How Much Does Interior Design Cost in Dubai? (2026 Prices)
The question everyone types into Google before hiring a designer in Dubai: how much is this going to cost me?
And most of what comes back is either painfully vague (“it depends on your project”) or stuffed with numbers that don’t apply to what you are actually planning.
This page gives you real AED figures for 2026. Consultation fees, design fees, fit-out costs, full project costs by property type. If you are trying to figure out a realistic budget, this is the page to bookmark.
We are Liger Interiors, a DED-licensed interior design and renovation company in Downtown Dubai. Our founder Swati Kubal has been designing interiors for 13 years. The numbers below come from current Dubai market rates, cross-checked against our own projects across JVC, Al Furjan, Villanova, Arabian Ranches, Dubai Hills, DAMAC Hills, and more.
First, Understand How Designers Charge
Before looking at prices, it helps to know the four ways interior design companies in Dubai bill their clients. Otherwise you end up comparing quotes that measure different things.
Per square foot. The most common method. The designer gives you a rate per sqft that covers design, materials, labour, and project management. You multiply by your floor area. Simple to compare across companies.
Fixed fee. One price for the whole project. Works well when the scope is clear from the start. You know your total before anyone picks up a paintbrush.
Percentage of project cost. Common with luxury firms. The design fee is 10 to 20 percent of the total build and procurement cost. On a AED 1,000,000 villa fitout, the design fee alone could be AED 100,000 to 200,000.
Hourly rate. Used for consultation-only work. Layout advice, colour selection, material guidance, without a full project commitment. Rates in Dubai range from AED 200 to AED 800 per hour.
At Liger Interiors, we use a clear consultation fee structure. No hidden charges, no percentage surprises. More on that below.
Interior Design Cost Per Square Foot (2026)
These are all-in figures covering design, materials, labour, and project management. Not design-only.
AED 75 to 200 per sqft (budget to mid-range). Paint, flooring, basic fixtures, ready-made furniture. Minimal custom work. Good for rental apartments, Airbnb setups, or a clean refresh without going deep.
AED 200 to 400 per sqft (mid-range to premium). Custom joinery, quality tiles or SPC flooring, false ceilings, feature walls, updated lighting, kitchen and bathroom upgrades. This is the range where most homeowners in Dubai end up.
AED 400 to 600+ per sqft (premium to luxury). Imported materials, stone finishes, bespoke wardrobes and cabinets, smart home integration, full lighting design, high-end appliances. Layout changes included.
AED 600 to 1,000+ per sqft (ultra-luxury). Italian kitchens, European furniture, marble throughout, structural redesign, full MEP overhaul, landscape design. Think Emirates Hills and Palm Jumeirah villas where the interiors match the address.
Cost by Property Type
Studio Apartment
AED 25,000 to 80,000 (full design and fitout)
A studio is small enough that even a modest budget can make a big difference. New flooring, a feature wall, updated lighting, and some smart furniture choices can change the whole feel. Most studios in Dubai Marina, Business Bay, or JVC fall in the AED 30,000 to 50,000 range for a mid-range refresh.
1-Bedroom Apartment
AED 60,000 to 200,000
The spread is wide because it depends on what you touch. A paint-and-flooring refresh with new curtains sits at the lower end. A full fitout with custom kitchen, bathroom retiling, wardrobes, false ceilings, and feature walls pushes toward AED 150,000 to 200,000.
At Liger Interiors, our 1-BHK apartment makeovers start from AED 160,000 for a full scope.
2-Bedroom Apartment
AED 120,000 to 350,000
Two bathrooms, a bigger kitchen, more flooring, more joinery. Everything scales up. Mid-range fitouts with decent materials and custom touches land around AED 150,000 to 250,000 for most 2-bed apartments.
3-Bedroom Villa or Apartment
AED 250,000 to 600,000
This is where the numbers start to feel real. Three bedrooms, a living area, dining, kitchen, and usually 2 to 3 bathrooms. Add feature walls, false ceilings, and custom wardrobes, and the budget fills up fast.
We have done 3-bedroom villa projects in the AED 250,000 to 300,000 range including feature walls in every bedroom, SPC flooring throughout, false ceilings, full painting, and lighting. See our Murooj Al Furjan project for what that looks like in practice.
4 to 5-Bedroom Villa
AED 400,000 to 1,500,000+
Larger villas bring in exterior work, landscaping, pool considerations, more bathrooms, bigger kitchens. At the premium end, custom joinery alone can run AED 100,000+. Villas in Emirates Hills, Palm Jumeirah, and Dubai Hills tend to sit at the higher end because the finishes expected in those communities are more demanding.
