How much does it cost to open a gym in Dubai?

It depends on size, format and location. A ground-up capex estimate can be built for your site, including fit-out, equipment, pre-opening costs and contingency.

Can you review a lease before I sign?

Yes - often the most valuable hour you will spend.

Opening or growing a gym or studio in the UAE?

I've spent 12 years in the fitness industry: finding sites, negotiating leases, building capex budgets and opening clubs. I'll help you get the numbers right before you commit, not after.

Book a 20-minute call Get the free lease guide

Where new gyms and studios usually go wrong

Capex built on the best case, with no real contingency

A lease signed without negotiating rent-free period, handover condition or break clause

A ramp-up that assumes month 12 membership in month 3

Partners investing before agreeing who funds overruns and how to exit

From site to steady state

1. Site and lease review: what to push back on before you sign.

2. Feasibility and capex: the real cost to open, including pre-opening and contingency.

3. Financial model and investor deck: membership ramp-up, break-even and returns your investors can test.

4. Structure and shareholders' agreement: investor-operator terms, SPVs for multi-site plans.

5. Pre-opening and launch: pre-sales targets, pricing, staffing budget and cash runway.

6. Ongoing fractional CFO: monthly reporting, deferred revenue, KPIs and board packs once you're open.

Formats I know

Big-box gyms · Boutique studios (reformer Pilates, yoga, boxing, cycling) · Functional and HYROX · Wellness and recovery · Franchises · Multi-site groups

Proof

Capex reality check: an expansion budget was about 40% short. I rebuilt it from the ground up; the final spend landed close to my forecast and the project opened without a cash crisis.

Investor-operator venture: recommended a separate investor company to allow multi-site growth, drafted the shareholders' agreement, built the business plan and negotiated the first lease.

Former finance lead at a multi-brand Dubai fitness group for eight years (2015-2023).

Free guides for gym and studio owners

10 numbers before you sign a gym lease

A pre-lease checklist covering capex, break-even members, cash runway and the questions to ask before you sign.

Reformer studio maths: utilisation and break-even

The formula and a worked example for working out break-even utilisation at a reformer Pilates studio.

Annual memberships and deferred revenue

Why your cash and your revenue tell different stories with annual memberships, and what to do about it.

Questions people ask

It depends on size, format and location. I'll build a ground-up capex estimate for your site, including fit-out, equipment, pre-opening costs and contingency.

Yes. That's often the most valuable hour you'll spend.

Yes, on business cases, feasibility and funding for franchise sites.

Yes: the model, the deck and the deal structure.