issue.
Joinery, feature wall and layered lighting are the finishing lines that move a commercial fit out budget most.
Approvals and authority costs in Dubai
Authority and landlord fees sit outside the contractor rate. Who pays depends on your lease, so confirm it before signing. Typical 2026 figures:
- DET and Dubai Municipality fit out permit: AED 3,000 to AED 12,000 by area and scope
- Civil Defence drawing approval plus inspection: AED 2,000 to AED 8,000
- Mall or landlord design review and NOC: AED 1,000 to AED 10,000, with some malls charging per submission round
- DEWA supply, meter and connection works: AED 2,000 to AED 15,000
- Ejari tenancy registration: around AED 220 at a registered typing centre
- Approved consultant for permit drawings: AED 8,000 to AED 25,000
The sequence matters as much as the fees:
- Landlord concept review and NOC
- Consultant drawings submitted to Dubai Municipality and DET
- Civil Defence submission for fire, life safety and kitchen extraction where relevant
- Permit issued, contractor mobilises
- Construction inspections, then final municipality and Civil Defence inspection
- Trade licence NOC, DEWA energisation and handover
Allow 3 to 5 weeks for approvals before mobilisation. Running MEP works before drawings are approved is the most common reason a Dubai fit out stalls mid-site.
Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates
Cost outside Dubai is close, but the structure changes. Abu Dhabi commercial fit out prices at roughly the same per sq ft, sometimes 5 to 10% higher once consultant and approval costs are added, because submissions route through ADM or DMT depending on the plot and the free zone. Sharjah Municipality fees are lower and labour rates are cheaper, but materials and joinery often travel from Dubai, adding 3 to 5% in transport.
Free zone versus mainland is the bigger lever. A free zone authority can approve a fit out faster with fewer interfaces. A mainland unit may need municipality approval, Civil Defence sign off and a landlord NOC before you start.
Northern Emirates projects need longer lead times. Specialist joinery, commercial kitchen equipment and imported lighting come from Dubai suppliers, so plan an extra 1 to 2 weeks on the programme.
If your unit is retail, our retail fit out Dubai approvals and timeline article walks through the permit path in detail.
Programme and how to compare commercial fit out quotes
A standard commercial fit out in the UAE runs 6 to 14 weeks on site. Offices and small retail sit at the shorter end. F&B with kitchen and extraction sits at the longer end. Warehouses run 4 to 8 weeks.
Fast-tracking costs money. Two shifts, night work permits in occupied malls and air freight on long-lead items add 10 to 20% to the contract. Long-lead items include commercial kitchen equipment, imported lighting, custom joinery and lifts, all running 6 to 10 weeks from order.
The site was clean when they left. We needed them fast on a running job. They finished the renovation on time. Davranbek Tashbayev, 5 stars
Ask every bidder these six questions before you sign:
- Is the price a fixed lump sum against approved drawings, or re-measurable?
- Are shop drawings, method statements and as-built drawings included?
- Who handles the DET permit and Civil Defence coordination?
- What is the defects liability period, and how is snagging closed out?
- Are MEP testing, commissioning and balancing reports included?
- Who is the named project manager, and how often do you report progress?
Red flags in a low bid: no Civil Defence line, no sprinkler relocation allowance, vague wording on landlord reinstatement, and a programme that ignores the approval window. A quote 30% under the others is usually missing scope you have not spotted yet.
their team is professional and well organized. They understand site conditions, client requirements, material coordination, and execution hayat Berhe, 5 stars
If you want a real number rather than a range, request a commercial fit out quote and we will price from your drawings or a site visit.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a commercial fit out cost per sq ft in Dubai?
It depends on segment. Offices run AED 90 to 150 per sq ft for CAT A and AED 165 to 260 per sq ft for CAT B. Retail runs AED 200 to 450. F&B with a full kitchen runs AED 350 to 700. Warehouse and light industrial space runs AED 60 to 140.
Are permit and authority fees included in a fit out quote?
Usually not. DET and Dubai Municipality fit out permits run AED 3,000 to AED 12,000, Civil Defence approval AED 2,000 to AED 8,000, and landlord or mall NOC fees AED 1,000 to AED 10,000. DEWA works and consultant drawings sit outside as well. Ask for these as separate lines so nothing surfaces later.
How long does a commercial fit out take in Dubai?
Expect 6 to 14 weeks on site, plus 3 to 5 weeks for permits and approvals. Offices and small retail are quicker. F&B with kitchen extraction and hospitality interiors take longer. Warehouses typically finish in 4 to 8 weeks.
What is the cheapest way to reduce a commercial fit out cost without cutting compliance?
Reuse the landlord CAT A ceiling, lighting and raised floor where the layout allows. Keep new partitions aligned to the existing sprinkler grid to avoid a redesign. Choose regional materials over imported finishes. Never reduce fire, life safety or MEP scope, because correcting it at inspection costs more than doing it once.
How much more does CAT B cost than CAT A in Dubai?
CAT A sits at AED 90 to AED 150 per sq ft and CAT B at AED 165 to AED 260 per sq ft, so the gap is roughly AED 75 to AED 110 per sq ft. On a 2,500 sq ft Business Bay office that is about AED 187,500 to AED 275,000 extra for partitions, joinery, data and finishes.
Does Monde work outside Dubai?
Yes. We deliver commercial fit out across the UAE for offices, retail, F&B and hospitality, including Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates. Send your drawings or floor plan and we will confirm scope, programme and cost for your emirate.
