The 5 numbers that actually decide your lease deal

Lease adverts shout one number — the monthly payment — because it's the easiest to make look small. But a good deal is decided by five numbers, and the monthly is only one of them.

1. Down payment. The upfront amount. A tiny monthly often means a big down payment, and vice versa. It changes the maths completely.

2. Term. The number of months. Longer terms lower the monthly but increase total interest paid. Common UAE terms run 36 to 60 months.

3. Balloon / final payment. The lump sum due at the end to take ownership. This is the most overlooked figure — and the one that can quietly make a 'cheap' lease expensive.

4. Effective interest rate. Dealers quote monthlies precisely so you can't see the rate. Worked out from the price, down payment, monthly and balloon, the effective APR lets you compare any two offers fairly. LeaseHub computes this automatically.

5. What's included. Insurance, servicing, registration and roadside assistance are real costs. An offer that bundles them can beat a cheaper-looking one that doesn't.

Put them together: down payment + (monthly × term) + balloon = total cost-to-own. Divide the difference over the car's cash price and you've got the premium you're paying to lease. Those two figures — total cost and effective rate — are how you tell a genuinely good deal from a well-marketed one.