Borrowing capacity
How Much Could You Borrow?
Your income, commitments and cash, tested against the Central Bank limits that every UAE bank applies. An honest estimate before you speak to a lender.
In short
- All monthly debt payments, including the new mortgage, may not exceed 50% of your income under Central Bank rules.
- The loan is capped at 7 times annual income for expatriates and 8 times for UAE nationals.
- Banks count about 5% of every credit card limit as a monthly commitment, even when the card is unused.
Turn this into a real answer. A Castilion advisor checks your profile against each bank's policy.
Indicative assessment, not a pre approval or an offer. Uses the Central Bank 50% debt burden limit and the 7 times (expatriate) or 8 times (UAE national) annual income cap, loan to value limits, and DLD purchase costs. Banks also apply their own income minimums, stress rates, nationality and employer policies. Reviewed 21 October 2026.
Know where you stand
Four stages. Only the last is a commitment.
An estimate is useful. It is not an approval. Here is how a figure on a screen becomes money from a bank.
- 01Instant
Calculator estimate
Pure arithmetic on numbers you enter. No checks, no commitment.
- 02Minutes
Indicative eligibility
This tool. Your profile tested against Central Bank limits and typical bank practice.
- 03Days
Bank pre approval
A bank reviews documents and your credit report, then states what it may lend. Usually valid 30 to 90 days.
- 04After valuation
Final approval
The bank values the property and issues a final offer. Only this is a lending commitment.
The rules behind the numbers
What every bank checks.
Regulation
50% debt burden
Total monthly debt instalments may not exceed 50% of gross salary and regular income from a defined source. CBUAE Circular 31/2013 and Clarification 22/2017
Regulation
7x and 8x income
Mortgage loan capped at 7 times annual income for expatriates. Mortgage loan capped at 8 times annual income for UAE nationals. CBUAE Circular 31/2013 as amended by Resolution 31/2/2020
Regulation
25 year maximum term
Maximum mortgage term of 25 years. Age at final repayment has been set by each lender since 2019. CBUAE Resolution 96/2019: maximum age set by each lender
Bank practice
5% of card limits
Banks count about 5% of each credit card limit as a monthly liability, whether or not the card is used. Bank practice, not regulation.
Bank practice
Typical age limits
About 65 to 70 for salaried expatriates and about 70 for UAE nationals and self employed borrowers. Each bank publishes its own.
Bank practice
Stress testing
Many banks recheck affordability at a rate above the one offered. Use the assessment rate field to test your own margin of safety.
Rules reviewed 21 October 2026.
Eligibility questions
Answered plainly.
Still unsure where you stand? A Castilion advisor will review your profile privately.
What is the debt burden ratio?
It is the share of your gross monthly income that goes to debt repayments. Central Bank rules cap all instalments, including the new mortgage, at 50% of gross salary and regular income from a defined source. Banks may set a lower limit for some profiles.
Why do unused credit cards reduce what I can borrow?
Banks usually count about 5% of each credit card limit as a monthly commitment, even when the balance is zero. This is bank practice rather than regulation. Closing or reducing cards you do not use can raise your capacity.
Is there a maximum loan relative to income?
Yes. Central Bank rules cap a mortgage at 7 times annual income for expatriates and 8 times for UAE nationals, in addition to the debt burden limit.
What is the maximum age for a UAE mortgage?
Since 2019 the Central Bank leaves the maximum age at final repayment to each lender. Many banks use about 65 for salaried expatriates and about 70 for UAE nationals and self employed borrowers, so a later start can shorten the term.
Is this assessment a pre approval?
No. It is an indicative estimate from published rules. A pre approval is issued by a bank after it reviews your documents and credit report, and the final offer follows the bank's valuation of the property.
Castilion Mortgage Advisory
Mortgage advice from Castilion Estates, licensed as a Real Estate Mortgage Broker. One team for the property and the finance behind it.
Castilion is a mortgage broker, not a lender. Calculators and assessments are indicative illustrations, not offers, pre approvals or approvals. Rates, fees and eligibility are set by each bank and are subject to its credit assessment, valuation and final offer, and to the regulations of the Central Bank of the UAE. Castilion Realty L.L.C., RERA ORN 46392.