Jumeirah Village Circle recorded the highest reliable 12-month resale gross rental yield among the selected hot Dubai communities at 7.23%, supported by the market’s largest resale transaction base. Town Square followed at 6.44% and offered the strongest balance between income and capital growth, with resale prices per square foot up 14.4%. Sobha Hartland and Damac Hills also exceeded 6% on the overall resale measure. Apartment investors should compare JVC’s 7.25% 12-month yield with Damac Hills’ stronger recent three-month reading of 7.43%. Gross yield does not account for service charges, vacancy, maintenance, financing or buying costs, so the highest area-level yield is a screening signal rather than a guaranteed investor return.
Where are Dubai’s highest rental yields?
Among the selected hot communities, Jumeirah Village Circle has the highest reliable 12-month resale gross rental yield at 7.23%.
Town Square ranks second at 6.44%, followed by Sobha Hartland at 6.13% and Damac Hills at 6.10%.
For most investors, the more useful conclusion is not simply that JVC has the highest yield. It is that:
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JVC offers the highest yield and the deepest resale liquidity.
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Town Square offers a slightly lower yield but stronger price growth.
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Sobha Hartland combines yield above 6% with very high supply absorption.
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Damac Hills shows improving recent apartment yields, but lower resale transaction momentum.
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Dubai Marina offers lower 12-month yield than JVC, but stronger recent resale price growth.
Next step: Compare the live 3-month, 6-month and 12-month yield views before choosing an area, because a strong annual result can hide recent compression.
Highest rental yield areas in Dubai: 12-month resale ranking
Resale data is the most relevant starting point for income investors because it reflects properties trading in the secondary market rather than developer-launch pricing alone.
| Rank |
Community |
Resale gross yield |
Resale transactions |
Median resale AED/sq ft |
Price change |
| 1 |
Jumeirah Village Circle |
7.23% |
4,739 |
AED 1,343 |
+7.2% |
| 2 |
Town Square |
6.44% |
1,360 |
AED 1,327 |
+14.4% |
| 3 |
Sobha Hartland |
6.13% |
1,131 |
AED 2,053 |
+3.8% |
| 4 |
Damac Hills |
6.10% |
972 |
AED 1,402 |
+11.6% |
| 5 |
Dubai Marina |
5.90% |
2,314 |
AED 1,930 |
+13.1% |
| 6 |
Dubai Hills Estate |
5.83% |
1,521 |
AED 2,349 |
+6.0% |
| 7 |
Emaar Beachfront |
4.62% |
430 |
AED 3,567 |
-1.4% |
The Oasis is not included because the API does not provide a gross rental-yield value for that community.
Best apartment rental yields in Dubai
Apartment yields differ from area-wide yields because villas and apartments have different purchase prices, rents and operating costs.
| Rank |
Community |
12-month resale apartment yield |
Transactions |
Price growth |
| 1 |
Jumeirah Village Circle |
7.25% |
4,543 |
+6.9% |
| 2 |
Damac Hills |
6.33% |
642 |
+10.0% |
| 3 |
Sobha Hartland |
6.08% |
1,117 |
+3.8% |
| 4 |
Dubai Marina |
5.90% |
2,311 |
+13.2% |
| 5 |
Town Square |
5.89% |
999 |
+14.9% |
| 6 |
Dubai Hills Estate |
5.69% |
1,206 |
+5.7% |
| 7 |
Emaar Beachfront |
4.62% |
430 |
-1.4% |
JVC leads on the 12-month apartment measure, but the latest rolling three-month data shows a changing picture:
| Community |
Latest 3-month resale apartment yield |
Year-over-year yield change |
3-month price change YoY |
| Damac Hills |
7.43% |
+23.2% |
+14.4% |
| Jumeirah Village Circle |
6.95% |
-3.8% |
-2.3% |
| Dubai Marina |
6.56% |
+5.4% |
+18.9% |
| Town Square |
6.09% |
+1.1% |
+6.8% |
| Sobha Hartland |
5.72% |
-7.9% |
-1.5% |
| Dubai Hills Estate |
5.48% |
-9.4% |
-2.0% |
| Emaar Beachfront |
4.00% |
-4.4% |
-2.3% |
The recent three-month window should not replace the 12-month view. It contains fewer transactions and is more sensitive to transaction mix. It is useful as a momentum check.
