Dubai Apartment Prices 2026: Price per Sq Ft by Area, and What a Flat Costs
Short answer: Apartment prices in Dubai averaged AED 1,969 per square foot between January and early June 2026, on Property Monitor's analysis of Dubai Land Department data. Prices range from about AED 1,510 in Jumeirah Village Circle to AED 3,011 in Downtown Dubai and AED 4,240 on Palm Jumeirah. In practice that means roughly AED 0.7 million to AED 1.35 million for a studio, AED 1.1 million to AED 2.3 million for a one-bedroom and AED 1.8 million to AED 3.6 million for a two-bedroom across the main areas, with Palm Jumeirah above that range. Gross rental yields run from about 5% in prime areas to 8% to 9% in the most affordable districts.
Key takeaways
- The citywide apartment average is AED 1,969 per sq ft, now below the villa average of AED 2,241, a reversal of the historic pattern.
- Location explains most of the price. Downtown is almost exactly twice JVC per square foot; the Palm is 2.8 times.
- Apartments are 84% of deals: 68,739 apartment sales worth AED 133.9 billion in the first half of 2026.
- Cheaper areas yield more. JVC and Arjan one-beds imply about 7% gross; Downtown and Business Bay about 5.5% to 6%; the top mid-market districts 8% to 9%.
- Supply is the risk. Fitch counts about 120,000 units due in 2026, mostly apartments, and Moody's expects small falls concentrated in mid-market studios and one-beds.
What is the average apartment price in Dubai in 2026?
On Property Monitor data for 1 January to 6 June 2026, the average Dubai apartment traded at AED 1,969 per square foot. For a typical 750 sq ft one-bedroom that is about AED 1.48 million, and for a 1,200 sq ft two-bedroom about AED 2.36 million.
Apartments dominate the market by volume. In the first half of 2026 Dubai recorded 68,739 apartment transactions worth AED 133.9 billion, 84% of residential deals, against 13,100 villa deals worth AED 91.3 billion. Across all property types, sales totalled about AED 286.4 billion over 86,000 transactions.
One thing has changed. For most of Dubai's history, apartments carried the higher rate per square foot. In 2026 villas are higher, at AED 2,241 against AED 1,969, because new supply is overwhelmingly apartments while villa land near the centre is running out. We explain why in Dubai villa prices 2026.
Apartment prices in Dubai by area: price per square foot
This is the table most buyers need. Rates are average apartment transaction prices per square foot, with the implied price of a studio, a one-bedroom and a two-bedroom at typical sizes.
| Area | AED / sq ft | Studio (450 sq ft) | 1-bed (750 sq ft) | 2-bed (1,200 sq ft) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Jumeirah | 4,240 | AED 1.91M | AED 3.18M | AED 5.09M |
| Downtown Dubai | 3,011 | AED 1.35M | AED 2.26M | AED 3.61M |
| Dubai Creek Harbour | 2,600 | AED 1.17M | AED 1.95M | AED 3.12M |
| Business Bay | 2,547 | AED 1.15M | AED 1.91M | AED 3.06M |
| Dubai Hills Estate | 2,432 | AED 1.09M | AED 1.82M | AED 2.92M |
| Dubai Marina | 2,058 | AED 0.93M | AED 1.54M | AED 2.47M |
| Dubai average | 1,969 | AED 0.89M | AED 1.48M | AED 2.36M |
| Jumeirah Lake Towers (JLT) | 1,831 | AED 0.82M | AED 1.37M | AED 2.20M |
| Arjan | 1,568 | AED 0.71M | AED 1.18M | AED 1.88M |
| Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC) | 1,510 | AED 0.68M | AED 1.13M | AED 1.81M |
Average apartment prices per sq ft from Property Monitor / Dubai Land Department, 1 Jan to 6 Jun 2026. Unit prices are rate x typical size and exclude fees; actual sizes vary by building.
Read the table as a guide to relative value, not a price list. Within any area, the individual building matters a great deal: age, developer, view, floor and service charges can move a unit 20% either side of the area average. Newer outer areas such as Dubai South and International City sit below the bottom of this table, and were not included in the same dataset.
What drives the price gap between areas?
Most of the difference between AED 1,510 and AED 4,240 per square foot comes down to five factors.
- Distance to the centre. Downtown, DIFC and Business Bay carry a structural premium because they are where the jobs, the metro and the landmarks are.
- Waterfront and views. Beach, marina, creek or Burj Khalifa views add a premium within almost every area.
- Supply pipeline. Areas with a large volume of new towers under construction, such as JVC and Arjan, price in the competition from future stock.
- Building age and quality. A new handover in an established area can trade well above older towers next door.
- Service charges. High service charges in some towers come straight off the net yield, and buyers price that in.
These are the same forces that shape villa prices, but the supply factor weighs far more heavily for apartments, because that is where almost all new supply is being built.
Apartment rents and rental yields in 2026
Rents from Bayut's H1 2026 rental report, set against the implied purchase prices above, give a rough gross yield for each area.
| Area | 1-bed asking rent | Implied 1-bed price | Implied gross yield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown Dubai | AED 133,000 | AED 2.26M | 5.9% |
| Business Bay | AED 104,000 | AED 1.91M | 5.4% |
| Dubai Marina | AED 103,000 | AED 1.54M | 6.7% |
| Arjan | AED 79,000 | AED 1.18M | 6.7% |
| Jumeirah Village Circle | AED 79,000 | AED 1.13M | 7.0% |
Asking rents from Bayut H1 2026; implied prices at 750 sq ft and the Property Monitor area averages. Gross yields before service charges, maintenance and vacancy.
