Marsa Al Saadiyat — Sales Open H2 2026, and How Buying in Abu Dhabi Differs from Dubai
Aldar launched its AED 100 billion Saadiyat Island district on 22 July 2026. Enabling works began in Q3. First-phase home sales are scheduled for the second half of this year — and prices are still unpublished. Here is where the project actually stands, and what a Dubai buyer needs to know before crossing the emirate line.
Where the Project Actually Stands
Marsa Al Saadiyat was formally launched on 22 July 2026, with the announcement witnessed by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. Aldar put the gross development value at AED 100 billion, roughly USD 27.2 billion, across 6.4 million square metres and 8 kilometres of waterfront.
Two dates matter more than the headline number:
- Enabling works began in Q3 2026. This is site preparation — the district is moving from announcement to construction.
- First-phase home sales are scheduled for H2 2026. That window is open now.
What has not been published: starting prices, the residential payment plan, unit sizes, and the precise release date for phase one. Aldar’s standard off-plan structure across other projects has typically involved a deposit at signing, milestone payments through construction and a final tranche at handover — but no official payment plan for Marsa Al Saadiyat has been released, and quoting one as fact would be guesswork.
If you want the background on the masterplan itself — the six residential typologies, the cultural district and the wider Saadiyat context — we covered that in Marsa Al Saadiyat: The AED 100 Billion Vision That Completes Saadiyat Island. This piece is about the practical side: what is confirmed, and what buying in Abu Dhabi actually involves.
The District Aldar Has Committed To
These figures come from Aldar’s own project factsheet. They describe the district being built around the homes — which, in a masterplan of this scale, is most of what you are actually buying.
| Element | Confirmed figure |
|---|---|
| Coastline | 8 km |
| Beachfront | 5.6 km |
| Waterfront promenade | 1 km |
| Marina | 17.7 hectares / 177,000 sq m, 350+ berths |
| Green spaces | 73.8 hectares |
| Central park | 73,800 sq m |
| Walking paths | 140 km |
| Cycling tracks | 46 km |
| Schools | 3 (2 private, 1 public) |
| Nurseries | 6 |
| Clinics | 2 |
| Dar Al Funoon Abu Dhabi | 6,000+ seats |
The marina is the headline piece of infrastructure: at 177,000 square metres with over 350 berths taking everything from sailing boats to superyachts, it becomes the largest in Abu Dhabi, with waterfront restaurants along its edge.
The cultural anchor is Dar Al Funoon Abu Dhabi, a 6,000-plus seat performance venue designed by the late Frank Gehry for musicals, live productions and international performances. It sits within a cultural cluster that already includes Louvre Abu Dhabi and will include Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum and the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi.
On education, the district itself will hold two private schools, one public school and six nurseries, with NYU Abu Dhabi and five established schools including Cranleigh Abu Dhabi already close by. A future Etihad Rail station is planned as part of the mobility network.
Buying in Abu Dhabi: Five Differences from Dubai
Most of our clients buy in Dubai. Abu Dhabi is a different jurisdiction with its own regulator, its own register and its own cost base. The differences are not difficult, but assuming Dubai rules apply is how deals go wrong.
What Is Not Confirmed Yet
Marsa Al Saadiyat is being marketed hard, and a large amount of specific-sounding detail is circulating that Aldar has not released. As of early September 2026, the following are not officially published:
Starting prices
No price list has been issued for any typology. Figures quoted on aggregator sites are estimates built from comparable Saadiyat stock, not developer pricing.
The residential payment plan
No payment schedule has been published for this project. Aldar’s structures on other developments are a reasonable guide to expect, not a commitment for this one.
Unit sizes and the phase one release list
Typologies have been described — mansions, villas, waterfront apartments, branded residences — but square-footage schedules and the specific phase one inventory have not been released.
Our position: register for the launch, get on the priority list, and make the decision when the actual price list lands. There is no advantage in committing to a number nobody has published.
Frequently Asked Questions
Aldar has scheduled the first phase of home sales for the second half of 2026. An exact release date has not been published. Enabling works on site began in Q3 2026. The practical step now is to register for priority access so you receive the price list when phase one opens.
Aldar has not published starting prices for any unit type. Any figure you see quoted today is an estimate derived from comparable Saadiyat Island stock rather than a developer price. The gross development value of the district is AED 100 billion, but that is a project-scale number and tells you nothing about the cost of an individual home.
Yes. Foreign nationals can own 100% freehold property within Abu Dhabi’s designated investment zones, and Saadiyat Island is one of them. Other zones include Yas Island, Al Reem Island, Al Raha Beach, Masdar City, Hudayriyat Island and Ramhan Island. Ownership rules differ outside these zones, so the zone status of a specific plot matters.
The headline difference is the registration fee: Abu Dhabi charges 2% of the purchase value, where Dubai Land Department charges 4%. Registration is handled through the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC) and the DARI platform rather than the DLD. Agency commission, mortgage fees and service charges should all be quoted to you separately before you commit.
The UAE’s 10-year Golden Visa property route is based on owning property valued at AED 2 million or above, and it applies across the UAE rather than being specific to Dubai. An Abu Dhabi purchase at or above that threshold can qualify. Because eligibility depends on how the purchase is structured and financed, confirm the position for your specific transaction before treating the visa as secured.
Saadiyat remains the emirate’s cultural address, and Marsa adds a marina and a Gehry-designed performance venue to that. But Hudayriyat Island overtook Saadiyat as Abu Dhabi’s most active market in Q1 2026, and Jubail and Fahid Island have expanded the freehold map since. The honest answer is that Saadiyat is a strong long-hold address competing against newer, cheaper entry points — which one suits you depends on your horizon.
Get the Phase One Price List First
We will send Aldar’s official pricing, unit sizes and payment plan for Marsa Al Saadiyat phase one the day they are released — and give you a straight comparison against current Saadiyat and Hudayriyat stock before you commit.
TruHauz is RERA registered (60838) and works from official transaction data rather than asking prices.
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