Commercial / Office
AED 100 to 350 per sqft
Offices, retail shops, restaurants, clinics. Pricing depends on the type of business and the impression you need to make. A simple office fitout in Business Bay is a different job from a restaurant in DIFC.
Liger Interiors works on both residential and commercial interior design projects.
What is Included in the Cost?
People get confused here because different companies include different things in their quotes. So let’s be clear about what a full interior design project actually covers.
Design phase: Space planning, mood boards, material selection, 3D renders, technical drawings, lighting layout. This is the thinking and planning stage.
Fitout / construction phase: Demolition (if renovating), flooring, painting, tiling, false ceilings, electrical work, plumbing, AC modifications. This is the building stage.
Joinery and custom furniture: Wardrobes, kitchen cabinets, TV units, shoe storage, bookshelves, bathroom vanities. Made to measure.
FF&E (furniture, fixtures, and equipment): Sofas, dining tables, beds, curtains, blinds, light fixtures, decorative items. Some companies include this. Others quote it separately.
Project management: Site supervision, contractor coordination, quality checks, timeline management.
When you get a quote, ask exactly what is included. Some companies give you a low per-sqft rate but leave out joinery, FF&E, and project management. The total ends up higher than a company that quoted more per sqft but included everything.
At Liger Interiors, our process covers everything from design to execution. We don’t hand you a plan and wish you luck. We are on site, managing the work, until handover.
Consultation Fees: What You Pay Before the Project Starts
Most interior designers in Dubai charge a consultation fee for the first proper sit-down where they assess your space, understand what you want, and outline the scope of work. This is separate from a quick introductory phone call (which is usually free).
Consultation fees across Dubai range from AED 500 for a basic session to AED 5,000+ for a comprehensive assessment with a detailed proposal.
Liger Interiors consultation packages:
Basic: AED 2,000. Assessment of your space, design direction, and scope of work.
Premium: AED 2,800. More detailed assessment with material direction and initial design concepts.
Superior: AED 3,000. Full assessment, design direction, material palette, and a detailed project scope you can use to move forward.
Each package gives you enough to decide whether to proceed. No pressure, no obligation. You can get in touch here to book a consultation, or learn about our consultation process on our website.
What Drives Interior Design Cost Up or Down?
Your materials. This is the single biggest cost lever you control. Porcelain tiles at AED 80/sqm versus Italian marble at AED 600/sqm. Ready-made cabinets versus bespoke joinery. Local furniture versus European imports. The same room can cost 2 to 5 times more depending on what goes into it.
How much custom work you want. Off-the-shelf wardrobes from a furniture store cost a fraction of built-to-measure joinery with soft-close drawers, LED lighting, and lacquered finishes. Custom work looks better and lasts longer, but it costs more.
Property condition. A brand-new apartment that just needs furnishing and styling is a different job from a 10-year-old villa that needs new flooring, rewiring, plumbing fixes, and kitchen replacement before the design even starts.
Number of wet areas. Every bathroom and kitchen adds plumbing, waterproofing, and tiling costs. A villa with 5 bathrooms costs more than one with 3, even if the floor area is the same.
The community. Expectations differ by location. A villa in Emirates Hills needs a different level of finish than a townhouse in JVC. Contractors in premium areas often charge more, too.
Your designer. A boutique studio with 15 years of experience charges more than a freelancer who started last year. You are paying for design quality, project management, vendor relationships, and problem-solving ability. The difference shows in the result.
Importing versus local sourcing. UAE-based manufacturers produce quality joinery and stone fabrication at 30 to 50 percent less than European imports. Italian-designed, UAE-made is the smart middle ground. You get the aesthetic without the import markup.
How to Save Money Without Sacrificing Quality
Prioritise the rooms people see. Living room, kitchen, master bedroom, master bathroom. These are where your money makes the most visible impact. Guest rooms and utility areas can be simpler.
Keep plumbing and electrics where they are. The moment you move a kitchen sink or relocate a bathroom, costs jump. If the layout works, invest in better finishes instead.
Choose one or two “wow” moments. A stunning feature wall in the living room or a beautifully designed kitchen island has more impact than spreading the budget thin across every room. We started as feature wall specialists and we still believe one well-designed focal point can define a home.
Source locally. UAE workshops produce excellent joinery. Local tile suppliers carry good quality porcelain and marble. You do not need to import from Italy to get a beautiful result.
Bundle the whole project. Doing design and fitout with one company is simpler and often cheaper than hiring a designer separately and then finding your own contractors. You avoid the coordination problems, the finger-pointing when things go wrong, and the double mobilisation costs.
