Setting up utilities in Dubai
In Dubai, electricity and water come from DEWA, which opens your account once your Ejari tenancy registration is issued. You pay a refundable deposit of 2,000 AED for a flat, or 4,000 AED for a villa, plus 155 AED in fees, and supply starts within 15 working hours. Air conditioning may come from a district cooling company with its own bill. Home internet and mobile come from e& or du, the two licensed telecom operators.
Last checked October 2026. Every figure links to its source.
General information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change, so check the linked source before you rely on a figure.
The order to do it in
- Register your tenancy contract in Ejari. Registration is required to connect water, electricity, gas and telecom services.
- Pay the DEWA deposit and fees from the link DEWA sends you.
- Set up district cooling if your building uses it and it is not in the rent.
- Order home internet and a mobile line from e& or du.
Source: Leasing a property in the UAE (page updated 20 January 2026), u.ae, the UAE Government portal, Registering lease agreements. Checked October 2026.
Electricity and water: DEWA move-in
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) links its move-in service to Ejari. When a tenancy contract is registered, DEWA receives the details and opens your account without a separate application.
- Give the 9-digit DEWA premises number on your door to whoever registers your Ejari.
- When Ejari is issued, DEWA sends you an SMS and an email with your account number, the security deposit and a payment link.
- Pay the deposit and connection fees by the link or any DEWA payment channel.
- Electricity and water are connected within 15 working hours of payment. If not, DEWA asks you to call its Customer Care Centre on 04 601 9999.
No email? Apply on the DEWA website or app with your Ejari number, and you do not need other documents. Tenants in free zones that are exempt from Ejari apply on the DEWA website or app with their tenancy contract.
| DEWA move-in charge | AED |
|---|---|
| Security deposit, flat (refundable) | 2,000 |
| Security deposit, villa (refundable) | 4,000 |
| Connection, small meters | 125 |
| Connection, large meters | 300 |
| Registration fee | 10 |
| Knowledge fee | 10 |
| Innovation fee | 10 |
| Flat with small meters, total | 2,155 |
Source: Activation of Electricity/Water (Move-in), Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Service Description, Service Fees and FAQ. Checked October 2026.
Your monthly DEWA bill
DEWA charges by slab: the price per unit rises as you use more in a month. These are the residential rates on the DEWA website, plus a fuel surcharge that moves with fuel prices, a meter service charge, and 5% VAT.
| Electricity used in a month | AED per kWh |
|---|---|
| 0 to 2,000 kWh | 0.23 |
| 2,001 to 4,000 kWh | 0.28 |
| 4,001 to 6,000 kWh | 0.32 |
| Above 6,000 kWh | 0.38 |
| Fuel surcharge, October 2026 | 0.06 |
| Water used in a month | AED per cubic metre |
|---|---|
| Up to 27 cubic metres | 7.70 |
| 27 to 54 cubic metres | 8.80 |
| Above 54 cubic metres | 10.12 |
| Fuel surcharge, October 2026 | 1.10 |
The Dubai Municipality housing fee of 5% of your yearly rent is added to the same bill each month: 375 AED a month on a rent of 7,500 AED. Our cost of living guide budgets 800 AED a month for electricity and water plus that fee.
Sources: Slab Tariff, with the fuel surcharge for October 2026, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Electricity and Water Tariff, fuel surcharge October 2026; Leasing a property in the UAE (page updated 20 January 2026), u.ae, the UAE Government portal, Registering lease agreements; Dubai salary calculator cost model and rent table, Dubai Reality Check. Checked October 2026.
Moving out
Ask DEWA to disconnect on the website or app, with your move-out date and how you want the deposit back: by IBAN, by cheque, or moved to another active DEWA account. All earlier bills must be paid first. Disconnection costs 125 AED for small meters or 300 AED for large meters, plus 10 AED knowledge and 10 AED innovation fees, so 145 AED with small meters. The final bill comes by email within 24 working hours, and the deposit is set against it: you get back what is left, or pay the difference.
Source: Deactivation of Electricity/Water (Move-out), Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Service Steps and Service Fees. Checked October 2026.
District cooling, also called chiller
Some buildings get air conditioning as chilled water piped from a district cooling plant instead of their own units. In Dubai this is regulated by Executive Council Resolution No. 6 of 2021.
- Who bills you: the cooling service provider or its billing agent, under a service contract on a standard form. Private providers and billing agents need a permit from the Regulatory and Supervisory Bureau for the electricity and water sector.
- How it is charged: on the cooling capacity contracted for your home, the cooling energy you use, or another basis the Bureau approves. The bill must show the contracted capacity and its rate, what you used and its rate, and any billing charge.
- Which charges are allowed: connection, disconnection and reconnection, capacity, consumption, meter maintenance, billing, and surcharges for low chilled water temperature difference and excess cooling load. Each must be approved by the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, and a provider may not collect any charge that is not.
- Complaints: go to the provider first, which must handle them under a process the Bureau approves. The Bureau can consider disputes between customers and providers and try to settle them through a committee.
We list no chiller prices because they differ by provider and building. Before you sign a lease, ask whether chiller is included in the rent, and if not, which company bills it and what it charges for capacity and use.
