Dubai Real Estate Market Report
Dubai's market is cooling at the top end while some affordable communities keep growing. September closed with 11,288 sales worth AED 29.4 billion, and the city-wide median price per sq ft fell 2.0% to AED 1,654; October deals so far are at AED 1,627. Prime areas such as Palm Jumeirah, Business Bay and Downtown are 9–11% below their level three months ago, and the median new apartment lease is 4.1% lower than a year earlier.
Updated 26 October 2026 · Latest full month: September 2026 · Source: Dubai Land Department registrations
Headline figures
Off-plan median AED 1,701 per sq ft against AED 1,510 for ready resale homes. Rent figures are Ejari-registered contracts.
This week’s take
- Prices are drifting lower, not crashing. The city-wide median held at AED 1,687 per sq ft from June to August, then fell 2.0% to AED 1,654 in September. October deals so far are at AED 1,627, 1.6% below September but slightly firmer than the AED 1,615 shown a week ago. September is about 1% below the 2025 average of AED 1,671.
- Prime areas have fallen the most. Over the last three months, median prices per sq ft are down 11.1% on Palm Jumeirah, 10.3% in Business Bay, 9.3% in Downtown and 9.1% in Dubai Marina. Sales volumes also dropped, by 28.0% in Business Bay and 23.8% on Palm Jumeirah.
- Some newer communities are still rising. Dubai South is the outlier: 6,578 sales in three months, up 108.3%, with the median price up 8.7% to AED 1,700 per sq ft. Arjan (+6.4%), Damac Hills (+3.6%) and Dubai Islands (+1.8%) also gained.
- Off-plan still dominates. Updated registrations put September at 11,288 sales, of which 7,271 (64%) were off-plan. Off-plan homes sold at a median of AED 1,701 per sq ft against AED 1,510 for ready resale homes, so off-plan pricing is about 13% above the resale market.
- New-lease rents are easing. The median new apartment lease was AED 70,000 in September, 4.1% lower than a year earlier, while renewals rose 2.0% to AED 60,000. New villa leases fell 12.0% to AED 211,200. City-wide rent averaged AED 77 per sq ft in 2025, just below the 2016 record of AED 78.
Dubai price per sq ft, month by month
Median price per sq ft across all registered sales in Dubai. Monthly figures move around with the mix of deals, so look at the direction over several months rather than any single month.
| Month | Median price per sq ft | Change vs previous month |
|---|---|---|
| مايو 2026 | AED 1,654 | −9.2% |
| يونيو 2026 | AED 1,687 | +2.0% |
| يوليو ٢٠٢٦ | AED 1,687 | +0.0% |
| أغسطس 2026 | AED 1,687 | +0.0% |
| September 2026 | AED 1,654 | −2.0% |
| October 2026 (to date) | AED 1,627 | −1.6% |
2025
AED 1,671 per sq ft, up 8.8% on 2024 and an all-time high.
2026 so far
AED 1,717 per sq ft year to date, +2.8% on 2025, with a softer second half.
Rents
AED 77 per sq ft a year in 2025, close to the 2016 record of AED 78.
Prices, rents and yields by area
Choose an area to see its latest figures. Sales figures cover the last three months; rents are the median of Ejari contracts registered in Q3 2026.
