How much can I borrow in the UAE? Loan eligibility and DBR calculator
Updated
How much can I borrow on my salary in the UAE?
All your instalments together may take at most 50% of your gross salary and regular income; on top of that a personal loan is capped at 20 times the monthly salary over 48 months, a car loan at 80% of the car over 60 months, and a mortgage at 7 times annual income for expats or 8 times for UAE nationals. On AED 20,000 a month with no other loans, that leaves AED 10,000 a month for instalments, a personal loan of at most AED 400,000 and a mortgage of at most AED 1,680,000 as an expat (AED 1,920,000 as a UAE national).
| Loan | Cap | On AED 20,000 a month |
|---|---|---|
| Personal loan | 20 × monthly salary, 48 months | AED 400,000 |
| Car loan | 80% of the car, 60 months | depends on the car |
| Mortgage, expat | 7 × annual income, 25 years | AED 1,680,000 |
| Mortgage, UAE national | 8 × annual income, 25 years | AED 1,920,000 |
| All loans and cards | instalments ≤ 50% of gross income | AED 10,000 a month |
Official rule: All your instalments together may not exceed 50% of your gross salary and regular income. (source, checked 2026-10-19)
Your loan limit in the UAE is set by the Central Bank: all instalments together may not exceed 50% of your gross salary, plus caps per loan type. Here is your maximum.
- Room left for instalments
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The limits that apply
Not a valid document. Estimate for information only — not financial advice, not an offer of credit and not a bank document. Errors are possible. Only your bank's or finance company's official offer letter, contract and statements are binding.
Questions people ask
What is the debt burden ratio (DBR)?
The share of your gross salary that goes to instalments. In the UAE all instalments together may not exceed 50%.
How is DBR calculated in the UAE?
In the UAE, add up every monthly instalment, including the new loan and your credit cards the way your bank counts them, and divide by your gross monthly salary and regular income. AED 6,000 of instalments on AED 20,000 a month is a DBR of 30%; the limit is 50%.
What DBR do UAE banks allow?
In the UAE, at most 50% of your gross salary and regular income for all instalments together, under the Central Bank's rules.
How much mortgage can I get on my salary in the UAE?
At most 7 times your annual income as an expat or 8 times as a UAE national, over at most 25 years, and the instalment must fit in the 50% limit together with your other loans — tested at 2 to 4 points above the rate. On AED 240,000 a year that is at most AED 1,680,000 for an expat.
How much personal loan can I get in the UAE?
In the UAE, at most 20 times your monthly salary, repaid within 48 months, and all your instalments together may not exceed 50% of your gross salary. Banks may apply stricter rules of their own.
How much loan can I get on 5000 AED salary?
In the UAE, at most AED 100,000 — 20 times the salary — repaid within 48 months, and only if all your instalments stay within 50% of your salary (AED 2,500 a month). At an example rate of 6% reducing that loan costs AED 2,348.50 a month. Banks often set their own minimum salary, so some will not lend at this salary at all.
Is there a loan eligibility calculator for the UAE?
Yes — the UAE borrowing calculator on this page: enter your gross salary and what you already pay, and it shows the most you can borrow under the Central Bank's limits — all instalments together at most 50% of gross salary, a personal loan at most 20 times the monthly salary. For a credit card, the credit card limit calculator shows how much limit the same rule leaves room for.