What are service charges in Dubai and how much are they per sq ft?

Service charges are annual fees for maintaining shared areas (security, cleaning, lifts, pools, landscaping), set per square foot and collected by the developer or owners' association. In 2026 they typically run AED 3-30+ per sq ft: villas around AED 2-6, mid-market apartments in the low-to-mid teens, and prime towers like Downtown roughly AED 15-40. Branded residences can exceed AED 50.