What a kitchen renovation in Dubai really costs in 2026, from a AED 20,000 refresh to a AED 250,000 bespoke scheme. Layouts, finishes that hold value, appliances, approvals and the mistakes that blow the budget.
A kitchen is the most used room in a Dubai home and, alongside the bathrooms, the strongest driver of resale value. It is also where budgets drift furthest from the first estimate. This guide sets out what a kitchen renovation in Dubai and Abu Dhabi typically costs in 2026, which layouts suit villas and apartments, which finishes hold value, how long the work takes and which approvals you need before anyone touches a pipe or a gas line.
Kitchen renovation cost in Dubai: the three tiers
Typical Dubai market ranges in 2026 fall into three broad tiers. The figures below cover design, demolition, cabinetry, counters, basic MEP adjustments, tiling and installation. Appliances are usually priced separately, which is where many homeowners are caught out.
| Tier | Typical cost (AED) | What it buys | Time on site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic refresh | 20,000-50,000 | Replace doors and worktops, new sink and tap, repaint, keep the layout | 2-4 weeks |
| Mid-range | 50,000-120,000 | New cabinetry, quartz counters, new tiling, lighting, modest plumbing and electrical changes | 4-6 weeks |
| High-end | 120,000-250,000+ | Bespoke joinery, premium stone or porcelain, island, integrated appliances, relocated services | 6-10 weeks |
The number that matters most is cabinetry. On a mid-range project the joinery alone can be 35-45 percent of the budget, which is why at SITES we encourage clients to invest in carcasses, hinges and drawer runners first and choose the door finish second. A kitchen with cheap internals and a beautiful door front will feel tired within three years.
Layouts that work in Dubai villas and apartments
The island kitchen
In 2026 the island is the work hub of the home: breakfast, homework and the dinner party all happen there. An island needs at least 1,000 mm of clear walkway on every side (1,200 mm if two people cook together), so it rarely works in a room narrower than 3.6 metres. In villa communities such as The Springs, Arabian Ranches and Jumeirah Park, opening the kitchen into the living space is usually what unlocks the room for an island.
The galley kitchen
Apartments in Downtown, Business Bay and the Marina often come with a closed galley. A galley is efficient and inexpensive to renovate because the services stay where they are. Lift it with tall units to the ceiling, a continuous quartz splashback and under-cabinet LED lighting, and run the floor tile through from the corridor so the room feels larger.
Open-plan kitchen with living
Opening a kitchen to the living area is the single change that transforms how a home feels, and the one buyers most often ask for. It also carries the most risk. Walls in older villas can be load-bearing, extract routes become longer, and acoustic separation disappears. Our architecture and design team checks structure and extract routes before a client falls in love with a render. At Frond E on Palm Jumeirah we opened the ground floor fully as part of a resale renovation, choosing materials for the widest possible buyer pool rather than for a single taste.
Finishes that hold value in 2026
- Counters: matte quartz is the 2026 default, stain resistant and easy to live with. Porcelain slabs suit high-end schemes. Natural marble is beautiful but needs sealing and tolerant owners.
- Cabinet fronts: white oak and warm timber veneers paired with a painted or matte lacquer colour. Transitional styling (simple shaker proportions, slim handles) outsells both ultra-modern handleless and ornate classical.
- Splashbacks: a full-height slab of the counter material reads as expensive and is easy to clean.
- Hardware: soft-close drawers, internal lighting, pull-out larders and a bin system are what people touch every day, so spend here.
- Beverage zone: a dedicated coffee and drinks station with a small sink and under-counter fridge is the most requested addition of the year.
- Lighting: layered lighting with task LEDs under wall units, pendants over the island and dimmable 2700K downlights.
Choose a neutral base (oak, warm white, soft grey) and introduce colour through a painted island, the bar stools or the pendants. Those are easy to change later. A bright blue run of base units is not.
Appliances: where the budget quietly doubles
A typical mid-range appliance package (hob, oven, hood, dishwasher, fridge freezer) runs AED 15,000-35,000 in Dubai, while integrated premium brands can reach AED 60,000-120,000. Decide the appliance list before cabinetry is drawn, because cabinet widths, ventilation and electrical loads all follow from it. Induction hobs are increasingly preferred over gas for safety and cleaning, but they need a dedicated circuit, which brings us to approvals.
Approvals when you move plumbing, gas or walls
Changing the look of a kitchen needs no permission. Changing where the water, gas, drainage or walls are does.
- Community or developer NOC: required for structural, external or service changes in master communities (Emaar, Nakheel, Dubai Properties and others). Expect AED 2,000-5,000 plus a refundable deposit and 5-15 working days.
- Dubai Municipality or Trakhees permit: needed for structural alterations and extensions. Trakhees applies in Nakheel communities such as Palm Jumeirah and Jumeirah Islands.
- DEWA: a load increase application when you add induction, a second oven or change the air conditioning.
- Gas: an approved gas contractor must relocate any LPG or piped gas line and issue a test certificate on completion.
- Building management: apartments need the building's approval and a work permit before contractors can enter.
Our project management service handles these submissions as the client's representative so the programme is never held hostage to a missing stamp.
Timeline: what 4-6 weeks actually looks like
| Week | Activity |
|---|---|
| 1 | Strip-out, first-fix plumbing and electrics, wall changes |
| 2 | Plastering, waterproofing at wet areas, floor screed |
| 3 | Tiling and flooring, ceiling and lighting positions |
| 4-5 | Cabinet installation, then counter templating and fitting (counters are templated only after cabinets are level; allow 7-10 days) |
| 6 | Appliances, splashback, second-fix electrics, snagging and handover |
Bespoke joinery adds 3-5 weeks of workshop time before installation, so a high-end kitchen is usually 8-10 weeks from approved drawings. Imported stone can add a further 4-6 weeks.
Mistakes we see most often
- Ordering counters before the cabinets are fitted. Templating must happen on site.
- Forgetting extraction. An open-plan kitchen with a weak recirculating hood will smell of dinner for days.
- Placing the bin far from the prep area.
- Underestimating power. Dubai kitchens often need 8-12 sockets plus dedicated circuits for ovens, hobs and water heaters.
- Skipping the NOC and discovering it when the villa is sold and the buyer's inspection flags unapproved works.
- Choosing a finish for the photograph rather than for daily use with children, household staff and sand.
Spend on the parts you touch every day: the drawer runners, the tap, the lighting. Save on the parts you only look at.
Talk to SITES about your kitchen
SITES Design & Build is a boutique interior design, fit-out and project management firm in Al Quoz, Dubai, with a team of industry experts who each bring 15 years or more to a project. We design and build kitchens as part of a full villa renovation or as a standalone project, with our own joinery workshop for custom cabinets. Call +971 56 684 1636 or email hello@sitesdxb.com to book a consultation.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a kitchen renovation cost in Dubai?
Typical Dubai market ranges in 2026 are AED 20,000-50,000 for a basic refresh, AED 50,000-120,000 for a mid-range kitchen and AED 120,000-250,000 or more for a high-end bespoke scheme, excluding appliances.
How long does a kitchen renovation take in Dubai?
Four to six weeks on site for a mid-range kitchen. Bespoke joinery adds three to five weeks of workshop time beforehand, so plan on eight to ten weeks for a high-end kitchen from approved drawings.
Do I need approval to renovate my kitchen in Dubai?
Only if you change plumbing, gas, drainage, electrical loads or walls. Those need a community NOC (AED 2,000-5,000, 5-15 working days), a Dubai Municipality or Trakhees permit for structural work, a DEWA load application and an approved gas contractor.