Plan ahead. Summer (June to September) brings lower contractor rates, faster timelines, and supplier promotions across Dubai.
Interior Design vs. Renovation vs. Fitout: What is the Difference?
These three words get thrown around and used interchangeably. They are not the same thing.
Interior design is the planning and creative work. Space planning, choosing materials and colours, drawing up layouts, creating 3D renders. Some companies offer design-only services and hand you a package of drawings and specifications to take to a contractor.
Fitout is the construction and installation. Flooring, painting, tiling, false ceilings, electrical, plumbing, joinery installation. The physical work.
Renovation is fitout that involves changing what already exists. Ripping out an old kitchen, replacing bathroom tiles, rewiring, moving walls. It starts with demolition before the new work begins.
A lot of companies in Dubai offer all three under one roof. So do we. From initial design through to handing over the keys to your finished space. That end-to-end model means one team, one timeline, one point of contact.
You can read about how we do it on our process page.
How Long Does an Interior Design Project Take?
Studio or 1-bed apartment (design + fitout): 4 to 8 weeks 2-bed apartment: 6 to 10 weeks 3-bed villa makeover: 8 to 14 weeks Full villa renovation with design: 3 to 6 months Large villa or premium project: 6 to 12 months
The design phase (concepts, 3D renders, material selection, drawings) usually takes 2 to 4 weeks. The fitout phase depends on how big the project is and whether structural work is involved.
The biggest delays come from clients changing materials mid-project, late NOC approvals, and scope changes during construction. Lock your design and material choices before the fitout starts, and you avoid most of those problems.
At Liger Interiors, we share a detailed project schedule during the consultation. You know what happens when, from day one.
Why Homeowners Pick Liger Interiors
We are not the biggest interior design company in Dubai. We are a founder-led studio where Swati Kubal personally manages every project. That means the person who designed your space is the same person checking the work on site, talking to the contractors, and making sure the details are right.
We started in 2023 doing feature walls. Clients kept asking us to do more, so we grew. Today we handle full interior design, renovation, holiday home furnishing, and commercial projects.
43 Google reviews. 4.9 rating. Repeat clients in Villanova, Murooj Al Furjan, Tilal Al Furjan, IMPZ, Arabian Ranches 3, Dubai Hills, DAMAC Hills, and Mirdiff Hills.
DED License: 1155959. Based at Sahaa Offices, Downtown Dubai.
Talk to us about your project or see our completed work.
Questions People Ask
How much does interior design cost per square foot in Dubai?
In 2026, expect AED 75 to 200/sqft for budget to mid-range, AED 200 to 400/sqft for mid-range to premium, and AED 400 to 600+/sqft for premium to luxury. These are all-in figures covering design, materials, labour, and project management.
How much does a 2-bedroom apartment interior cost in Dubai?
A full interior design and fitout for a 2-bed apartment in Dubai costs AED 120,000 to 350,000 in 2026. The final number depends on your material choices, how much custom joinery you want, and whether you are renovating an existing space or furnishing a new one.
Are interior design consultation fees refundable?
It varies by company. Some studios credit the consultation fee against the full project cost if you sign with them. Others treat it as a separate charge. At Liger Interiors, we charge AED 2,000 to 3,000 for consultations, which gives you a detailed assessment and scope of work to make your decision.
Is it cheaper to hire a designer or do it myself?
Doing it yourself saves the design fee, but you lose access to trade pricing, vendor relationships, and project management. Most DIY projects end up costing more because of material mistakes, contractor coordination problems, and rework. For anything beyond a simple furniture swap, working with a designer saves money in the long run.
What is the difference between design-only and turnkey?
Design-only means you get the plans, drawings, material specs, and 3D renders. You hire your own contractors to execute. Turnkey means one company handles everything, design through construction to handover. Turnkey costs more upfront but removes the coordination headache.
How much does a villa interior design cost in Dubai?
A 3-bedroom villa fitout costs AED 250,000 to 600,000 at mid-range. A 4 to 5-bed villa runs AED 400,000 to 1,500,000+ depending on size, materials, and how much structural work is involved. Our 3-bed villa projects start from AED 250,000.
Do I need to pay everything upfront?
No. Most companies in Dubai work on a staged payment structure. A common split is 30 to 40 percent deposit, 30 to 40 percent at a mid-project milestone, and 20 to 30 percent at completion. We confirm the payment schedule during the consultation so there are no surprises.
Can I renovate and furnish a holiday home through an interior designer?
Yes. We have a dedicated holiday home furnishing service for short-term rental properties. We handle everything from basic renovations to full furnishing and styling, so your property is guest-ready and looks good in the listing photos.