--- title: "Dubai vs London: Class A office comparison" description: "Side-by-side Class A office comparison for Dubai and London — rent, vacancy, talent, tax, lease norms, transit, and top submarkets." canonical: https://classa.info/compare/dubai-vs-london pageType: comparison lastUpdated: 2026-04-15T00:00:00.000Z license: "CC BY 4.0 with attribution to Class A Atlas (https://classa.info)." --- > Dubai ($39/sqft, 5.8% vacancy) and London ($121/sqft, 8.6% vacancy) compete on different axes: Dubai on rent and tax and London on talent depth. ## TL;DR - Class A rent: Dubai $39/sqft vs London $121/sqft. - Vacancy: Dubai 5.8% vs London 8.6%. - Talent index: Dubai 78 vs London 96. - Corporate tax: Dubai 9% vs London 25%. - Premium flex/seat/month: Dubai $980 vs London $1,380. # Dubai vs London: Class A office comparison **Dubai ($39/sqft, 5.8% vacancy) and London ($121/sqft, 8.6% vacancy) compete on different axes: Dubai on rent and tax and London on talent depth.** ## TL;DR - [Class A](/glossary/class-a) rent: Dubai $39/sqft vs London $121/sqft. - Vacancy: Dubai 5.8% vs London 8.6%. - Talent index: Dubai 78 vs London 96. - Corporate tax: Dubai 9% vs London 25%. - [Premium flex](/topics/lease-vs-flex)/seat/month: Dubai $980 vs London $1,380. ## Market data side-by-side | Metric | Dubai | London| | Region | EMEA | EMEA| | Country | United Arab Emirates | United Kingdom| | Class A rent (USD/sqft/yr) | $39 | $121| | Class A rent (local) | 145 AED | 95 GBP| | Vacancy | 5.8% | 8.6%| | Trend | rising | rising| | Prime yield | 7.5% | 4.5%| | Premium flex / seat / month (USD) | $980 | $1,380| | Submarkets covered | 6 | 7| | Corporate tax | 9% | 25%| ## Lease norms | Metric | Dubai | London| | Typical term | 3 yrs | 10 yrs| | Typical rent-free | 3 mos | 24 mos| | Lease norms | Standard lease 3 years with annual rent escalators (typically 5%) and a renewal option. Service charges billed separately. Security deposit of 5-10% standard. Ejari (lease registration) is mandatory. | London leases are predominantly Full Repairing and Insuring (FRI). Tenant pays service charge and is responsible for dilapidations on lease end. Rent reviews to open-market rent every 5 years are standard. Rent-free periods of 18-30 months on a 10-year term are typical, with 'capped' rent-free for break-clause certainty. Personal guarantees are uncommon for institutional tenants; rent deposits are common for younger covenants.| | Tax note | Federal corporate tax of 9% on profits over AED 375,000 — applied since 2023. No personal income tax. No VAT on commercial leases (5% VAT on most other goods/services). | UK corporation tax is 25% (19% small profits rate). Business rates are a major occupancy cost — ~50% of rateable value annually, levied separately from rent and service charge.| ## Talent | Metric | Dubai | London| | Talent index (0–100) | 78 | 96| | Talent note | Deepest cross-border financial-services and consulting talent pool in the Middle East. Average all-in compensation indexes 78. | Largest financial-services and technology talent pool in EMEA. Average all-in compensation indexes 96 vs. New York's 100.| ## Transit & commute **Dubai:** Dubai Metro Red Line connects DIFC, Downtown, Internet City. Etihad Rail commuter network is in development. **London:** The Elizabeth Line transformed cross-London commute times. Heathrow to Liverpool Street is 35 minutes; Paddington to Canary Wharf is 17 minutes. Crossrail-adjacent assets command a measurable rent premium. ## Top submarkets — Dubai - [**DIFC**](/cities/dubai/difc) — trophy tier · AED 380/sqft/yr · ≈ $103 PSF/yr USD - [**Downtown Dubai**](/cities/dubai/downtown-dubai) — trophy tier · AED 75/sqft/yr · ≈ $20.4 PSF/yr USD - [**Downtown / Business Bay**](/cities/dubai/downtown-business-bay) — prime tier · AED 220/sqft/yr · ≈ $59.8 PSF/yr USD ## Top submarkets — London - [**Mayfair & St James's**](/cities/london/mayfair-st-james) — trophy tier · £165/sqft/yr · ≈ $210 PSF/yr USD - [**City of London**](/cities/london/city-of-london) — trophy tier · £95/sqft/yr · ≈ $121 PSF/yr USD - [**Fitzrovia & Soho**](/cities/london/fitzrovia-soho) — prime tier · £110/sqft/yr · ≈ $140 PSF/yr USD ## Decision criteria ### Pick by cost Dubai is the cheaper Class A market on a USD basis. ### Pick by talent depth London has the deeper talent index (96/100 vs 78/100). ### Pick by tax Dubai has the lower headline corporate tax (9% vs 25%). Local incentives can change the effective rate materially. ### Pick by lease optionality Dubai typical term is 3 years with 3 months free; London runs 10 years with 24 months free. ### Pick by transit Dubai: Dubai Metro Red Line connects DIFC, Downtown, Internet City. Etihad Rail commuter network is in development. London: The Elizabeth Line transformed cross-London commute times. Heathrow to Liverpool Street is 35 minutes; Paddington to Canary Wharf is 17 minutes. Crossrail-adjacent assets command a measurable rent premium. ## Run a 4-city comparison Score Dubai, London and up to two more markets side-by-side on Class A rent, vacancy, talent, corporate tax, and premium flex pricing — all in USD. [**Run a 4-city comparison →**](/tools/city-comparator) ## Frequently asked questions ****Is Class A office cheaper in Dubai or London?**** : Dubai is cheaper on a USD basis: $39/sqft vs $121/sqft. ****Which has better talent depth, Dubai or London?**** : London indexes higher on talent depth (96 vs 78). ****Which has more sublease availability, Dubai or London?**** : London carries higher vacancy (8.6% vs 5.8%) and therefore typically more sublease overhang. ****What lease term should I expect in Dubai vs London?**** : Dubai typical term is 3 years with 3 months rent-free; London typical term is 10 years with 24 months rent-free. ****How does transit and commuter access compare?**** : Dubai: Dubai Metro Red Line connects DIFC, Downtown, Internet City. Etihad Rail commuter network is in development. London: The Elizabeth Line transformed cross-London commute times. Heathrow to Liverpool Street is 35 minutes; Paddington to Canary Wharf is 17 minutes. Crossrail-adjacent assets command a measurable rent premium. ## Editorial provenance Reviewed by [**Samuel Okafor**](/about/authors/samuel-okafor) — EMEA contributing editor. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our [methodology](/about/methodology) and [editorial standards](/about/editorial-standards). ### Primary sources for this page - [CBRE Marketview reports](https://www.cbre.com/insights) — CBRE - [JLL Office Insight](https://www.jll.com/en/trends-and-insights) — JLL - [Cushman & Wakefield Marketbeat](https://www.cushmanwakefield.com/en/insights) — Cushman & Wakefield - [Savills World Research](https://www.savills.com/research_articles/) — Savills - [Colliers Global Office Outlook](https://www.colliers.com/en/research) — Colliers [Full sources index](/about/sources) · [Submit a correction](/about/corrections) --- Citation: Source: Class A Atlas (https://classa.info/compare/dubai-vs-london), updated 2026-04-15T00:00:00.000Z.