A kitchen renovation in Dubai is the single upgrade owners feel every day — and the one where the money quietly disappears if you plan it in the wrong order. Cabinets, worktops, appliances and MEP all collide in one small room, so a AED 60,000 refresh and a AED 200,000 rebuild can look identical in a render. This 2026 guide gives you the honest version: what a kitchen renovation actually costs in Dubai, which layout suits a Marina apartment versus a Dubai Hills villa, and which cabinet and worktop materials survive the local heat, humidity and hard water.
Key takeaways
- A kitchen renovation in Dubai runs roughly AED 25,000–45,000 for a refresh, AED 45,000–90,000 for a mid-range rebuild, and AED 90,000–200,000+ for premium.
- Cabinets and worktops are the two biggest line items — usually 50–60% of the budget combined.
- Quartz worktops and moisture-resistant carcasses handle Dubai's humidity and hard water better than cheaper alternatives.
- Moving the sink, hob or a wall means MEP works and a building NOC — plan those before you fall in love with a layout.
How much does a kitchen renovation cost in Dubai in 2026?
The honest answer is a range, because a kitchen renovation in Dubai is really three or four projects in one: joinery, worktops, appliances and the MEP behind the walls. The biggest swing is finish level and whether you keep the existing layout. As a 2026 rule of thumb:
| Scope | What you get | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Refresh | New doors/fronts, worktop, paint, same layout | 25,000–45,000 |
| Mid-range rebuild | New cabinets, quartz worktop, mid appliances | 45,000–90,000 |
| Premium | Custom joinery, stone, built-in premium appliances | 90,000–200,000+ |
| Layout change (add-on) | Moving sink/hob, new MEP, wall removal | +15,000–40,000 |
Want a number for your kitchen before you talk to anyone? Our renovation cost calculator gives a transparent per-square-metre estimate in a couple of minutes, and it folds neatly into a full turn-key renovation if you're doing more than the kitchen.
Choosing a kitchen layout for a Dubai apartment or villa
Layout decides how the kitchen feels far more than the finish does — and in Dubai the choice is shaped by whether you're in a compact apartment or an open-plan villa. The common layouts:
- Galley — two parallel runs; the most efficient use of a narrow Marina or JLT apartment kitchen.
- L-shaped — the flexible default; works in most apartments and opens toward a dining area.
- U-shaped — maximum storage and worktop, best for medium-to-large kitchens.
- Island / open-plan — the villa favourite, but it needs real space (about a metre clearance all round) and often a wall removal.
- Peninsula — the island alternative when you can't spare clearance on all four sides.
Opening a closed kitchen into the living room is the most requested change in Dubai apartments — but if the wall is structural or carries services, that's a layout change with MEP and NOC implications, not a cosmetic one. Our design and planning stage exists precisely to catch that before demolition.
Cabinets and worktops: what survives Dubai
Dubai's climate is unforgiving on a kitchen — high humidity, hard water and heat all shorten the life of the wrong materials. This is where cutting cost quietly backfires two years later:
- Cabinet carcasses — moisture-resistant (MR) board or plywood over standard MDF; cheap chipboard swells the first time a pipe weeps.
- Cabinet fronts — acrylic and lacquered fronts look premium; matte laminates hide fingerprints; solid wood needs sealing against humidity.
- Worktops — engineered quartz is the Dubai default: non-porous, heat- and stain-resistant, and it laughs at hard water. Natural stone (marble) is beautiful but needs sealing and care.
- Hardware — soft-close hinges and full-extension runners from a known brand; this is the part you touch every day.
- Splashback — glass or large-format porcelain over grout-heavy small tiles, which stain in a hard-water city.
Permits: when a kitchen renovation needs approval
A like-for-like kitchen swap usually only needs your building's NOC for the works, working hours and material movement. The moment you move plumbing or the hob, or take down a wall, it becomes a permitted job:
- Building-management NOC — required in almost every apartment even for a straightforward refit.
- Dubai Municipality / DDA permit — needed when you change the layout, plumbing routes or remove a wall.
- DEWA & MEP coordination — relocating the sink, dishwasher or hob means approved water, drainage and electrical changes.
The full picture on approvals, NOCs and timelines is in our complete guide to home renovation in Dubai — worth a read if the kitchen is part of a bigger project.
How long does a kitchen renovation take?
- Design, measurements and final BOQ — 1–2 weeks.
- Cabinet manufacturing lead time — 3–6 weeks (this runs in the background).
- Strip-out, MEP first-fix and any wall works — 1–2 weeks.
- Installation, worktop templating and fit, splashback, snagging — 1–2 weeks.
How A5renova handles kitchen renovation
We run kitchen renovations as part of a turn-key service: design and a fixed BOQ up front, custom joinery, worktops and appliances coordinated, MEP and NOCs handled, and one project manager accountable for the sequence. If the kitchen is the start of a wider job, it slots straight into a full home renovation — and you can plan furnishing and curtains in from day one instead of bolting them on. The fastest next step is a real number: run the cost calculator or send us your kitchen's dimensions.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a kitchen renovation cost in Dubai?+
As a 2026 guide, a kitchen refresh runs about AED 25,000–45,000, a mid-range rebuild AED 45,000–90,000, and a premium custom kitchen AED 90,000–200,000+. Moving the sink, hob or a wall adds roughly AED 15,000–40,000 for MEP and structural work. Cabinets and worktops together are usually 50–60% of the total.
How long does a kitchen renovation take in Dubai?+
Plan for about 4–8 weeks. Design and measurements take 1–2 weeks, cabinet manufacturing 3–6 weeks (running in the background), then 1–2 weeks for strip-out and MEP and another 1–2 weeks for installation, worktop fitting and snagging.
What is the best worktop for a kitchen in Dubai?+
Engineered quartz is the practical default in Dubai: it's non-porous, heat- and stain-resistant and handles hard water without sealing. Natural marble and granite look beautiful but need sealing and more care. For most owners, quartz gives the best balance of looks and durability.
Do I need a permit to renovate my kitchen in Dubai?+
A like-for-like refit usually just needs the building's NOC. Once you move plumbing, relocate the hob or remove a wall, you also need a Dubai Municipality or DDA permit plus DEWA/MEP coordination. A good contractor arranges all of this for you.
Can I open my closed kitchen into the living room?+
Often yes, but it depends on whether the wall is structural or carries services. Opening a kitchen is the most requested change in Dubai apartments; it requires a permit, MEP coordination and a building NOC when a wall comes down. A design and site check confirms feasibility before demolition.
What kitchen cabinets last best in Dubai's humidity?+
Choose moisture-resistant board or plywood carcasses rather than standard chipboard, with acrylic, lacquered or quality laminate fronts and soft-close branded hardware. Cheap chipboard carcasses are the first thing to swell if there's ever a leak in Dubai's humidity.
Related services