The pattern is consistent: the cheaper the area, the higher the gross yield. At the top of the yield table, Bayut's H1 2026 data put Discovery Gardens at 9.06%, International City at 8.79%, Dubai Silicon Oasis at 8.23% and Al Furjan at 7.69%.
Net yields are lower, usually by 1 to 2 percentage points once service charges and letting costs are taken off. Compare the two routes in off-plan vs ready property in Dubai, and if you plan to let the apartment, see Ejari registration for how tenancies are registered, and holiday home licensing for short stays.
What does it cost to buy an apartment on top of the price?
Buyers should budget roughly 6% to 7% on top of the purchase price for a ready apartment bought through an agent.
| Cost | On a AED 1.5M apartment (cash) |
|---|---|
| DLD transfer fee (4%) | AED 60,000 |
| DLD fixed fees (deed, unit, map, knowledge, innovation) | AED 745 |
| Registration trustee fee incl. VAT | AED 4,200 |
| Agency commission (2% + VAT) | AED 31,500 |
| Total | AED 96,445 (6.4%) |
DLD figures from the Dubai Land Department fee schedule, September 2026.
With a mortgage, add mortgage registration at 0.25% of the loan, a second trustee fee, the bank's arrangement fee and a valuation. Resident expats can borrow up to 80% on a first home up to AED 5 million. Every fee is explained in DLD fees in Dubai, and you can work out the monthly payment and the cash needed in our Dubai mortgage calculator.
Once you own, there is also the annual service charge, set per square foot and published in the DLD's service charge index, plus DEWA and the 5% municipality housing fee if you live in it yourself. A full household budget is in the cost of living in Dubai.
Are Dubai apartment prices going to fall?
This is where apartments and villas diverge most sharply.
Fitch Ratings counts about 120,000 units scheduled for delivery in 2026, against roughly 30,000 in 2024 and 90,000 in 2025, and expects a price correction of no more than 15% from the second half of 2025 into 2026. Moody's counts around 180,000 units due across 2026 to 2028, and in February 2026 forecast a moderate cooling over 12 to 18 months, with small price falls most likely in mid-market studios and one-bedroom apartments.
The implication for buyers:
- Mid-market studios and one-beds in areas with large pipelines face the most competition from new supply, especially from investors reselling at handover.
- Prime and waterfront apartments, where there is little new land, are expected to hold up better.
- Larger family units and villas are the least exposed, because so little of the pipeline is aimed at them.
We set out the evidence in full in our Dubai property market forecast for 2027.
Apartment or villa: which fits your budget?
At the AED 2 million to AED 4 million level, buyers are often choosing between a two-bedroom apartment in a central area and a townhouse or compact villa further out. The apartment usually wins on yield, liquidity and commute; the villa on space, outdoor area and, in 2026, exposure to a segment with far less new supply.
Above AED 5 million the comparison shifts again, because a family-sized villa in a central district becomes a real alternative to a large prime apartment. If that is where you are looking, 4-bedroom villas in Dubai and our District 11, MBR City area guide show what the money buys, and Palm Jumeirah villa prices covers the very top of the market.
Owning a Dubai property worth AED 2 million or more can also qualify you for a ten-year Golden Visa; we compare the residence routes in Golden Visa vs investor visa.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average price of an apartment in Dubai in 2026?
About AED 1,969 per square foot on Property Monitor analysis of Dubai Land Department data for January to early June 2026. That is about AED 1.48 million for a 750 sq ft one-bedroom and AED 2.36 million for a 1,200 sq ft two-bedroom.
Where are the cheapest apartments in Dubai?
Among established areas, Jumeirah Village Circle averages about AED 1,510 per sq ft and Arjan about AED 1,568. International City and Dubai South are cheaper again. A JVC one-bedroom costs roughly AED 1.1 million.
How much is a studio apartment in Dubai?
Roughly AED 0.7 million in JVC or Arjan, AED 0.9 million in Dubai Marina and AED 1.35 million in Downtown Dubai for a 450 sq ft studio at 2026 area averages, with outer areas lower.
How much is a 2-bedroom apartment in Dubai?
About AED 1.8 million to AED 3.6 million for a 1,200 sq ft two-bedroom across the main areas, from JVC at the lower end to Downtown Dubai at the upper end, and about AED 5 million on Palm Jumeirah.
What rental yield do Dubai apartments make?
Gross yields run from about 5% to 6% in prime areas such as Downtown and Business Bay to around 7% in JVC and 8% to 9% in Discovery Gardens and International City. Net yields are typically 1 to 2 points lower after service charges and costs.
Will Dubai apartment prices drop in 2026 or 2027?
Fitch expects a correction of up to 15% as about 120,000 units are delivered in 2026, and Moody's expects a moderate cooling with small falls concentrated in mid-market studios and one-bedroom apartments. Prime and waterfront units are expected to hold up better.
Are villas more expensive than apartments in Dubai?
Per square foot, yes, in 2026: villas averaged AED 2,241 against AED 1,969 for apartments, a reversal of the historic pattern driven by the apartment-heavy supply pipeline.
Sources & further reading: Property Monitor via Engel & Völkers · Bayut H1 2026 rental report · Economy Middle East: H1 2026 yields · Gulf News: Fitch outlook · The National: Moody's outlook · Emirates 24|7: H1 2026 transactions
Written by Faizan Ahmed, Digital & SEO Lead, Swank Development. Last updated 23 September 2026. Figures are indicative and were verified against official UAE government sources at the time of writing; always confirm current fees with the Dubai Land Department or your conveyancer.
