Office Rent in Business Bay 2026: Price per Sq Ft by Tower, Size and Fit-Out

An office for rent in Business Bay costs roughly AED 100 to AED 190 per sq ft a year in 2026, depending on grade, fit-out and tower. The best-sourced district average is AED 159/ft². (Property Monitor, October 2026). Asking rents in individual towers run from about AED 125 to over AED 500 per sq ft.

This guide answers the seven questions tenants ask before they book a viewing: the average rent, what 500, 1,000 and 2,000 sq ft cost, which towers are cheapest, what fit-out adds, whether views cost extra, how much parking comes with the unit. Prices were checked on 9th November 2026. For deposits, VAT, Ejari, DM fees, DEWA, cooling and reinstatement, which apply across Dubai, see our Office for Rent in Dubai: 2026 Guide.

What is the average office rent per sq ft in Business Bay in 2026?

The most reliable current figure is AED 159 per sq ft per year, the Business Bay average Property Monitor reported for October 2026. 

Asking rents sit above what tenants finally pay. One 2026 market report notes achieved rents in some Dubai towers are still 8 to 10% below asking, so there is usually room to negotiate. Office rents in Dubai rose about 4% per sq ft in Q3 2026, from AED 96/ft² in Q2 to AED 100/ft² (Property Monitor).

For a first budget, use AED 150 per sq ft for a mid-grade office and AED 190 for a Grade A tower.

How much does a 500, 1,000 and 2,000 sq ft office cost per year in Business Bay?

Using the October 2026 Business Bay office average of AED 159/ft² per year, the estimates are:

These are rough benchmarks, since 159 is an average across all 617 office contracts. Actual rent per sq ft varies a lot by building, floor, fit-out and contract size.

They exclude service charge, parking and the Dubai-wide costs listed in our Dubai guide. Live listings show how wide the spread is. On Property Finder on 9 November 2026, an 865 sq ft fitted unit in Churchill Executive Tower was listed at AED 107,000, while a 991 sq ft fitted unit in Ubora Tower 1 was listed at AED 297,000.

Which Business Bay towers are cheapest and most expensive per sq ft?

Ontario Tower is the cheapest office address in Business Bay as per October 2026, at AED 69 per sq ft per year, less than half the area average. Four more towers sit between roughly AED 74 and 86.

The Opus leads at AED 547 per sq ft per year, about 3.4 times the Business Bay average and nearly eight times Ontario Tower. Escape Tower follows closely, with the rest of the top five well behind.

The same 1,000 sq ft office would cost around AED 547,000 a year in The Opus.

How much more does a fitted or furnished office cost than shell and core?

A shell and core office typically rents for 15 to 20% less than a fitted one but the tenant then pays for the fit-out.

Fit-out also takes three to six months before you can move in. Landlords often offer rent-free months on shell and core units, which can shorten the payback, so ask how many are on offer. Reinstatement at the end of the lease is covered in our Dubai guide.

Do canal or Burj Khalifa views add to the rent, and by how much?

Canal views carry a premium in Business Bay but no published source we reviewed puts a percentage or dirham figure on it. Live listings suggest the premium is small within a single tower. In Ubora Tower on 9 November 2026, units advertised with canal views and units with no view mentioned were all asking about AED 300 per sq ft. Listing titles do not confirm the view for every unit, so this is an indicator, not proof.

The larger price gap comes from the tower and the fit-out, not the view alone. When you compare two offers, ask for the same floor range and the same fit-out so you are paying for the view and nothing else.

How many parking spaces come with a Business Bay office?

Most Grade A towers allocate one space per 500 to 1,000 sq ft of leased space, so a 1,000 sq ft office gets one or two spaces. Listings show the allocation is negotiable. Compare these units in Business Bay & their number of parking spaces:

1. Office for rent in Bayswater - 1,711.14 sqft | 2 parking spaces | AED 450K a year 
2. Office for rent in Bay Square - 4,472 sq ft | 10 parking spaces | AED 1.6M a year
3. Office for rent in Ubora Tower - 4,006 sq.ft. | 8 parking spaces | AED 1.2M a year

Extra bays typically cost AED 3,000 to AED 6,000 a year, though published figures vary. Ask for the number of included spaces, the price of additional bays and any visitor parking in writing before you sign.

What to ask before you view a Business Bay office

Business Bay rents are asking prices, so a few written answers turn a headline rent into a real annual cost. Ask the agent for:

• Rent per sq ft and fit-out status. Confirm whether the unit is fitted, furnished or shell and core and how many rent-free months apply.
• Service charge per sq ft. Ask what it covers and whether the quoted rent is inclusive.
• Parking. Ask how many spaces are included and the yearly price of extra bays.
• Recent achieved rents. Ask what similar units in the same tower leased for in the last six months.
• Total first-year cost. Ask for one figure combining rent, service charge, parking and any fit-out.

For the Dubai-wide costs that sit on top, including deposit, VAT, Ejari, DM fee, DEWA, cooling and reinstatement, read our Office for Rent in Dubai: 2026 Guide.

Business Bay office space for rent: frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest office space for rent in Business Bay?

The lowest asking rents we found on 9th November 2026 were about AED 69 per sq ft average for Ontario Tower. 

Is Business Bay cheaper than Downtown or JLT?

The below information is from Property Monitor for October 2026.

Can I rent coworking space in Business Bay instead of a private office?

Yes. Coworking space in Business Bay and serviced offices suit teams that do not need a fixed floor or a long lease. Compare the monthly all-in cost per desk with the yearly cost of a private unit at the rates above before you decide.

Find an office for rent in Business Bay with CRC Property

Budget about AED 150 per sq ft a year for a mid-grade Business Bay office and AED 190 for Grade A, then add for parking and any fit-out. Tower asking rents range from about AED 124 to over AED 550 per sq ft, so the building matters as much as the district.

Browse live units on our Business Bay office rent page, or speak to our commercial team for a shortlist matched to your headcount, budget and fit-out needs.