Holiday home permit cost calculator — Dubai & Saudi Arabia
Free calculator for short-term rental operators: what the Dubai holiday-home permit costs per unit per year from the DET fee schedule itself, what the Saudi license covers, and how full-service management fees compare to running the units yourself with software. Fees change — the calculator always links the official portals.
Not included: the tourism dirham, charged on occupied nights — its rate schedule is published separately by DET. Check the current schedule rather than blog numbers.
Not included: the security deposit required on the Holiday Homes Portal — confirm the current amount when you apply. The permit itself is issued in one business day.
Full-service management vs self-managed with software
The permit is rarely the biggest cost line. Enter your rough monthly revenue and the management percentage you pay (or were quoted) — the comparison shows what a full-service manager costs per year against running the same units yourself on MELO.
MELO is from $79/month with zero commission on bookings. The comparison uses the entry tier and your own inputs — no revenue share, no per-booking fee.
Licensed units still need the operational backbone: an AI agent answering guests on WhatsApp, one calendar synced across channels, direct bookings without commission, and records ready for review. MELO does that from $79/month.
Questions & Answers
Per holiday home — each unit needs its own permit, and the fee (AED 300 per bedroom + AED 50 + AED 10 + AED 10) is charged per unit per year, capped at AED 1,200 per home per year under the current schedule.
Official sources
- Dubai DET — issue a new holiday homes permit (fee schedule)https://www.dubaidet.gov.ae/en/our-services/for-consumers-and-students/issue-a-new-holiday-homes-permit
- Dubai DET — services portalhttps://www.dubaidet.gov.ae/en/our-services/for-consumers-and-students
- Saudi Ministry of Tourism — licensing and classification serviceshttps://mt.gov.sa/ar/licenses
- Saudi Ministry of Tourism — guidelines and regulationshttps://mt.gov.sa/ar/guidelines-and-regulations
Sources were reviewed when this calculator was built (Last updated: October 2026). Procedures and fees change — always defer to the official portal.