Where these numbers come from
Dubai real estate photographers are unusually open about prices: most publish a rate card by unit size. We compared seven of them, checked on 13 October 2026. These are asking prices from studios' own sites, not market statistics. Note which ones include VAT; it changes the comparison by 5%.
Listing photos by unit size
| Unit | fotography.ae | Masoud Raoufi | San Photography |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio / 1BR | AED 449 (10 photos) | AED 750 studio (20), AED 800 1BR (30) | AED 750 studio, AED 950 1BR |
| 2–3BR | AED 749 (20 + floor plan) | AED 850 (35), AED 950 (40) | AED 1,050–1,250 |
| 4–5BR / villa | AED 1,199 (35 + aerial + floor plan) | AED 1,150 (55), AED 1,450 (65) | AED 1,550–1,750 |
| Delivery | 24 hours | 24 hours | 24 hours |
| VAT | Included | Included | Included |
Sources: fotography.ae, Masoud Raoufi, San Photography.
Masoud Raoufi and San Photography include a short walkthrough video (Masoud's is filmed on an iPhone in POV); fotography.ae's starter is photos only. Agency volume deals sit below these: Backyard Studio lists 3 units with 30 images from AED 1,000.
Video, drone and 360° tours
| Format | Published price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Listing walkthrough, 60–90 s | AED 2,500–4,000 | fotography.ae |
| Walkthrough package: 25–30 photos, 1-min video, drone intro | AED 1,850 + 5% VAT | Simorgh |
| Airbnb / short-stay video with reel | AED 1,800–3,500 | fotography.ae |
| Cinematic villa, half-day, drone | AED 5,000–12,000 | fotography.ae |
| Luxury pack: multi-camera, agent intro, 2–3 videos, 40 photos | AED 6,900 + VAT | Simorgh |
| Developer project, 2-day shoot | AED 10,500 + VAT | Simorgh |
| Developer / off-plan film | AED 20,000–80,000+ | fotography.ae |
| 360° tour with hotspots + 25 photos | AED 2,800 + VAT | Simorgh |
| Matterport tour add-on, 1-year hosting | AED 900 | Simorgh |
| Virtual staging, per room | AED 250 | Simorgh |
Worked example: an agent with eight listings a month
An agent lists four 1BR and four 2BR apartments a month, photos plus a walkthrough clip. At published prices:
| Option | Calculation | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| fotography.ae, photos only | 4 × 449 + 4 × 749 | AED 4,792 |
| Masoud Raoufi, photos + POV clip | 4 × 800 + 4 × 850 | AED 6,600 |
| San Photography, photos + clip + reel | 4 × 950 + 4 × 1,050 | AED 8,000 |
| Simorgh "Smart Listing Pack", 20–25 photos + 15-s clip | 8 × 950 + 5% VAT | AED 7,980 |
Over a year that is AED 57,500–96,000 for listing media alone, before any personal-brand reels. This is where agency volume pricing and monthly content deals start to make sense; ask for them once you shoot more than five units a month.
What nobody tells you
"Video included" can mean a phone clip. Masoud Raoufi states plainly that its bundled video is a POV iPhone walkthrough. That works for a portal listing. A gimbal-stabilised, colour-graded walkthrough is a different product at AED 2,500–4,000.
Some prices exclude VAT. Masoud Raoufi, fotography.ae and San Photography quote VAT-inclusive; Simorgh adds 5% VAT and limits revisions to one round, with extra edits at AED 150 an hour.
Drone pricing hides the permit. Three studios, three answers: AED 350 add-on, permission extra; AED 1,200–2,500 including the DCAA permit; or permits that can add AED 3,000–4,000 for outdoor flights. Ask "who holds the permit and is it in the price?" Rules are in our drone filming guide and the full price picture in drone shoot cost in Dubai.
Twilight costs nearly half the base price. Night or sunset shooting adds AED 375 for a studio and AED 725 for a 5BR at Masoud Raoufi. Use it for the hero shot of premium listings, not for every unit.
Photos are fine; the ad needs a permit. Any Dubai property ad, including an Instagram post, needs a Trakheesi permit and its QR code. See real estate advertising rules in Dubai before you post the reel.
Virtual staging is cheap, and it can backfire. Furniture added in software costs AED 250 a room. Vladimir Chernyshev, GM: "Label staged images on the listing. A buyer who walks into an empty flat after seeing a furnished one feels misled, and that costs more than the staging saved."
What to buy for which property
| Property | Enough | Worth adding |
|---|---|---|
| Studio–2BR rental | HDR photos (AED 449–1,050) | Phone POV clip if bundled |
| 3BR+ sale | Photos + stabilised walkthrough | Floor plan, twilight hero shot |
| Villa or penthouse | Cinematic video with drone (AED 5,000–12,000) | 360° tour for overseas buyers |
| Holiday home | Photos + short-stay video (AED 1,800–3,500) | Reel for Instagram |
| Off-plan launch | Developer film (AED 20,000+) | Agent reels from the same shoot |
What Savage Media charges
| Savage Media | Special offer | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| One-off photo or video shoot | from AED 950 | Photos from 24 hours, video from 2 days |
| Savage Story | AED 3,500 first month, then AED 4,500/month | 2 shooting days, 8 reels and 15 photos a month |
| Lifestyle Day | AED 5,500/day | Penthouse, yacht or supercar day: 4+ reels and 20+ photos |
To estimate a property film, try our video cost calculator. For what to post as an agent, read content for Dubai real estate agents.
