How much does painting a home cost in Dubai?
In Dubai most painting is not decoration but a tenancy obligation: the flat goes back to the landlord in the colour it came in, so the busiest week for a painter is the last week of somebody’s lease.
Painting looks like the easiest job to price, and the published figures for the same one-bedroom flat still run from about AED 550 to 2,500. The difference is mostly in what a listing cannot show: how many holes and cracks need filling, whether a dark colour has to be covered back to white, and whether the ceilings and the paint itself are in the price.
Describe the work, location and access details. Review any offers you receive before choosing a professional.
UAE price references for planning a job in Dubai
| Job | AED |
|---|---|
| One room 299–900 AED ServiceMarket lists a complete room from 299 (399 in its cost guide); Vision Three and Mr Painter, quoting walls and ceiling, put a bedroom at 450–900. Ask whether the ceiling and the paint are included. | 299–900 |
| Studio apartment 400–1,500 AED Most publishers sit at 400–700 (Bestimate, Golden Spotless, TaskRight, ServiceMarket from 449–550); Mr Painter’s 999–1,500 is the outlier and includes ceilings. | 400–1,500 |
| One-bedroom apartment 550–2,500 AED The common band is 550–1,200: Bestimate 550–900, ServiceMarket from 799, Golden Spotless 700–1,000, TaskRight’s move-out figures 700–1,200. Vision Three (1,200–1,800) and Mr Painter (1,499–2,500) include walls and ceilings. | 550–2,500 |
| Two-bedroom apartment 800–3,800 AED Bestimate 800–1,500, ServiceMarket from 1,299, Golden Spotless 1,200–1,700; Mr Painter’s 2,499–3,800 is the top. Wall condition — nail holes, cracks, stains — moves a two-bedroom most. | 800–3,800 |
| Three-bedroom apartment 1,200–5,500 AED Bestimate 1,200–2,200, TaskRight move-out 1,400–2,200, Golden Spotless 1,700–2,500; Mr Painter 3,499–5,500. Two days is typical; ask how many painters. | 1,200–5,500 |
| Villa interior, three to four bedrooms 2,500–12,000 AED The widest spread on the page: ServiceMarket about 2,500–3,000, Golden Spotless 2,800–6,000+, Bestimate 3,000–8,000+, Vision Three from 6,000, Mr Painter 6,999–12,000 for three bedrooms. Double-height stairwells and ceilings separate the ends. | 2,500–12,000 |
| Villa exterior 4,000–30,000+ AED Bestimate publishes 4,000–15,000+; Vision Three puts a single storey from 8,000 and two storeys at 15,000–30,000+. Ask whether scaffolding and a heat-resistant exterior paint are in the quote. | 4,000–30,000+ |
| Ceilings 149–1,500+ AED ServiceMarket starts ceilings at 149; Bestimate lists them as an add-on at 300–1,500+. Several apartment packages already include ceilings — check before paying for them twice. | 149–1,500+ |
| Per square metre of painted surface, interior 15–28 AED Vision Three: 15–22 per m² for standard emulsion, 20–28 for a washable eggshell or silk, walls and ceilings together. | 15–28 |
| Feature or single wall 199–800 AED ServiceMarket from 199 for a single wall; Bestimate 250–800+ for an accent wall; Mr Painter 399–800. | 199–800 |
Published UAE price references, largely drawn from Dubai sources, compiled on 21 October 2026. The table is not a separate price survey of Dubai. Confirm local availability, scope and price directly with the provider.
What moves the price in Dubai
Dubai is the reference market: nearly every published price list in the UAE is a Dubai list, which is why the ranges below are quoted the way they are. Marina, Downtown and JLT sit at the top of them — parking and lift access cost the pro time before the work starts.
Towers are the complication. Building management usually wants an NOC or a work permit for the contractor before anyone is let upstairs, some require it a day ahead, and a few hold a refundable deposit against damage to the lifts. Ask your building what it needs when you agree the job, not when the pro is at the barrier.
Who has to approve the work
DEWA — Dubai Electricity and Water Authority. Anything that touches the incoming supply — the distribution board, a new circuit, meter-side work — has to be done by a DEWA-registered contractor. Replacing a socket, a switch or a light fitting on an existing circuit does not, and that is where most handyman electrical work sits.
Homes and access in Dubai
Most of Dubai rents rather than owns, and most of it lives in towers held by management companies. Tenancies turn over on an annual cycle, so the same snag list — a dripping mixer, a socket that stopped working, a wardrobe to rebuild — arrives in waves every summer.
Questions people ask
My tenancy says the flat goes back in its original colour. What will that cost?
For a standard repaint back to white, publishers put a studio at roughly AED 400–700 and a one-bedroom at 700–1,200; more if you painted a dark or strong colour, because covering it takes an extra coat or a primer. Read the move-out clause and your check-in report first — some landlords require it only where you changed the colour, not across the whole flat.
The landlord wants to deduct painting from my deposit. How do I know if it is fair?
Compare it with what painters publish for the same size of flat, and ask for the contractor’s invoice behind the deduction. A charge well above the range for your size of unit, or for rooms you never painted, is reasonable to question in writing before you agree to it.
Does the price include the paint?
Not always, and it is the first thing to ask. Some quotes include standard white emulsion; others assume you buy the paint, and a washable or premium finish is usually extra — Bestimate lists that upgrade at AED 300–2,000+.
Are the ceilings included?
It varies by provider, which is why the same flat can be quoted at double the price. Ask for the quote to list walls, ceilings, doors and trim line by line.
How long does it take, and will my building allow it?
A studio or one-bedroom is typically a day, a three-bedroom about two, a villa longer. Many Dubai towers want building management to approve the contractor first, and some limit noisy or smelly work to certain hours — ask your building what it needs when you book.
Get a price for your own job
Use these price references to prepare your questions. Describe the work you need, review any offers you receive, and confirm the scope, inclusions and total directly with the professional before agreeing to the work.
Where these numbers come from
This reference set was compiled on 21 October 2026 from published UAE price lists and cost guides, largely covering Dubai. Source dates, units and inclusions differ. The figures are not HandyMan transaction data or a separate survey of each emirate; follow the linked sources for their context.
- ServiceMarket — painting services, Dubai
- ServiceMarket — what painting services cost in Dubai
- Bestimate — painting services cost guide, Dubai
- TaskRight — move-out painting cost in Dubai
- Golden Spotless — painting cost in Dubai
- Vision Three — painting cost in Dubai, 2026
- Mr Painter — painting prices, Dubai
Painting prices elsewhere in the UAE
Other trades in Dubai
Longer read: How to Hire a Handyman: What to Check Before You Book. Work in this trade yourself? See Dubai jobs on HandyMan. Explore handyman services across the UAE. Read the painters hiring guide.