Dubai developers describe units in one of four furnishing tiers. The labels are not always honest — the same tier means different things across developers. Here's the practical interpretation, including what's typically there at handover and what you'll need to add.
The four tiers
- Unfurnished. The literal shell. Floor finished, walls painted, electrical sockets, AC units, light fittings, doors. No appliances, no bathroom mirrors, no wardrobes typically.
- Semi-furnished / Only Kitchen. Same as unfurnished PLUS a fitted kitchen with appliances (oven, hob, hood, sometimes fridge + washer). Bathrooms usually have basic vanities and mirrors. Living and bedrooms are bare.
- Fully furnished. Everything above plus beds, mattresses, sofas, dining tables, TV stands, lamps. Sometimes includes bedding, kitchenware, and a starter pantry. Designer-furnished branded residences are at the high end of this tier.
- Branded furnished. Branded residences (Armani, Bvlgari, Bulgari, One&Only) — the developer commissions the brand's design house to furnish and the apartment is sold turnkey, often with the brand's housekeeping options bundled.
What "Only Kitchen" really means
Mo's note: the Reelly enum value `only_kitchen` is what most Dubai developers call semi-furnished. The kitchen is fully equipped (cabinets, oven, hob, hood, exhaust). You'll need to add beds, wardrobes, sofas, dining set, and bathroom storage. Budget AED 25–60k to furnish a 1BR to rentable standard.
Budget to add (1BR, decent quality)
- Bed + mattress + linens: AED 4,000–9,000.
- Wardrobe (built-in or freestanding): AED 6,000–18,000.
- Sofa + coffee table: AED 6,000–14,000.
- Dining table + 4 chairs: AED 3,000–7,000.
- TV + entertainment unit: AED 3,000–8,000.
- Curtains/blinds throughout: AED 4,000–10,000.
- Bathroom storage + mirrors: AED 2,000–4,000.
- Kitchen smallware (cookware, plates): AED 2,000–3,000.
Total: AED 30,000–73,000 per unit.
How furnishing affects rental income
- Unfurnished long-let. Lower rent (~10% below furnished), tenant brings everything, lower turnover damage.
- Fully furnished long-let. Higher rent (5–15% premium in mid-market, 10–25% in premium areas).
- Furnished short-stay (Airbnb / holiday let). Requires DET licence + operator. Furnishing standard has to be hotel-grade. Furnishing budget is 50% higher than long-let.
Rule of thumb
If you're holding to rent: buy unfurnished or semi-furnished and furnish to your tenant's market. Developer "fully furnished" packages are often over-styled, expensive, and not what local tenants want.
If you're flipping: furnishing doesn't add resale value proportional to cost. A buyer wants to redecorate.