Source: Executive Council Resolution No. 6 of 2021 Regulating the Provision of District Cooling Services, Dubai Legislation Portal, Supreme Legislation Committee, Articles 1, 4, 9, 11 and 12. Checked October 2026.
Internet and mobile
e& (Etisalat) and du are the two companies licensed to provide landline, mobile phone and internet services in the UAE. Virgin Mobile also provides telecom services. In August 2026 TDRA also gave Starlink a 10-year licence to provide satellite broadband across the UAE.
- Check coverage for your building. e& and du publish interactive maps of mobile coverage and fibre for fixed services. Check which one reaches your building before you order home internet.
- Bring your original Emirates ID. Residents register SIM cards with their Emirates ID, and copies or scans are not accepted. Visitors can get a SIM with their passport, for a limited period and under conditions the provider sets.
- Know the limits. Residents can register up to 5 SIM cards per provider, and visitors up to 2.
- Keep your number if you switch. Mobile numbers can move between e& and du with no porting fee, and fixed line numbers can move too.
- Check what is in your name. The free TDRA service Hesabati, through UAE Pass, lists every mobile and fixed number registered to your Emirates ID.
We list no package prices here. Compare current plans on the e& and du websites. Our cost model budgets 400 AED a month for phone and internet.
If you have a problem with an operator, complain to the operator first. If you are not happy with its answer, you can use the TDRA dispute resolution service, which lists a service time of 5 working days for regular disputes, 10 for medium and 15 for complex ones.
Sources: Telecommunications (page updated 10 September 2026), u.ae, the UAE Government portal, Telecommunications, Coverage and Hesabati; Frequently Asked Questions, Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), licensees, SIM registration and number portability; Dispute resolution with service providers, Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA); TDRA grants Starlink a licence to provide satellite internet, 28 August 2026, Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA); Dubai salary calculator cost model and rent table, Dubai Reality Check. Checked October 2026.
Questions about utilities
How much is the DEWA deposit?
2,000 AED for a flat and 4,000 AED for a villa. It is refundable. On top, connection for small meters costs 125 AED plus 30 AED in registration, knowledge and innovation fees, so a flat costs 2,155 AED on the day you move in.
How long does DEWA take to connect electricity and water?
Within 15 working hours of paying the security deposit and fees. DEWA sends the payment link by email and SMS once your Ejari is issued.
Who bills for chiller in Dubai?
Where a building uses district cooling, the cooling provider or its billing agent bills you under its own service contract, and every charge it makes must be approved by the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy. Ask before you sign the lease whether chiller is included in the rent.
Which internet providers are there in Dubai?
e& and du are the two companies licensed to provide landline, mobile and internet services in the UAE. Virgin Mobile also provides telecom services. Both e& and du publish maps of fibre coverage, so check your building before you choose.
What do I need to get a SIM card in Dubai?
Residents register with their original Emirates ID, as copies are not accepted, and can hold up to 5 SIM cards per provider. Visitors can get a SIM with their passport, for a limited period and up to 2 SIM cards per provider.
Sources: Activation of Electricity/Water (Move-in), Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Service Fees; Executive Council Resolution No. 6 of 2021 Regulating the Provision of District Cooling Services, Dubai Legislation Portal, Supreme Legislation Committee, Articles 11 and 12; Telecommunications (page updated 10 September 2026), u.ae, the UAE Government portal; Frequently Asked Questions, Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), SIM registration. Checked October 2026.
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Sources
- Activation of Electricity/Water (Move-in). Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). Checked October 2026. https://www.dewa.gov.ae/en/about-us/service-guide/consumer-services/move-in
- Slab Tariff, with the fuel surcharge for October 2026. Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). Checked October 2026. https://www.dewa.gov.ae/en/consumer/billing/slab-tariff
- Deactivation of Electricity/Water (Move-out). Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). Checked October 2026. https://www.dewa.gov.ae/en/about-us/service-guide/consumer-services/move-out
- Leasing a property in the UAE (page updated 20 January 2026). u.ae, the UAE Government portal. Checked October 2026. https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/moving-to-the-uae/leasing-a-property-in-the-uae
- Executive Council Resolution No. 6 of 2021 Regulating the Provision of District Cooling Services. Dubai Legislation Portal, Supreme Legislation Committee. Checked October 2026. https://dlp.dubai.gov.ae/Legislation%20Reference/2021/Executive%20Council%20Resolution%20No.%20%286%29%20of%202021%20Regulating%20the%20Provision%20of%20District.pdf
- Telecommunications (page updated 10 September 2026). u.ae, the UAE Government portal. Checked October 2026. https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/infrastructure/telecommunications
- Frequently Asked Questions. Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA). Checked October 2026. https://tdra.gov.ae/en/FAQs
- Dispute resolution with service providers. Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA). Checked October 2026. https://tdra.gov.ae/en/Services/service-card?sID=CZXxxNI8lR_GpVWm-r2dOEMxqFsAbyB_MEDlLVzk1TA
- TDRA grants Starlink a licence to provide satellite internet, 28 August 2026. Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA). Checked October 2026. https://tdra.gov.ae/en/media/press-release/2026/new-press-release
- Dubai salary calculator cost model and rent table. Dubai Reality Check. Costs and rents verified November 2025, page built October 2026. https://www.isdubaiworthit.com/calculator
Last checked October 2026.