UAE Mortgage Rate Guide
Where a quoted rate sits against the 2026 UAE market floor and the CBUAE DBR affordability test.
Rate bands
The CBUAE Debt Burden Ratio caps total monthly debt service at 50% of net income. Rates above ~6.5% start to push borderline files past that cap.
| Quoted rate | Band | DBR risk | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.99% | ultra-low | OK | Verify offer |
| 3.75% | competitive | OK | Acceptable |
| 4.25% | competitive | OK | Acceptable |
| 4.99% | standard | OK | Acceptable |
| 5.75% | elevated | OK | Compare lenders |
| 6.75% | high | At risk | Compare lenders |
| 8.50% | prohibitive | At risk | Compare lenders |
CBUAE rules in plain English
- Debt Burden Ratio (DBR): total monthly debt payments — including the new mortgage — cannot exceed 50% of your net monthly income.
- LTV caps: 80% for first UAE-national home, 75% for first expatriate home, both below AED 5M. Off-plan limited to 50%.
- Tenure: max 25 years, with retirement-age caps (70 UAE-national, 65 expatriate).
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