--- title: "Dubai vs Paris: Class A office comparison" description: "Side-by-side Class A office comparison for Dubai and Paris — rent, vacancy, talent, tax, lease norms, transit, and top submarkets." canonical: https://classa.info/compare/dubai-vs-paris 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 Paris ($103/sqft, 7.6% vacancy) compete on different axes: Dubai on rent and tax and Paris on talent depth. ## TL;DR - Class A rent: Dubai $39/sqft vs Paris $103/sqft. - Vacancy: Dubai 5.8% vs Paris 7.6%. - Talent index: Dubai 78 vs Paris 90. - Corporate tax: Dubai 9% vs Paris 25%. - Premium flex/seat/month: Dubai $980 vs Paris $1,180. # Dubai vs Paris: Class A office comparison **Dubai ($39/sqft, 5.8% vacancy) and Paris ($103/sqft, 7.6% vacancy) compete on different axes: Dubai on rent and tax and Paris on talent depth.** ## TL;DR - [Class A](/glossary/class-a) rent: Dubai $39/sqft vs Paris $103/sqft. - Vacancy: Dubai 5.8% vs Paris 7.6%. - Talent index: Dubai 78 vs Paris 90. - Corporate tax: Dubai 9% vs Paris 25%. - [Premium flex](/topics/lease-vs-flex)/seat/month: Dubai $980 vs Paris $1,180. ## Market data side-by-side | Metric | Dubai | Paris| | Region | EMEA | EMEA| | Country | United Arab Emirates | France| | Class A rent (USD/sqft/yr) | $39 | $103| | Class A rent (local) | 145 AED | 95 EUR| | Vacancy | 5.8% | 7.6%| | Trend | rising | rising| | Prime yield | 7.5% | 4%| | Premium flex / seat / month (USD) | $980 | $1,180| | Submarkets covered | 6 | 6| | Corporate tax | 9% | 25%| ## Lease norms | Metric | Dubai | Paris| | Typical term | 3 yrs | 9 yrs| | Typical rent-free | 3 mos | 18 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. | The bail commercial is the standard lease — 9 years with tenant break rights at year 3 and year 6. Rent is indexed annually to the ILAT or ICC indices. Rent-free of 12-24 months on a 9-year term is standard. Service charges and tax foncière are typically passed through. Restoration to original is the default obligation.| | 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). | Headline corporate tax 25%. Local cotisation foncière des entreprises (CFE) and contribution sur la valeur ajoutée des entreprises (CVAE) add a meaningful local layer. Île-de-France tertiary tax (TSB) applies to office occupiers.| ## Talent | Metric | Dubai | Paris| | Talent index (0–100) | 78 | 90| | Talent note | Deepest cross-border financial-services and consulting talent pool in the Middle East. Average all-in compensation indexes 78. | Strong financial-services and luxury-brand talent pool. Average all-in compensation indexes 90 vs. New York's 100.| ## Transit & commute **Dubai:** Dubai Metro Red Line connects [DIFC](/glossary/difc), Downtown, Internet City. Etihad Rail commuter network is in development. **Paris:** RER A and the Métro span the entire QCA. The Grand Paris Express network is materially reshaping Greater Paris commute economics through 2030. ## Top submarkets — Dubai - [**DIFC**](/cities/dubai/difc) — [trophy tier](/topics/trophy-asset-selection) · 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 — Paris - [**Quartier Central des Affaires**](/cities/paris/qca) — trophy tier · €105/sqft/yr · ≈ $113 PSF/yr USD - [**Paris Rive Gauche**](/cities/paris/paris-rive-gauche) — prime tier · €78/sqft/yr · ≈ $84.2 PSF/yr USD - [**Neuilly & Levallois**](/cities/paris/neuilly-levallois) — prime tier · €70/sqft/yr · ≈ $75.6 PSF/yr USD ## Decision criteria ### Pick by cost Dubai is the cheaper Class A market on a USD basis. ### Pick by talent depth Paris has the deeper talent index (90/100 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; Paris runs 9 years with 18 months free. ### Pick by transit Dubai: Dubai Metro Red Line connects DIFC, Downtown, Internet City. Etihad Rail commuter network is in development. Paris: RER A and the Métro span the entire QCA. The Grand Paris Express network is materially reshaping Greater Paris commute economics through 2030. ## Run a 4-city comparison Score Dubai, Paris 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 Paris?**** : Dubai is cheaper on a USD basis: $39/sqft vs $103/sqft. ****Which has better talent depth, Dubai or Paris?**** : Paris indexes higher on talent depth (90 vs 78). ****Which has more sublease availability, Dubai or Paris?**** : Paris carries higher vacancy (7.6% vs 5.8%) and therefore typically more sublease overhang. ****What lease term should I expect in Dubai vs Paris?**** : Dubai typical term is 3 years with 3 months rent-free; Paris typical term is 9 years with 18 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. Paris: RER A and the Métro span the entire QCA. The Grand Paris Express network is materially reshaping Greater Paris commute economics through 2030. ## 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-paris), updated 2026-04-15T00:00:00.000Z.