The cost of utilities in Dubai for a typical one-bedroom apartment is roughly AED 1,350 to 2,600 a month once you add up DEWA (electricity and water), the 5% housing fee, district cooling, home internet, a mobile plan and cooking gas. A studio in a building where cooling is included can come in well under that, while a family villa in August can pass AED 2,500 for DEWA alone.
This guide breaks down every bill you will see, what each one costs and why your summer bill can be double your winter one. All rates were checked against DEWA, Dubai Municipality announcements and provider pages in November 2026. Last updated: November 2026.
Key takeaways
- DEWA electricity starts at 23 fils per kWh, plus a 6 fils fuel surcharge and 5% VAT. Air conditioning is what pushes you into the higher slabs.
- The housing fee is 5% of your annual rent, billed monthly on your DEWA bill. On AED 80,000 rent that is about AED 333 a month.
- District cooling (chiller) is a separate bill in many towers, with a fixed capacity charge you pay even when you are away. Ask if a building is “chiller-free” before you sign.
- Home internet costs about AED 230 to 450 a month before VAT, and your building usually decides whether you can use du or e&.
- Move-in costs: a refundable DEWA deposit of AED 2,000 (flat) or AED 4,000 (villa), plus about AED 155 in activation and admin fees.
Cost of utilities in Dubai at a glance
Here is a realistic monthly budget for a one-bedroom apartment in a building with district cooling and an annual rent of AED 80,000. The low end is a mild winter month with light use; the high end is a hot summer month.
| Bill | What it covers | Typical monthly cost (AED) |
|---|---|---|
| DEWA | Electricity, water, sewerage fee, VAT | 330 to 450 |
| Housing fee | 5% of annual rent, on the DEWA bill | 333 |
| District cooling | Chiller capacity and consumption charges | 300 to 1,000 |
| Home internet | Fibre or 5G home wireless (before VAT) | 230 to 450 |
| Mobile | One postpaid plan | 125 to 250 |
| Cooking gas | Central gas or cylinder | 30 to 100 |
| Total | about 1,350 to 2,600 |
Your own total depends on three things: whether cooling is in your DEWA bill or a separate chiller bill, how much rent you pay (because of the housing fee), and how hard your AC works between May and October. For the bigger picture of rent, food and transport, see our full guide to how much it costs to live in Dubai.
DEWA bills explained: electricity and water rates
DEWA (Dubai Electricity and Water Authority) supplies electricity and water to almost every home in Dubai. Your monthly bill is built from slab tariffs, fuel surcharges, small meter charges and 5% VAT. The rates below are from the official DEWA slab tariff page and other published DEWA rate tables.
Electricity slab tariff (residential)
| Monthly use | Rate per kWh |
|---|---|
| 0 to 2,000 kWh | 23 fils |
| 2,001 to 4,000 kWh | 28 fils |
| 4,001 to 6,000 kWh | 32 fils |
| Above 6,000 kWh | 38 fils |
On top of the slab rate, DEWA adds a fuel surcharge of 6 fils per kWh (the November 2026 rate) and a monthly meter service charge of AED 5, 6 or 35 depending on your meter type. Most apartments sit in the first slab in winter. Villas with central AC often reach the higher slabs in summer.
Water tariff (residential)
| Monthly use | Rate per m³ |
|---|---|
| 0 to 27 m³ | AED 7.70 |
| 27 to 54 m³ | AED 8.80 |
| Above 54 m³ | AED 10.12 |
Water also has a fuel surcharge of AED 1.10 per m³ and a meter charge of AED 5 or 7. One cubic metre is 1,000 litres, so a couple usually uses around 8 to 12 m³ a month. Gardens and pools are what push villa water bills up.
The sewerage fee is going up
Dubai Municipality’s sewerage fee is collected through your DEWA bill and is charged on the water you use. It went from 1.5 fils per gallon in 2025 to 2 fils in 2026 (about AED 4.40 per m³), and it is set to reach 2.8 fils per gallon in 2027, according to Gulf News. If your bill crept up this year even though you used the same amount of water, this is usually why.
