Dubai Property Prices 2026: What a House, Villa or Apartment Costs by Area

If you ask five people for the price of a house in Dubai you will get five different responses, most likely from prices they have viewed on the internet. These are seller’s asking prices. Registered sales represent the actual amount the buyer paid and are a more useful metric. In this article we examine the actual sale prices of townhouses, villas and apartments across all areas of Dubai and by number of bedrooms using data from the Dubai Land Department for registered sales over the 12 months to 10 October 2026. We also look at the most economical areas to purchase property in, what is available within each price range and price trends since 2021. Finally we examine any additional charges that may apply to property purchases.

Dubai Property Prices in 2026 at a Glance

Over the 12 months to 10 October 2026 a total of 144,164 apartments, 12,190 townhouses and 11,432 villas were sold via registered transactions.

• Medians, not averages: All the data presented here represents the median (the price in the middle of all transactions), and is not influenced by any very high end transactions in Emirates Hills or the Palm.
• Apartments: The median apartment sale price for the year dropped by 3.2% to AED 1,237,000 from the previous year. The median price per square foot increased by 1.7% to AED 1,730.
• Townhouses: The median townhouse sale price for the year increased by 2.5% to AED 3,330,000. The median townhouse price per square foot increased by 19.1% to AED 1,718.
• Villas: The median villa sale price for the year increased by 59.3% to AED 6,609,000. The median price per square foot for the villa increased by 32.9% to AED 1,740.
• Why the villa figure jumped: However, the number of villas sold during this year dropped by nearly 50% so some of this increase may be attributable to the specific villas that were sold rather than all villas increasing in value by 59.3%.

How Much Does an Apartment Cost in Dubai?

The number of bedrooms in a property is often the main factor in determining price for the majority of buyers.

• By bedrooms: The median price for a studio in Dubai was AED 690,000 and for a one bedroom property AED 1,252,000. A two bedroom sold for AED 2,233,000 and three bedrooms for AED 4,000,000.
• Most traded: One bedroom properties were the most sold in the city with 59,116 transactions compared to 43,746 for studios.
• Location: However location can add or subtract to the price. A one bedroom priced at approximately AED 800,000 in Dubai Sports City can cost AED 2,300,000 in Downtown Dubai and AED 3,400,000 in Palm Jumeirah.

Dubai Apartment Prices by Area

We have divided the primary areas of the apartments into three value categories based on the median sale price of an apartment within each community.

• Under AED 1 million: The lowest value category consists of communities in which the median sale price of an apartment was less than AED 1 million including: Arjan, Dubai Land Residence Complex, Dubai Sports City, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Discovery Gardens and Majan.
• AED 1 million to AED 2 million: The middle category ranges from AED 1 million to AED 2 million and includes: DAMAC Hills, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Jumeirah Village Circle, Al Jaddaf, Meydan, Motor City, Sobha Hartland, Al Furjan, Jumeirah Village Triangle, Dubai Marina.
• AED 2 million and above: The highest value category begins at AED 2 million with Business Bay and increases through Dubai Creek Harbour, Dubai Hills, Downtown Dubai and ends at Palm Jumeirah with a median apartment sale price of AED 5,500,000.

Jumeirah Village Circle: the busiest apartment market

There is also Jumeirah Village Circle. This development has far and away been the most active in this guide in terms of apartment sales with 11,483 units sold. The median sale price for Jumeirah Village Circle (AED 1,000,000) is slightly under the median price across Dubai. The median price for studio units in Jumeirah Village Circle is AED 708,000 while the median price for one bedroom units is AED 1,101,000. Due to the large number of transactions available within the development it can be relatively easier to establish a reasonable market value. There are always recent transactions to reference.

How Much Does a Villa or Townhouse Cost in Dubai?

Prices for townhouses and villas in Dubai cover a greater range than apartments.

• Two separate types: Villas and townhouses are separately recorded by the Dubai Land Department.
• Villas by bedrooms: The median price of a three bedroom villa sold in the 12 months to 10 October 2026 was AED 3,800,000, a four bedroom villa sold for a median of AED 6,575,000 and a five bedroom villa for a median of AED 11,304,000.
• Townhouses by bedrooms: Townhouses sold for less. A two bedroom townhouse sold for a median of AED 1,597,000, a three bedroom townhouse sold for a median of AED 3,250,000 and a four bedroom townhouse sold for a median of AED 2,934,000 although this is influenced by thousands of off plan sales in DAMAC Islands.
• The very top: The median price of a villa on Palm Jumeirah was AED 44,000,000 and a villa in Emirates Hills sold for a median of AED 65,000,000 but these represent only a small number of transactions.

Dubai Villa Prices by Community

• Under AED 2 million: For the major areas considering townhouses and villas together, DAMAC Hills 2 has the lowest median at AED 1,740,000.
• Around AED 2.9 million: DAMAC Lagoons, DAMAC Islands, Emaar South, Town Square are all approximately at AED 2.9 million.
• AED 3.1 million to AED 3.7 million: Reem, Mudon, Arabian Ranches 3, Jumeirah Village Circle, The Valley and Villanova are between AED 3.1 million and AED 3.7 million.
• AED 4 million to AED 5.8 million: Arabian Ranches 2, The Springs, DAMAC Hills, Al Furjan are between AED 4 million and AED 5.8 million.
• AED 7 million to AED 9 million: Dubai Hills Estate, Jumeirah Park, The Acres, Tilal Al Ghaf and Arabian Ranches are from approximately AED 7 million to AED 9 million.
• Above AED 12 million: The Oasis and Jumeirah Golf Estates are in excess of AED 12 million.

