Dubai Property Price Index 2026
Dubai's property market has entered 2026 with strong momentum. Based on 16,919 sales transactions recorded in January 2026, the market-wide average price per square foot stands at 1,976 AED β an 18% year-on-year increase from January 2025 (1,674 AED/sqft). This article provides a comprehensive, data-driven price index using verified Dubai Land Department (DLD) transaction data from the DXB Analytics dashboard.
Executive Summary
| Metric | Jan 2025 | Jan 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Sales Transactions | 14,161 | 16,919 | +19.5% |
| Average PSF (AED) | 1,674 | 1,976 | +18.0% |
| Off-Plan Share | ~63% | 64% | +2pp |
The market continues the upward trajectory established in 2024-2025, with both volume and prices rising. The full year 2025 closed with 215,060 sales worth AED 682.6 billion at an average of 1,863 AED/sqft β all record highs.
Monthly Price Trends (2025β2026)
Tracking the average PSF month by month shows steady appreciation through 2025, accelerating into 2026:
| Month | Transactions | Avg PSF (AED) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2025 | 14,161 | 1,674 |
| Feb 2025 | 15,996 | 1,740 |
| Mar 2025 | 15,279 | 1,843 |
| Apr 2025 | 17,818 | 1,829 |
| May 2025 | 18,603 | 1,827 |
| Jun 2025 | 16,541 | 1,826 |
| Jul 2025 | 20,230 | 1,864 |
| Aug 2025 | 18,336 | 1,931 |
| Sep 2025 | 20,308 | 1,917 |
| Oct 2025 | 19,751 | 1,902 |
| Nov 2025 | 18,764 | 1,971 |
| Dec 2025 | 19,273 | 1,953 |
| Jan 2026 | 16,919 | 1,976 |
Average PSF climbed 18% from January 2025 to January 2026. The second half of 2025 consistently outperformed the first, with H2 averaging 1,922 AED/sqft versus 1,794 AED/sqft in H1.
Price Index by Area: Premium Tier (>2,500 AED/sqft)
These areas command the highest prices per square foot in January 2026 (minimum 100 transactions):
| Area | Avg PSF (AED) | Transactions |
|---|---|---|
| Palm Jumeirah | 3,981 | 124 |
| Al Safouh First | 3,836 | 228 |
| Palm Jabal Ali | 3,360 | 125 |
| Al Wasl | 3,261 | 126 |
| Madinat Dubai Almelaheyah | 3,145 | 424 |
| Burj Khalifa (Downtown) | 2,996 | 340 |
| Business Bay | 2,901 | 940 |
| Um Suqaim Third | 2,845 | 208 |
| Dubai Marina | 2,625 | 334 |
| Al Khairan First | 2,624 | 609 |
| Palm Deira | 2,614 | 632 |
| Bukadra | 2,583 | 180 |
| Nad Al Shiba First | 2,505 | 200 |
Palm Jumeirah leads at nearly 4,000 AED/sqft. Business Bay stands out for combining premium pricing (2,901 AED/sqft) with high liquidity (940 transactions).
Price Index by Area: Mid-Range (1,400β2,500 AED/sqft)
| Area | Avg PSF (AED) | Transactions |
|---|---|---|
| Al Satwa | 2,250 | 123 |
| Al Yelayiss 1 | 1,808 | 1,074 |
| Wadi Al Safa 3 | 1,695 | 693 |
| Jabal Ali First | 1,634 | 549 |
| Me'Aisem First (IMPZ) | 1,514 | 479 |
| JVC (Al Barsha South Fourth) | 1,473 | 1,072 |
| Madinat Al Mataar (Dubai South) | 1,415 | 952 |
| Wadi Al Safa 5 (DLRC) | 1,407 | 865 |
Al Yelayiss 1 is the most active mid-range area with 1,074 transactions in January, at 1,808 AED/sqft. JVC follows with 1,072 transactions at 1,473 AED/sqft.
Price Index by Area: Affordable Tier (<1,400 AED/sqft)
| Area | Avg PSF (AED) | Transactions |
|---|---|---|
| Wadi Al Safa 2 | 1,309 | 214 |
| Al Yufrah 1 | 1,302 | 164 |
| Nadd Hessa | 1,257 | 183 |
| Madinat Hind 4 | 974 | 147 |
| Al Warsan First | 841 | 190 |
These emerging areas offer entry points below 1,400 AED/sqft with meaningful transaction volumes.
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Year-on-Year Price Growth by Area
Comparing full-year 2024 average PSF to full-year 2025 (areas with 500+ transactions in each year):
| Area | 2024 PSF | 2025 PSF | YoY Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nadd Hessa | 960 | 1,448 | +50.8% |
| Jabal Ali First | 1,206 | 1,670 | +38.5% |
| Al Hebiah Second | 1,323 | 1,789 | +35.2% |
| Warsan Fourth | 777 | 1,005 | +29.4% |
| Palm Deira | 1,918 | 2,425 | +26.4% |
| Al Thanayah Fourth | 1,360 | 1,684 | +23.8% |
| Madinat Dubai Almelaheyah | 2,409 | 2,963 | +23.0% |
| Al Yelayiss 2 | 1,152 | 1,401 | +21.6% |
| Nad Al Shiba First | 1,697 | 2,039 | +20.1% |
| Al Barshaa South Second | 1,461 | 1,734 | +18.7% |
Nadd Hessa led growth at +50.8%, consistent with its emergence as an affordable growth hub. Jabal Ali First (+38.5%) and Al Hebiah Second (+35.2%) also outperformed, reflecting demand in Dubai's southern expansion corridor.
Off-Plan vs Ready: January 2026
| Segment | Transactions | Volume (AED B) | Avg PSF (AED) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Off-Plan | 10,883 (64%) | 28.1 | 2,149 |
| Ready | 6,036 (36%) | 42.2 | 1,663 |
Off-plan continues to dominate at 64% of transactions, up from ~63% in 2025. The off-plan premium over ready stands at 29% (2,149 vs 1,663 AED/sqft). Notably, ready properties generate more total value (42.2B vs 28.1B AED) due to larger unit sizes.
Property Type Breakdown (Jan 2026)
| Type | Transactions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unit (Apartment/Flat) | 13,222 | 78.2% |
| Villa | 2,279 | 13.5% |
| Land | 1,376 | 8.1% |
| Building | 42 | 0.2% |
Apartments dominate at 78% of sales. Villa share has increased to 13.5% from 7.9% in 2025, suggesting growing demand for larger residential units.
Historical Context: 2024β2026
| Year | Transactions | Volume (AED B) | Avg PSF (AED) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 179,756 | 520.2 | 1,757 |
| 2025 | 215,060 | 682.6 | 1,863 |
| 2026 (Jan only) | 16,919 | 70.2 | 1,976 |
If January 2026 is indicative, the full year could surpass 200,000 transactions again with average PSF approaching 2,000 AED β a significant milestone.
Key Takeaways
Methodology
All data sourced from Dubai Land Department (DLD) official transaction records. Sales filtered to trans_group = "Sales" with instance_date >= 2002-01-01. PSF calculated by converting meter_sale_price from AED/sqm to AED/sqft (Γ· 10.764). Only areas with 100+ transactions included in area rankings (500+ for YoY comparisons). February 2026 excluded as incomplete. Explore the full dataset on the DXB Analytics dashboard.
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Updated March 6, 2026. Data refreshed monthly from Dubai Land Department via Dubai Pulse Open Data.
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