What a DEWA bill really costs: winter vs summer examples
To make the slabs easier to picture, here are sample monthly DEWA bills worked out from the current tariffs. They include electricity, water, fuel surcharges, the basic AED 5 electricity and AED 5 water meter charges, the sewerage fee and 5% VAT.
They do not include the housing fee or a separate chiller bill. Real usage varies a lot, so treat the kWh and m³ figures as examples, not averages.
Typical DEWA bills by home type (AC on DEWA electricity)
| Home | Winter example | Winter bill (AED) | Summer example | Summer bill (AED) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | 300 kWh, 6 m³ | about 185 | 1,000 kWh, 7 m³ | about 410 |
| 1-bedroom | 500 kWh, 9 m³ | about 290 | 1,500 kWh, 10 m³ | about 605 |
| 2-bedroom | 800 kWh, 14 m³ | about 450 | 2,500 kWh, 16 m³ | about 1,020 |
| 3-bedroom villa with garden | 1,800 kWh, 35 m³ | about 1,055 | 5,500 kWh, 45 m³ | about 2,575 |
In a building with district cooling, your DEWA bill looks more like the winter column all year (for example about AED 330 for a 1-bed using 600 kWh and 10 m³), and the cooling cost moves to the separate chiller bill.
The jump between winter and summer is almost all air conditioning.
The 5% housing fee on your DEWA bill
Every tenant in Dubai pays a municipality housing fee of 5% of the annual rent on their registered tenancy contract (Ejari). It is split into 12 monthly payments and added to your DEWA bill once your Ejari is linked to your DEWA account. Owners who live in their property pay a fee based on an estimated rental value instead.
| Annual rent | Housing fee per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| AED 50,000 | AED 2,500 | about AED 208 |
| AED 80,000 | AED 4,000 | about AED 333 |
| AED 120,000 | AED 6,000 | AED 500 |
| AED 180,000 | AED 9,000 | AED 750 |
This catches many newcomers out, because it can be bigger than the electricity part of the bill. If you are still choosing where to live, factor it into your rent: our guide to the cheapest areas to live in Dubai shows typical rents by area.
District cooling (chiller) charges
Many towers in areas like Dubai Marina, JLT, Business Bay and Downtown use district cooling. Chilled water is piped in from a central plant run by a provider such as Empower, Emicool or Tabreed, and you get a separate monthly bill for it.
A chiller bill usually has two parts:
- Capacity (demand) charge: a fixed monthly amount based on the size of your unit. You pay it even if the AC is switched off while you travel.
- Consumption charge: based on how much cooling you actually use, so it rises sharply in summer.
For a one or two-bedroom apartment, chiller bills commonly run from a few hundred dirhams in winter to around AED 1,000 or more in peak summer, depending on the provider, the unit size and how cool you keep it. Expect a refundable deposit too, often around AED 2,000 for a flat.
Some buildings are advertised as chiller-free, which means the landlord pays for cooling. In practice that can save you several thousand dirhams a year, so it is worth comparing a chiller-free flat with a slightly cheaper one where you pay the chiller yourself. Our step-by-step guide to renting an apartment in Dubai covers what to ask before you sign.
Internet and TV: du vs e&
Dubai has two main home internet providers, du and e& (formerly Etisalat). In most buildings only one of them is wired in, so the building often chooses for you. Check which network your building uses before you commit to a plan.
| Type of plan | Typical price per month (before 5% VAT) | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 5G home wireless | about AED 229 to 349 (promotions from around AED 159 to 206) | Renters who move often, no installation |
| Fibre, entry to mid speed | about AED 300 to 430 | Most couples and families |
| Fibre with TV and extras | about AED 430 to 800 | Heavy streaming, sports, gaming |
As an example, e&’s eLife Ultra Starter plan was listed on e&’s site at AED 429 a month before VAT in November 2026, on a 24-month contract, with a no-commitment option for AED 25 more each month. Both providers run frequent promotions and plan names change often, so always check the current price on the provider’s site.
