About Yalla Calculators
Yalla Calculators is a UAE-focused hub of practical calculators for property, rent, mortgages, car costs, and monthly living expenses — helping residents and people considering a move to the UAE make confident money and life decisions.
Our key calculators include Rent vs Buy, Property Fees, Mortgage Affordability, Car Lease vs Buy, and Monthly Expenses. Using Dubai as the default example where relevant (e.g., DLD, RERA).
Founder & Data Sources
Varun Punjabi
Founder
Varun founded YallaCalculators in 2023 to democratize access to accurate, UAE-specific financial planning tools. With 13+ years of experience in software and digital business and deep expertise in UAE regulations—including Dubai Land Department fee structures, KHDA school rating systems, and UAE Central Bank mortgage rules—he builds and runs the site personally to give UAE residents and prospective expats actionable financial insights.
Expert Verification Process
Every calculator and guide on YallaCalculators undergoes rigorous verification against official UAE data sources. We cross-reference our calculations with Dubai Land Department fee schedules, KHDA school databases, UAE Central Bank circulars, and MOHRE labor law publications. All regulatory data is verified by Varun Punjabi directly against official UAE government publications — DLD fee schedules, KHDA databases, UAE Central Bank circulars, and MOHRE labour law documents. Sources are cited throughout so users can verify independently.
Our story
Yalla Calculators was born from a simple frustration: the lack of accurate, UAE-specific financial calculators. After years of working with property buyers who were surprised by hidden fees, unexpected costs, and inaccurate online tools, Varun Punjabi (Founder) decided to build something better.
Founded by Varun Punjabi, a UAE expat with 8+ years in the UAE, Yalla Calculators has created calculators that include every fee, regulation, and market condition specific to the Emirates. From DLD transfer fees to service charges, mortgage registration costs to investment returns – everything is calculated with precision. The platform stays current with UAE Labour Law, Central Bank circulars, and DLD announcements.
Today, Yalla Calculators' tools are used by UAE expats and residents, real estate professionals, and financial advisors to make informed decisions about property purchases, rentals, and investments.
Free calculators used by residents across all seven emirates
Our Methodology
How we ensure every calculation is accurate, relevant, and trustworthy for UAE residents
Property Fee Calculations
Our property calculators use official fee structures from Dubai Land Department (DLD), including the 4% transfer fee, trustee fees, mortgage registration charges, and RERA-regulated agent commissions.
We track changes to government fees and update our calculators immediately when regulations change. We monitor DLD announcements, UAE Central Bank circulars, and bank rate changes to keep calculations current.
School Fee Data
Our school database includes 218 Dubai private schools with KHDA-approved fee structures. We source data directly from KHDA's public fee framework and verify with individual school websites.
School fees are verified annually at the start of each academic year. We include DSIB ratings, enrollment trends, curriculum details, and additional costs like transport and uniforms where available.
Mortgage Calculations
Mortgage affordability calculations follow UAE Central Bank regulations, including the 50% Debt Burden Ratio (DBR) cap, LTV limits by buyer category, and current interest rate ranges from major UAE banks.
The Central Bank recognises two borrower categories, so we apply two sets of LTV caps. On a first home, UAE nationals are capped at 85% up to AED 5M and 75% above it; expatriates at 80% and 70% on the same thresholds. Second and subsequent properties are capped at 65% and 60% respectively, at any price. Off-plan (under-construction) purchases are capped at 50% LTV for both buyer types.
GCC nationals are not a third regulatory band: lenders commonly extend them UAE-national terms at their own discretion, which is bank policy rather than a Central Bank rule. Fee structures are applied per category alongside these caps.
For complete details on our calculation methodologies and data sources, see our methodology page.
Living Cost Estimates
Monthly expense estimates are based on publicly available cost-of-living indices, UAE government data, and market rates for Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. Users can adjust all values to match their actual spending.
We include location-specific adjustments—Marina and Downtown Dubai have different cost profiles than Al Barsha or Sharjah. Users can customize all values to match their actual spending.
Our Values
The principles that guide everything we build
Accuracy
We use official UAE data and update regularly.
Transparency
We show our sources and methodology.
UAE focus
Built for Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the UAE.
Professional
Designed for residents and expats.
Core Team
I verify all calculators and content against official UAE government sources. All data is cross-referenced with DLD, KHDA, Central Bank, and MOHRE publications.
Varun Punjabi
Founder · Dubai, UAE
(Not affiliated with other professionals who share the same name.)
Background: Over 13 years of professional experience in software and digital business, with a strong background in the domain and internet industry.Financial Expertise: Specializes in UAE property market analysis, mortgage calculations, DLD and RERA regulations, and UAE labour and school-fee frameworks.Technical Background: Built Yalla Calculators after personally navigating Dubai's property and school-fee landscape. Responsible for overall platform strategy, calculator methodology, and regulatory compliance. Our methodology follows UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021). See our Methodology page for details.
LinkedIn ProfileProperty & Fee Data
Official DLD & RERA Sources
Data is verified against official DLD and RERA fee schedules rather than personal consultants. We use published fee structures from Dubai Land Department (DLD), RERA rental indices and agent commission regulations, and update calculators when regulations change.
Data is verified against official DLD and RERA fee schedules rather than personal consultants.
Mortgage & Banking Data
Official Central Bank & Bank Sources
Data references Circular No. 31/2013 — “Regulations Regarding Mortgage Loans”, Article (3) for LTV limits and Regulation No. 29/2011 — “Regulations Regarding Bank Loans and Other Services Offered to Individual Customers”, Article (7)(a) for the DBR cap. We track published rates from 5 named UAE banks (Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB), Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB), Mashreq Bank) and ensure mortgage calculators reflect current regulatory requirements. We are not licensed financial advisors; always verify with official sources.
Data is verified against official UAE government sources rather than personal advisors.
Why Our Expertise Matters
Financial planning content is YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) — it demands expertise, authority, and trust. My credentials and our data approach demonstrate real-world UAE focus:
- 13 years of professional experience in digital business and 10 years specifically in the domain/internet industry (Varun Punjabi)
- Firsthand UAE residency since 2018 in Sharjah, with personal experience navigating property purchases, visa applications, and financial planning
- Technical expertise in software development ensuring calculator accuracy and UAE-specific formula implementation
- Direct access to official government sources including DLD, Central Bank, KHDA, and MOHRE databases
- Regular reviews of calculator logic and data sources against published regulations
This combination of technical skills, regulatory knowledge, and real-world UAE experience ensures our calculators provide accurate, trustworthy guidance for financial decisions—meeting Google's E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) standards for Your Money or Your Life (YMYL) content.
Contact & Trust
Physical address: 1, JAM Tower, Downtown Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Contact us for inquiries.
Editorial Policy: We use official UAE data sources (Dubai Land Department, RERA, UAE Central Bank, KHDA, MOHRE) where relevant. We cite methodology and data-update practices. We do not provide legal, tax, or financial advice. Calculator outputs are for planning only; verify with official channels and qualified professionals. See our Methodology and Terms for full details.
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