As a short-term rental in 2026, a Dubai Marina 1-bedroom earns between AED 22,000 and AED 115,000 net a year across our three scenarios, from AED 80,000 to AED 230,000 of gross rental income. The gap comes from four lines that yield claims leave out: VAT, platform fees, the management commission and the property's fixed costs.
What rental income does a Dubai Marina 1-bedroom earn?
Gross rental income for a Dubai Marina 1-bedroom is the average price per booked night (ADR) multiplied by the number of nights let. Two data providers publish figures on Dubai, and they tell different stories.
- AirDNA, all of Dubai, August 2026: 18,897 active listings, 69% occupancy rate (the share of nights booked), ADR of USD 178, about AED 654.
- AirROI, Dubai Marina, August 2025 to July 2026: 41.1% occupancy, ADR of USD 252, annual revenue down 23.3% year on year. The sample covers 24 listings, 66.7% of them 1-bedrooms.
- AirROI, all of Dubai, same period: 39.9% occupancy, ADR of USD 286.
The two sources disagree on the split between price and occupancy. Their revenue per available night (RevPAR) stays close at Dubai level: USD 123 for AirDNA, USD 112 for AirROI. So we build scenarios and show every assumption.
Three gross income scenarios for a Marina 1-bedroom
Amounts are in dirhams (AED), at the fixed rate of AED 3.6725 to USD 1 published by the UAE central bank. Cleaning is left out of the calculation: the guest pays it through the listing's cleaning fee.
| Scenario | ADR | Occupancy | Nights let | Annual gross income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low | AED 550 | 40% | 146 | AED 80,300 |
| Central | AED 700 | 55% | 201 | AED 140,700 |
| High | AED 900 | 70% | 256 | AED 230,400 |
- Low scenario: ADR close to AirROI's bottom quartile for the Marina (USD 154, about AED 566) and occupancy close to AirROI's Marina average (41.1%).
- Central scenario: ADR between AirDNA's Dubai average (AED 654) and AirROI's Marina median (USD 209, about AED 768). Occupancy halfway between the two sources.
- High scenario: occupancy at AirDNA's Dubai average (69%), ADR below AirROI's Marina top quartile (USD 276, about AED 1,014).
Results below the low scenario exist. According to AirROI, a quarter of Marina listings stay below 19% occupancy, and a quarter earn less than AED 54,000 a year. The observed median is about AED 107,000 a year, and the top quartile exceeds AED 173,000. Summer weighs too: from June to August, AirROI's average Marina occupancy falls to 27.3%. In July 2026, AirDNA reported UAE apartment ADR down 7% year on year, and properties near Jebel Ali Port, including the Marina and JBR, losing guests to inland areas.
The costs to deduct, line by line
The calculation follows a non-resident owner whose property is distributed by a manager using property management software. Property assumptions: 800 sq ft (Marina 1-bedrooms range from about 740 to over 1,400 sq ft), service charge of AED 16 per sq ft, every booking made through Airbnb.
| Line (AED per year) | Low | Central | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross income, VAT included | 80,300 | 140,700 | 230,400 |
| 5% VAT remitted (5/105 of gross) | -3,824 | -6,700 | -10,971 |
| Income excluding VAT | 76,476 | 134,000 | 219,429 |
| Airbnb host fee, 15.5% | -11,854 | -20,770 | -34,011 |
| Management commission, 20% of income excluding VAT | -15,295 | -26,800 | -43,886 |
| Service charge (800 sq ft × AED 16) | -12,800 | -12,800 | -12,800 |
| Electricity, water, cooling (AED 750 a month) | -9,000 | -9,000 | -9,000 |
| Internet and TV (AED 389 a month) | -4,668 | -4,668 | -4,668 |
| DET holiday home permit, 1-bedroom | -370 | -370 | -370 |
| Net income before tax and financing | 22,489 | 59,592 | 114,694 |
| Net as a share of gross | 28% | 42% | 50% |
- VAT: a non-resident owner must register for VAT from the first night let, with no threshold. Displayed prices are deemed VAT-inclusive. A resident only has to register above AED 375,000 of annual turnover.
- Platform fees: 15.5% for most hosts on the single-fee model, which is mandatory for hosts connected to property management software. A self-managing host may still be on the split-fee model, at 3% for the host, with the guest paying the rest.
- Management commission: 20% in our case. The base used here is income excluding VAT before platform fees, the least favourable to you. Compare calculation bases with holiday home management fees in Dubai.