Two things to watch: most fibre deals lock you in for 12 or 24 months, and leaving early usually means a fee. If you are not sure how long you will stay in the flat, a 5G home wireless plan or a no-commitment option can be the safer choice.
Mobile phone plans
Mobile plans are sold by the same two companies, du and e&, plus sub-brands such as Virgin Mobile (which runs on du’s network). Postpaid plans with a decent data allowance usually cost about AED 125 to 250 a month.
Prepaid and data-only bundles can be cheaper if you mostly use Wi-Fi at home and work. You will need your Emirates ID to register a SIM in your name.
Cooking gas
Gas is the smallest bill for most people. Newer towers usually have central gas supplied by a private gas company and billed by usage, with its own small deposit. Older buildings and many villas still use refillable gas cylinders.
Either way, most small households spend well under AED 100 a month on cooking gas.
One-off costs when you move in
Before your first bill arrives, budget for these setup costs. The DEWA figures come from the DEWA move-in service page.
| Item | Cost (AED) | Refundable? |
|---|---|---|
| DEWA security deposit, flat | 2,000 | Yes, when you move out |
| DEWA security deposit, villa | 4,000 | Yes, when you move out |
| DEWA activation (small meters) | 125 | No |
| DEWA registration, knowledge and innovation fees | 10 each (30 in total) | No |
| District cooling deposit (if applicable) | often around 2,000 | Yes |
| Internet installation | often free, otherwise around 199 | No |
In most cases DEWA is activated automatically once your Ejari is registered: DEWA emails you an account number and a payment link for the deposit, and supply is normally switched on within 15 working hours of payment.
How to keep your utility bills down
- Set the AC to 24°C instead of 18 to 20°C. Every degree lower adds to the bill, and it is the single biggest cost in summer.
- Use timers and smart thermostats so the AC is not cooling an empty flat all day.
- Keep curtains closed on sun-facing windows in the afternoon. West-facing flats heat up fast.
- Service your AC once a year. Dirty filters make it work harder (and in a rental, ask the landlord to cover it).
- Watch your water use in villas with gardens. Drip irrigation and timers make a big difference.
- Check the DEWA app each month to spot unusual spikes early. It shows your usage by month and your slab.
If you are moving with kids and need more space, our guide to the best areas to live in Dubai for families compares rents in family-friendly communities, which helps you estimate the housing fee too.
FAQ
How much is the DEWA bill for a one-bedroom apartment in Dubai?
For a one-bedroom flat where the chiller is billed separately, DEWA is often around AED 330 to 450 a month including VAT, plus the housing fee. If your AC runs on DEWA electricity, summer bills of AED 600 or more are common.
Is the housing fee included in the DEWA bill?
Yes. Once your Ejari is linked to your DEWA account, the 5% housing fee is added to your DEWA bill in 12 monthly parts. On rent of AED 100,000 a year, that adds about AED 417 a month.
What does chiller-free mean in Dubai?
It means the landlord or building pays for district cooling, so you only pay DEWA for electricity and water. It can save you hundreds of dirhams a month in summer, so it is worth paying a little more rent for.
Why is my DEWA bill so high in summer?
Air conditioning. Higher usage pushes you into more expensive slabs, and if your AC is on DEWA electricity rather than a chiller, it can double or triple your bill between June and September.
Do I get my DEWA deposit back?
Yes. The AED 2,000 (flat) or AED 4,000 (villa) deposit is refunded when you close your account at move-out, after any unpaid bills are deducted.
The bottom line
Plan for roughly AED 1,350 to 2,600 a month in utilities for a one-bedroom apartment, and more for a villa in summer. The bills that surprise people most are the 5% housing fee and the chiller, not electricity itself. Ask about both before you sign a lease, and you will know your real monthly cost of living in Dubai from day one.
