How Much Does a Restaurant Cost to Buy in the UAE? (Asking Prices 2026)
Short answer: The typical restaurant price in the UAE is between about AED 180,000 and AED 600,000: that is where most asking prices fall. Across 607 restaurants listed on BusinessFinder.me between 2019 and 2026, the median asking price was AED 300,000. Restaurants listed since 2024 asked more: their median was AED 525,000. These are sellers’ asking prices, not final sale prices.
Looking for listings, not prices? See restaurants for sale in the UAE right now, or browse every restaurant for sale in Dubai.
Last updated: 26 October 2026
Where these restaurant prices come from
We analysed BusinessFinder.me’s own history of restaurant ads that have since expired or been removed. To keep the comparison fair we removed likely reposts of the same restaurant, ads for food trucks, rentals and partner wanted ads, and prices that were not credible, such as AED 3,000 for a restaurant or a figure that matched the shop size or rent. We also removed ads showing AED 1,230,000, a placeholder figure that appeared on dozens of unrelated ads in 2021–2022 rather than a real asking price.
That leaves 607 priced listings across the UAE. Most are from 2019–2021 (426 listings), with 125 from 2022–2023 and 56 from 2024–2026. We show the full 2019–2026 picture and the recent figures separately. All numbers describe groups of listings, never a single seller.
How much does a restaurant cost to buy?
| Asking price | Listings | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under AED 100,000 | 44 | 7% |
| AED 100,000 – 199,999 | 135 | 22% |
| AED 200,000 – 499,999 | 233 | 38% |
| AED 500,000 – 999,999 | 126 | 21% |
| AED 1 million and above | 69 | 11% |
The biggest group, 38% of listings, asked between AED 200,000 and AED 500,000. That is the typical small or mid-sized restaurant with a working kitchen in a residential or mixed area. About one in nine asked AED 1 million or more. Of those that stated a size, three in five were 2,000 sq ft or larger, and those that stated monthly sales had a median of about AED 215,000, roughly double the overall figure.
Have restaurant prices gone up?
| Listing period | Listings | Median asking price |
|---|---|---|
| 2019–2021 | 426 | AED 275,000 |
| 2022–2023 | 125 | AED 350,000 |
| 2024–2026 | 56 | AED 525,000 |
| All years | 607 | AED 300,000 |
Asking prices have risen in each period. Half of the 56 recent listings asked between about AED 287,500 and AED 900,000, and the 36 recent Dubai listings had a median of about AED 675,000. The recent sample is much smaller than the older one, so treat it as a guide rather than an exact market price.
Restaurant prices by emirate
| Emirate | Listings | Median asking price |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai | 519 | AED 320,000 |
| Abu Dhabi | 47 | AED 225,000 |
| Sharjah | 25 | AED 350,000 |
Dubai has by far the most restaurant listings. Abu Dhabi restaurants asked noticeably less in our data, while Sharjah’s median was a little above Dubai’s, although its sample is small.
Restaurant prices by area in Dubai
These are the Dubai areas with at least eight priced listings, from lowest to highest median:
| Area | Listings | Median asking price |
|---|---|---|
| International City | 40 | AED 145,000 |
| Al Quoz Industrial | 10 | AED 177,500 |
| Hor Al Anz | 12 | AED 190,000 |
| Muhaisnah | 9 | AED 190,000 |
| Al Nahda | 10 | AED 197,500 |
| Al Quoz | 8 | AED 255,000 |
| Dubai Silicon Oasis | 10 | AED 275,000 |
| Business Bay | 10 | AED 276,500 |
| Jumeirah Lake Towers | 29 | AED 300,000 |
| Mirdif | 9 | AED 300,000 |
| Bur Dubai | 38 | AED 300,000 |
| Al Karama | 22 | AED 325,000 |
| Al Qusais | 14 | AED 370,000 |
| Al Barsha | 19 | AED 390,000 |
| Jumeirah | 16 | AED 422,500 |
| Dubai Marina | 16 | AED 450,000 |
| Deira | 12 | AED 490,000 |
| Al Rigga | 9 | AED 500,000 |
| Al Qusais Industrial | 13 | AED 550,000 |
International City had the most listings and the lowest median. Restaurants there that stated a yearly rent paid a median of about AED 60,000, compared with about AED 105,000 across all listings. Busy dining and tourist areas such as Dubai Marina, Jumeirah, Deira and Al Rigga asked more.
