Interior Design Fees in Dubai: How Designers Actually Charge

Interior design fees in Dubai run on three main models: a fixed fee for the design package, a rate per square foot (AED 40 to 120 for standard residential work, AED 120 to 250 at the premium end), or a percentage of the total fit-out cost, usually 8 to 15 percent. Most studios in the city mix these: a fixed fee for concept and drawings, then a project management percentage once site work starts. A two-bedroom apartment design package typically lands between AED 15,000 and 35,000. A full villa design runs AED 60,000 to 200,000 depending on size and how much joinery gets drawn.

The number matters less than what it buys. Two studios can quote AED 30,000 for the same apartment and deliver completely different packages. here’s how the fee structures work, what each should include, and the questions that expose a thin quote before you sign.

The three fee models

Fixed fee for the design package. The studio prices the drawings, not the square footage. This suits defined scopes: a single room, a kitchen, a refresh of finishes. You agree the deliverables list and the price at the start. Expect a fixed package for an apartment to include a concept, a space plan, finishes schedules, joinery drawings for custom pieces, and a furniture layout. Anything beyond that list, such as 3D renders of every room or full tender documents, is usually an extra line.

Per square foot. The common model for whole-home work in Dubai. Standard residential design sits around AED 40 to 120 per square foot. Premium projects with heavy joinery, imported materials and detailed documentation reach AED 120 to 250. The rate covers design and documentation. Site supervision is almost always priced separately, typically another 3 to 5 percent of works.

Percentage of works. The fee is a share of the construction and fit-out budget, usually 8 to 15 percent, sometimes split between design and project management. The logic is simple: the bigger and more complex the job, the more drawing and coordination it needs. The risk sits on your side. If the works budget grows because of changes, the fee grows with it. Some studios cap the percentage once the budget passes AED 1 million, so ask.

What a proper design package includes

A fee quote should list deliverables room by room. At minimum for a full apartment or villa:

Measured survey and existing-conditions drawings
Space plans, usually two or three layout options before you settle on one
Concept boards: materials, colours, references
Finishes schedules a contractor can price from
Joinery shop drawings for custom carpentry, with dimensions in millimetres
Electrical and lighting layouts, including switch positions
A furniture plan with named items or procurement lists

What costs extra on most quotes: full 3D renders, tender management, site visits beyond an agreed number, and procurement of furniture. Some studios in Dubai include renders in the base fee and charge nothing for them; others bill AED 2,000 to 5,000 per room. Neither approach is wrong, but the quote should say which one you’re getting.

Where fees go wrong

The most common problem is scope drift. A fee quoted for design only quietly becomes design plus procurement plus endless site visits, none of it priced. The second problem is the quote that stays silent on revisions. A reasonable package includes two rounds of changes per stage. A quote that allows unlimited revisions is either priced high to cover them, or will start invoicing you mid-project.

The third problem is the percentage fee on an unfixed budget. If your works budget is still an estimate when you sign, the fee is an estimate too. Fix the design fee, or fix the budget first, before agreeing a percentage. We plan budgets before quoting design fees for exactly this reason, and the same thinking sits behind five decisions that quietly rewrite a Dubai fit-out budget.

Design fee versus project management fee

Studios in Dubai usually split these, and so should the contract. Design covers the drawings and schedules. Project management covers approvals coordination, contractor tenders, site inspections, snagging and handover. A separate project management fee of 5 to 10 percent of works is normal. Some studios discount the design fee when they also run the project, because tendering to their own trade network saves the client money either way.

A designer who also project manages has one accountable line for the whole job, which shortens disputes when something on site doesn’t match the drawing. The detail of how that handover is checked matters as much as the fee; our approach to snag lists, retention and sign-off explains what a proper close-out looks like.

Fees by project type, Dubai market

Ranges we see quoted across the city in 2026:

Studio or one-bedroom apartment design package: AED 10,000 to 25,000
Two to three-bedroom apartment: AED 15,000 to 40,000
Duplex or townhouse: AED 35,000 to 80,000
Five-bedroom villa, full design: AED 60,000 to 200,000
Add project management: 5 to 10 percent of works on top

Palm Jumeirah, Emirates Hills and Downtown projects sit at the top of each range because the finish level raises drawing detail: more joinery, more stone, more coordination. Location itself doesn’t change the fee. Scope does. For a sense of what the works side of the budget looks like once design is settled, see the 2026 fit-out cost benchmarks per square foot.

Questions that expose a thin quote

Before signing any design fee agreement, ask these:

Exactly which rooms and which deliverables does the fee cover?
How many revision rounds are included, per stage?
Are 3D renders included, and how many?
Is site supervision included, or priced separately?
If the fee is a percentage, is it capped?
Who owns the drawings if you part ways mid-project?

A studio that answers all six in writing is quoting you a real service. One that answers with adjectives about passion and vision is quoting you a mood board.

If you want a fee structure mapped to your actual apartment or villa, we’re happy to walk through it in a consultation.