وسط مدينة دبي
| Unit type | Median annual rent, Q3 2026 |
|---|---|
| استوديو | AED 70K |
| غرفة نوم واحدة | AED 108K |
| 2 bedrooms | AED 165K |
| 3 bedrooms | AED 280K |
خليج الأعمال
| Unit type | Median annual rent, Q3 2026 |
|---|---|
| استوديو | AED 58K |
| غرفة نوم واحدة | AED 80K |
| 2 bedrooms | AED 120K |
| 3 bedrooms | AED 176K |
دبي مارينا
| Unit type | Median annual rent, Q3 2026 |
|---|---|
| استوديو | AED 56K |
| غرفة نوم واحدة | AED 85K |
| 2 bedrooms | AED 131K |
| 3 bedrooms | AED 200K |
نخلة جميرا
| Unit type | Median annual rent, Q3 2026 |
|---|---|
| استوديو | AED 80K |
| غرفة نوم واحدة | AED 140K |
| 2 bedrooms | AED 197K |
| 3 bedrooms | AED 280K |
قرية جميرا الدائرية (JVC)
| Unit type | Median annual rent, Q3 2026 |
|---|---|
| استوديو | AED 45K |
| غرفة نوم واحدة | AED 65K |
| 2 bedrooms | AED 90K |
| 3 bedrooms | AED 150K |
دبي هيلز استيت
| Unit type | Median annual rent, Q3 2026 |
|---|---|
| استوديو | AED 64K |
| غرفة نوم واحدة | AED 85K |
| 2 bedrooms | AED 130K |
| 3 bedrooms | AED 237K |
خور دبي
| Unit type | Median annual rent, Q3 2026 |
|---|---|
| استوديو | – |
| غرفة نوم واحدة | AED 90K |
| 2 bedrooms | AED 140K |
| 3 bedrooms | AED 210K |
أبراج بحيرات جميرا (JLT)
| Unit type | Median annual rent, Q3 2026 |
|---|---|
| استوديو | AED 55K |
| غرفة نوم واحدة | AED 80K |
| 2 bedrooms | AED 120K |
| 3 bedrooms | AED 150K |
دبي الجنوب
| Unit type | Median annual rent, Q3 2026 |
|---|---|
| استوديو | AED 38K |
| غرفة نوم واحدة | AED 58K |
| 2 bedrooms | AED 86K |
| 3 bedrooms | AED 110K |
جزر دبي
| Unit type | Median annual rent, Q3 2026 |
|---|---|
| استوديو | – |
| غرفة نوم واحدة | AED 110K |
| 2 bedrooms | AED 118K |
| 3 bedrooms | AED 155K |
Few rentals have been registered here yet because most buildings are still under construction, so treat rent figures as indicative.
أرجان
| Unit type | Median annual rent, Q3 2026 |
|---|---|
| استوديو | AED 43K |
| غرفة نوم واحدة | AED 65K |
| 2 bedrooms | AED 93K |
| 3 bedrooms | AED 143K |
داماس هيلز
| Unit type | Median annual rent, Q3 2026 |
|---|---|
| استوديو | AED 42K |
| غرفة نوم واحدة | AED 68K |
| 2 bedrooms | AED 110K |
| 3 bedrooms | AED 185K |
All areas side by side
| مساحة | سعر القدم المربع | 3-month change | Sales (3 months) | Sales change | إجمالي العائد | 1-bed rent | 2-bed rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| وسط مدينة دبي | AED 2,640 | −9.3% | 468 | −14.9% | 6% | AED 108K | AED 165K |
| خليج الأعمال | AED 2,310 | −10.3% | 1,297 | −28.0% | 7% | AED 80K | AED 120K |
| دبي مارينا | AED 2,040 | −9.1% | 561 | −5.2% | 8% | AED 85K | AED 131K |
| نخلة جميرا | AED 3,490 | −11.1% | 244 | −23.8% | 6% | AED 140K | AED 197K |
| قرية جميرا الدائرية (JVC) | AED 1,410 | −6.0% | 2,216 | −24.4% | 8% | AED 65K | AED 90K |
| دبي هيلز استيت | AED 2,260 | −5.5% | 369 | −22.8% | 6% | AED 85K | AED 130K |
| خور دبي | AED 2,420 | −6.5% | 475 | −61.5% | 6% | AED 90K | AED 140K |
| أبراج بحيرات جميرا (JLT) | AED 1,590 | −7.3% | 418 | −27.7% | 7% | AED 80K | AED 120K |
| دبي الجنوب | AED 1,700 | +8.7% | 6,578 | +108.3% | 8% | AED 58K | AED 86K |
| جزر دبي | AED 2,950 | +1.8% | 823 | −53.9% | – | AED 110K | AED 118K |
| أرجان | AED 1,580 | +6.4% | 637 | −5.3% | 8% | AED 65K | AED 93K |
| داماس هيلز | AED 1,750 | +3.6% | 345 | −5.2% | 6% | AED 68K | AED 110K |
Changes compare the last three months with the three months before. Gross yield is annual rent divided by sale price, before service charges.
