“How much will my shop cost to fit out?” is the first question every retailer asks — and the honest answer is a range, not a number. This guide sets out the AED benchmarks published in the Dubai market in 2026, explains what actually moves the price, and shows how to budget before you sign a lease.
Published cost benchmarks for Dubai retail fit-outs
Treat every figure below as a market estimate, not a quotation. Published 2026 estimates from Dubai fit-out firms — including Design Divine’s retail cost guide, which draws on 2025–2026 projects — place basic retail fit-outs (community malls, service retail) at roughly AED 350–600 per sq ft, branded mid-range stores at AED 600–1,000, premium stores at AED 1,000–1,400 and luxury boutiques at AED 1,400–1,800 or more. The same source suggests mall units typically run 15–25% above comparable street-facing shops once landlord requirements are priced in.
For context at the top of the market, Turner & Townsend’s Global Office Fit-Out Cost Guide 2026 put average high-specification office fit-out costs at approximately AED 13,946 per m² across Dubai and Abu Dhabi — a useful signal of where premium commercial finishing sits in the UAE, even though it measures offices rather than shops.
What actually moves the price
Two stores of identical size can differ in cost by three or four times. The drivers are consistent. The condition of the unit matters first: a shell-and-core unit needs full MEP distribution, ceilings and flooring, while a previously fitted unit may only need strip-out and refresh. Specification is the second lever — the shopfront, feature lighting and bespoke joinery and display fixtures are usually the largest packages in a retail bill of quantities, and the gap between laminate and veneer, or off-the-shelf and made-to-measure, compounds across every element.
Location adds its own layer. Fitting out inside a super-regional mall means hoarding, night working, FR-rated materials and landlord inspections, all of which carry cost — our guide to mall fit-out in the UAE covers these requirements in detail. Approvals, authority fees and design revisions round out the picture: every redesign after mobilisation is paid for twice, once in fees and once in programme.
Budgeting sensibly: allowances and contingency
Build your budget from the lease date backwards. Allow for design and approvals before site work begins, confirm what the landlord contributes (if anything), and hold a contingency of 10–15% for variations. Ask each bidder to price the same drawings and schedules — unpriced exclusions, not unit rates, are where retail budgets usually fail. A contractor with in-house production can also compress cost and programme: Sinas manufactures joinery and fixtures at its own 34,000 sq ft facility in Al Quoz, which removes a layer of subcontractor margin from retail fit-out projects across the UAE.
At the luxury end — jewellery boutiques, watch salons and luxury retail flagships — budgets are driven less by size than by security integration, climate-stable display environments and brand-standard finishes, so early contractor involvement matters even more.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a retail fit-out cost per square foot in Dubai?
Published market estimates in 2026 range from roughly AED 350–600 per sq ft for basic shops to AED 1,400–1,800+ for luxury boutiques. Your actual cost depends on unit condition, specification and mall requirements.
Why do mall units cost more to fit out than street-facing shops?
Mall fit-out manuals require hoarding, restricted working hours, FR-rated materials and landlord inspections, and approval cycles extend the programme. Published estimates put the premium at around 15–25%.
What should a retail fit-out quotation include?
Design development, approvals, MEP, ceilings, flooring, shopfront, joinery, lighting, signage coordination and handover documentation. Price any exclusions before comparing bids.
How can I reduce retail fit-out costs without cutting quality?
Freeze the design before mobilisation, use a contractor with in-house joinery production, order long-lead items early and hold a 10–15% contingency.
Get a firm price for your store
Sinas Interior Decoration LLC has delivered 2,500+ fit-out projects since 1986 with a 300+ in-house team covering design, joinery, civil and MEP. Share your drawings or mall LOI and we will return a detailed, like-for-like quotation. Request your retail fit-out quote.