- Service charge: according to the Dubai Land Department index as reported by Bayut, Marina Park stands at AED 13.80 per sq ft, Dubai Marina Towers at 15.48, Bay Central at 21.47 and Marina Promenade at 23.29. On 800 sq ft, the gap between these towers exceeds AED 7,500 a year. Beyond charges, six criteria help you compare Dubai Marina towers.
- DET permit: AED 370 for a studio or 1-bedroom, whatever the permit length (3 to 12 months). Dubai's relief package of 21 May 2026 announces an exemption from holiday home permit fees, with timing set by each authority. The rules are set out in Dubai's legal framework.
The Tourism Dirham (AED 10 per bedroom per night for Standard units, AED 15 for Deluxe) is paid by the guest and remitted, so it does not appear in the table. The 21 May 2026 package announces an exemption from collecting it for hotel rooms and restaurants, without saying whether it applies to holiday homes.
What the Dubai Marina 1-bedroom net calculation leaves out
Net income for a 1-bedroom, after VAT, platform fees, commission and fixed costs, comes before several items that depend on your situation. Each one is covered in the running costs of a holiday home.
- Initial furnishing and equipment, and their replacement.
- Maintenance and repairs beyond normal wear.
- Insurance for the property and its contents.
- Mortgage payments, if the property is financed.
- Tax: the UAE's 9% corporate tax can apply to an individual if letting is treated as a business activity, above AED 375,000 of taxable profit. Your country of tax residence may also tax this income.
To get to a net yield, take the net income, subtract these items, and divide by your purchase price including fees.
The number of nights that covers fixed costs in the Marina
The fixed costs of an 800 sq ft Marina 1-bedroom (service charge, utilities, internet, DET permit) total AED 26,838 a year. At AED 550 a night, each night let leaves about AED 338 after VAT, platform fees and commission. You therefore need about 80 nights a year to cover fixed costs. At AED 700, the threshold drops to about 63 nights.
- Look up your tower's exact service charge on the Dubai Land Department index.
- Add up your DEWA and cooling bills over 12 months, summer included.
- Work out the share of each night left to you after VAT, platform fees and commission.
- Divide your annual fixed costs by that amount: the result is your break-even number of nights.
What Flatlab does
Flatlab was founded in Dubai in 2019. In Dubai, we handle the DET permit, distribute your property on Airbnb, Booking, Bayut and Dubizzle, and charge 20% all-in: cleaning, linen and supplies are included. You receive a monthly line-by-line statement, and the mandate has a 3-month notice period. Our projection is sourced from our Dubai portfolio.
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What is the Airbnb occupancy rate in Dubai Marina?
AirROI measures 41.1% average occupancy in the Marina between August 2025 and July 2026, across 24 listings: 49.1% in high season (November to January), 27.3% from June to August. AirDNA measures 69% for all of Dubai in August 2026.
What are Dubai Marina service charges?
According to Bayut's building guides, which use the Dubai Land Department index, Marina towers range from about AED 12 to AED 23 per sq ft per year. Your tower's exact figure is on the official Dubai Land Department index.
Does a non-resident owner pay VAT on a Dubai short-term rental?
Yes. A non-resident must register with the Federal Tax Authority from the first letting, with no threshold, and remit 5% VAT.
How much is the holiday home permit for a 1-bedroom?
AED 370 per permit for a studio or 1-bedroom, plus AED 300 per extra bedroom, capped at AED 1,270. An exemption was announced on 21 May 2026: check whether it applies when you apply.
This article is for information only. It does not replace professional legal or tax advice.
Sources
- AirDNA, Dubai short-term rental data (August 2026), search excerpt accessed 3 October 2026.
- AirROI, Dubai Marina Airbnb data, August 2025 to July 2026 (updated 12 September 2026), accessed 3 October 2026.
- AirROI, Dubai Airbnb data, August 2025 to July 2026, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Skift, For UAE short-term rentals, occupancy is recovering, 2 September 2026, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Airbnb, Airbnb service fees, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Airbnb, UAE tax considerations on short-term lettings (December 2025), accessed 3 October 2026.
- Department of Economy and Tourism, Holiday Homes System User Guide, search excerpt accessed 3 October 2026.
- Dubai Media Office, AED 1.5 billion incentives package, 21 May 2026, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Khaleej Times, Tourism Dirham for holiday homes, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Dubai Land Department, Service Charge Index, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Bayut, Marina Park, Marina Promenade, Dubai Marina Towers and Bay Central building guides, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Bayut, cost of living in Dubai (updated 29 September 2026) and Property Finder, cost of living in Dubai (10 August 2026), accessed 3 October 2026.
- Central Bank of the UAE, official USD/AED exchange rate, accessed 3 October 2026.