Restaurant prices by size
227 listings stated a size, with a median of about 1,300 sq ft. Bigger restaurants asked more, up to about 4,000 sq ft:
| Restaurant size | Listings | Median asking price |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1,000 sq ft | 66 | AED 250,000 |
| 1,000 – 1,999 sq ft | 103 | AED 400,000 |
| 2,000 – 3,999 sq ft | 43 | AED 700,000 |
| 4,000 sq ft and above | 15 | AED 600,000 |
The largest group is a small sample, and very large sites are often in industrial areas or need heavy refitting, which may explain why their median is not higher.
Rent, sales and profit claimed by sellers
- Rent: 185 listings stated a yearly rent. The median was about AED 105,000 a year, and half paid between AED 70,000 and AED 170,000. The typical asking price was about 2.7 times the yearly rent.
- Sales: 58 listings stated monthly sales. The median was about AED 100,000 a month, with half between about AED 76,250 and AED 150,000.
- Profit: 19 listings stated a monthly profit, with a median of about AED 25,500. Among those, the asking price was typically about 14 times the claimed monthly profit, or a little over a year of profit.
- Staff: 113 listings stated a team size; the median was eight staff.
Sales and profit figures are the sellers’ own claims. Always check them against bank statements, POS reports and delivery-app payouts before you rely on them.
What is usually included
34% of listings highlighted the kitchen, 20% stressed a prime location and 18% said the restaurant was fully equipped. 13% mentioned parking, 11% delivery-app accounts, 9% said the licence was included and 8% said staff or visas could transfer. About 11% said the price was negotiable.
Examples from recent listings
- a fully equipped restaurant in Bur Dubai, already on delivery apps, asked AED 150,000 in January 2025;
- a restaurant of about 2,000 sq ft in Al Khawaneej with 12 staff asked AED 300,000 in January 2024, stating yearly rent of about AED 125,000 and monthly sales of about AED 45,000;
- a restaurant in Al Jaddaf asked AED 900,000 in May 2024, stating monthly sales of about AED 100,000, monthly profit of about AED 40,000 and yearly rent of about AED 200,000;
- a restaurant of about 1,300 sq ft in Dubai Silicon Oasis asked AED 1.5 million in January 2024, stating monthly sales of about AED 150,000.
How to judge whether a restaurant is fairly priced
- Start with real profit. Ask for 12 months of bank statements, POS reports and delivery-app statements. Work out profit after rent, salaries, food costs, app commissions and utilities.
- Value the fit-out and kitchen separately. Hoods, fire suppression, cold rooms and cooking lines are expensive to install. Ask for a list with ages and condition.
- Check the approvals. Confirm the trade licence activity and food-safety approvals are valid and will move to you, and ask about recent inspection results.
- Check the lease. Confirm how long is left, the next rent increase and whether the landlord will transfer the lease to you.
- Remember these are asking prices. Deals often close below the first figure.
For the buying process and valuation method, read how to buy a business in Dubai and how to value a business in Dubai. You can also compare prices with what coffee shops and cafeterias cost.
Looking at live listings? See restaurants for sale in Dubai and cafeterias for sale in Dubai.
To compare restaurants with other sectors, see every business for sale in Dubai listed now.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a restaurant cost to buy in the UAE?
Across 607 restaurant listings on BusinessFinder.me in 2019–2026, the median asking price was AED 300,000, and half asked between about AED 180,000 and AED 600,000. Restaurants listed since 2024 had a higher median of about AED 525,000. These are asking prices, not final sale prices.
Where are restaurants cheapest to buy in Dubai?
Among Dubai areas with at least eight listings, International City had the lowest median asking price (about AED 145,000), followed by Al Quoz Industrial, Hor Al Anz, Muhaisnah and Al Nahda (about AED 177,500 to 197,500).
How much rent does a restaurant in the UAE pay?
Among listings that stated a yearly rent, the median was about AED 105,000, and half paid between AED 70,000 and AED 170,000 a year. The typical asking price was about 2.7 times the yearly rent.
How much does a restaurant in Dubai make?
Among 58 listings that stated monthly sales, the median was about AED 100,000 a month. Nineteen stated a monthly profit, with a median of about AED 25,500. These are the sellers’ own claims, so check them against bank and POS records.
Are restaurants cheaper in Abu Dhabi than in Dubai?
In our data, yes. Abu Dhabi restaurants had a median asking price of about AED 225,000 across 47 listings, compared with about AED 320,000 in Dubai.
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