Cheapest Villas in Dubai: Affordable Villas Under AED 3 Million

There are more townhouses and villas under AED 3m in Dubai than many prospective buyers anticipate if they are prepared to look at newer developments away from the city centre.

• DAMAC Hills 2: DAMAC Hills 2 has a wide range of villas with 1,067 sold at a median of AED 1,680,000 for three bedrooms and AED 1,996,000 for four.
• Rukan: In Dubailand, the townhouses at Rukan are cheaper still with a median of AED 975,000 for one bedroom and AED 2,200,000 for three.
• Warsan Village: Warsan Village has a median of AED 2,070,000 for three bedroom villas.
• Town Square: Town Square townhouses had a median of AED 2,850,000 for three bedrooms.
• Dubai South: Dubai South has three bedroom townhouses at a median of AED 2,220,000 at Parkside and AED 2,500,000 at Expo Golf Villas in Emaar South.
• DAMAC Lagoons: DAMAC Lagoons had a median of AED 2,495,000 for three bedrooms and AED 2,700,000 for four.
• Serena and Villanova: Two bedroom townhouses are available in Serena (median AED 2,500,000) and Villanova (median AED 2,413,000).
• Arabian Ranches 3: Arabian Ranches 3 has three bedroom units just under the budget at a median of AED 2,980,000.

There are also more units available from off plan developments.

• Verdana: Dubai Investments Park’s Verdana has a median of AED 1,439,000 for three bedrooms.
• Reportage Hills and Reportage Village: Reportage Hills has a median of AED 1,737,000 and Reportage Village has a median of AED 1,748,000 for three bedrooms.
• DAMAC Islands: DAMAC Islands has four bedroom townhouses with a median of AED 2,824,000.
• Before you commit: All of these developments are somewhat removed from the city centre as compared to many older villa developments. Rush hour and non rush hour drive times should be considered as well as the handover date for an off plan purchase.

What Your Budget Buys in Dubai

In terms of value, budgets are more meaningful than mean values.

1. Around AED 750,000Approximately AED 750,000 will allow you to inhabit a studio in Jumeirah Village Circle, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Arjan, Dubai Land Residence Complex or Majan.

2. Around AED 1.25 millionAED 1.25 million will allow you to acquire a one bedroom in Jumeirah Lake Towers, DAMAC Hills or Jumeirah Village Triangle or a two bedroom in Discovery Gardens.

3. Around AED 2 millionAED 2 million will allow you to select a one bedroom in Dubai Creek Harbour or Business Bay, a two bedroom in DAMAC Hills or Al Jaddaf or a three bedroom villa in DAMAC Hills 2.

4. Around AED 3 millionApproximately AED 3 million will allow you access to a two bedroom in Business Bay or Dubai Marina or a four bedroom villa in DAMAC Lagoons.

5. AED 4 million and upThree bedroom family villas in Al Furjan and Tilal Al Ghaf are priced around AED 4 million. Four bedroom villas and townhouses in Tilal Al Ghaf or Arabian Ranches 2 are priced in excess of AED 6 million.

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Are Dubai Property Prices Going Up or Down?

Property prices have generally increased over the five year period.

• Apartments: Apartment price per square foot increased from AED 1,191 in 2021 to AED 1,733 in 2025 (+45%).
• Villas: Villa prices also increased by a similar level during the same period from AED 936 to AED 1,356, before increasing further to AED 1,749 so far in 2026.
• 2026 so far: Apartment price per square foot has remained relatively stable during 2026 at AED 1,716 up to the 10th of October and is slightly below the 2025 level.
• Fewer sales: The volume of transactions recorded has also decreased by 10.7% for apartments and 48.8% for villas from the same period a year ago.

The Real Cost of Buying: Fees on Top of the Price

The cost in the sale contract does not equate to the total cost of the property.

1. Transfer fee and title deedReady made properties have a title deed charge of AED 580 and a 4% transfer charge to the Dubai Land Department based on the sale price, both paid by the buyer.

2. Trustee centre feeRegistration at the registration trustee centre is AED 2,000 plus VAT if the property is below AED 500,000 and AED 4,000 plus VAT if above that.

3. Agency feeMost properties will also have an agency fee of 2% of the property value plus VAT.

4. Conveyancing feeA conveyancing fee is also charged to handle all the transfer documentation from offer to possession. This costs from AED 3,500 plus VAT for cash deals and AED 6,600 plus VAT for mortgage transactions.

5. Mortgage registrationIf a mortgage is taken there is a fee for mortgage registration of 0.25% of the mortgage amount plus charges imposed by the lender.

6. About 7% in totalFor a cash deal it is typical to allow approximately 7% of the property value to cover all fees involved.

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Budget for the fees before you make an offer.

How Much Deposit Do You Need for a Mortgage in Dubai?

When purchasing with a mortgage the most important sum to plan on is the deposit.

• Up to AED 5 million: In the UAE the Central Bank allows expatriates to obtain a mortgage of up to 80% of the value of a first residence up to AED 5 million. This requires a minimum deposit of 20%.
• Above AED 5 million: For a first residence over AED 5 million the allowed mortgage is 70%.
• Off-plan: For off plan developments the maximum mortgage is 50%.
• Bank terms: Within these parameters each bank imposes its own conditions. Non-residents also tend to receive smaller mortgage offers.
• Cash you need: Fees are paid in addition to the deposit. For a AED 1.5 million apartment purchased with a mortgage approximately AED 400,000 must be cash available prior to moving costs.