Where the deals were
Most sales
- Al Barsha South Fourth (incl. JVC) – 795 sales
- دبي الجنوب – 788 sales
- Wadi Al Safa 3 – 627 sales
- Jabal Ali First – 525 sales
- خليج الأعمال – 434 sales
Highest sales value
- خليج الأعمال – AED 1.49B
- نخلة جميرا – AED 1.36B
- Al Yufrah 1 – AED 1.15B
- خور دبي – AED 1.11B
- Jabal Ali First – AED 1.08B
Area names follow Dubai Land Department boundaries, which can be larger than the community names buyers use. The most expensive sales of the month were an apartment at Como Residences, Palm Jumeirah for AED 71.2M and a Palm Jumeirah villa for AED 260M.
Rents in September 2026
| Contract type | Contracts | Median annual rent | Change vs a year ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apartments – new leases | 20,204 | ٧٠٬٠٠٠ درهم إماراتي | −4.1% |
| Apartments – renewals | 18,206 | 60,000 درهم إماراتي | +2.0% |
| Villas – new leases | 1,271 | AED 211,200 | −12.0% |
| Villas – renewals | 899 | 200,000 درهم إماراتي | +8.1% |
New leases are falling while renewals still rise because renewals are capped by the RERA rental index and are only now catching up with market rents.
Launches and handovers in September 2026
Largest launches
- Shahrukhz Residences by Danube – Danube, 1,143 units
- Bay Estate, Dubai Islands – Nakheel, 357 units
- Kore by Imtiaz – Imtiaz, 351 units
- Reef 995 – Reef Luxury, 347 units
- Christian A. Rockefeller Tower, Business Bay – Continental Investments, 338 units
Largest handovers
- Binghatti Ghost, Al Jaddaf – Binghatti, 785 units
- Helvetia Residences – DHG, 432 units
- Society House, Downtown – Invest Group Overseas, 417 units
- Binghatti Grove – Binghatti, 404 units
- Binghatti Ivory, Al Jaddaf – Binghatti, 332 units
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Dubai property market: common questions
Are Dubai property prices going down in 2026?
Slightly, after a strong start to the year. The city-wide median price per sq ft fell from AED 1,687 in June to AED 1,654 in September 2026, and October deals so far average AED 1,627. Prime areas such as Palm Jumeirah, Business Bay and Downtown are 9–11% lower than three months ago, while Dubai South (+8.7%), Arjan (+6.4%) and Damac Hills (+3.6%) are still rising.
How many properties were sold in Dubai in September 2026?
11,288 sales were registered with the Dubai Land Department in September 2026, worth about AED 29.4 billion. Of these, 7,271 (64%) were off-plan and 4,017 were ready resale homes.
What is the average price per sq ft in Dubai?
The city-wide median was AED 1,654 per sq ft in September 2026. Off-plan homes sold at a median of AED 1,701 per sq ft and ready resale homes at AED 1,510. Prime areas cost much more: about AED 3,490 on Palm Jumeirah and AED 2,640 in Downtown Dubai.
Which areas in Dubai have the highest rental yield?
Among the main communities tracked here, Jumeirah Village Circle, Arjan, Dubai South and Dubai Marina show gross yields of around 8%. Downtown, Palm Jumeirah and Dubai Hills Estate are nearer 6%. Gross yield is before service charges, which often reduce returns by 1–2 percentage points.
Are rents in Dubai falling?
New leases are easing. The median new apartment lease in September 2026 was AED 70,000 a year, 4.1% lower than a year earlier, while renewals rose 2.0%. City-wide rent averaged AED 77 per sq ft in 2025, close to the 2016 record of AED 78.
How often is this market report updated?
Every week. Figures come from Dubai Land Department registered sales and Ejari rent contracts, and are summarised by the TruHauz research team. Monthly totals refer to the last complete month, and area figures cover the last three months.
About this report
Figures are based on sales registered with the Dubai Land Department and rent contracts registered with Ejari, compiled through DXBinteract and analysed by the TruHauz research team. Medians are used rather than averages so that a few very large deals do not distort the picture. Monthly totals refer to the last complete month; area figures cover the last three months. This report is for information only and is not investment advice or a formal valuation. Updated every week; last update 26 October 2026.
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