Best villa rental yields in Dubai
Reliable 12-month resale villa data shows a narrower yield range.
| Rank |
Community |
Resale villa yield |
Villa transactions |
Price growth |
Reliability |
| 1 |
Jumeirah Village Circle |
6.00% |
196 |
+17.8% |
Reliable |
| 2 |
Damac Hills |
5.28% |
330 |
+17.1% |
Reliable |
| 3 |
Town Square |
5.26% |
361 |
+14.6% |
Reliable |
| 4 |
Dubai Hills Estate |
3.33% |
315 |
+11.7% |
Reliable |
Sobha Hartland’s villa slice is marked as thin, while Dubai Marina’s villa sample contains only three transactions and is also marked thin. They should not be used to make a villa-yield ranking.
The Oasis has a meaningful villa resale sample, but no yield value is supplied.
Investor action: Shortlist no more than two communities, then compare actual building service charges and achievable rents before viewing individual units.
1. Jumeirah Village Circle: Highest yield and deepest liquidity
JVC recorded a 7.23% overall resale gross yield and a 7.25% resale apartment yield.
The strength of JVC is not yield alone. It also recorded:
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4,739 resale transactions across categories
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4,543 resale apartment transactions
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7.2% resale price growth
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6.9% resale apartment price growth
A high yield based on thousands of transactions is more useful than an extreme yield produced by a small sample.
JVC also offers broad unit diversity, which creates opportunities and traps. Studios, one-bedroom apartments, older buildings, newly completed towers and furnished units can produce very different net returns.
JVC’s cost: supply competition
JVC has 38,269 units under construction, of which 79.6% are sold.
This is the largest supply pipeline in the selected dataset and the lowest sold percentage among the compared communities.
That can pressure:
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Rental asking prices
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Occupancy in weaker buildings
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Resale timelines
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Incentives offered by landlords
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Returns on generic unit types
Decision: JVC is the strongest area-level choice for income and liquidity, but the final investment must be decided at building and unit level.
2. Town Square: Best balance of yield and appreciation
Town Square’s overall resale gross yield was 6.44%, while resale median price per square foot increased 14.4%.
This is a stronger balance than JVC for investors who want both income and capital growth.
Town Square also recorded:
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1,360 resale transactions
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1.3% growth in resale transaction volume
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94.8% of under-construction supply sold
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AED 1,327 median resale price per square foot
Its apartment yield was lower at 5.89%, while villas produced 5.26%. The stronger overall figure reflects the combined transaction and rental mix.
Town Square’s cost: recent activity slowed
In the latest rolling three-month period, overall resale volume fell 28.5% from the preceding three months. The area’s 3-month resale yield rose to 7.26%, while prices remained 7.5% higher year over year.
This can indicate improving income relative to value, but a higher short-window yield can also appear when sale prices soften or the rental sample changes.
Decision: Town Square is the strongest income-plus-growth alternative, not the absolute highest-yield market.
3. Sobha Hartland: Yield supported by strong absorption
Sobha Hartland recorded:
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6.13% overall resale gross yield
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6.08% resale apartment yield
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1,131 resale transactions
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11.1% growth in resale transaction volume
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99.3% of under-construction supply sold
The sold percentage is the strongest meaningful absorption reading in the selected set.
That reduces direct competition from unsold developer inventory, although it does not eliminate investor resales or future listings.
Sobha Hartland’s latest three-month apartment yield declined to 5.72%, while price per square foot was 1.5% lower year over year.
Decision: Sobha Hartland suits investors who accept a higher entry price in exchange for strong absorption and established resale activity.
4. Damac Hills: Improving recent apartment yield
Damac Hills recorded a 6.10% overall resale yield and a 6.33% resale apartment yield over 12 months.
Its latest rolling three-month resale apartment yield reached 7.43%, the highest recent reliable apartment reading among the selected communities.
The same three-month slice showed:
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14.4% price growth year over year
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103 apartment resale transactions
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23.2% growth in gross yield year over year
The counterargument is liquidity. Twelve-month resale activity fell 28.6%, and three-month resale apartment volume fell 67.2% year over year.
Decision: Damac Hills is a strong yield-and-growth candidate, but the lower transaction velocity increases the importance of accurate entry pricing.
5. Dubai Marina: Strong recent yield with premium pricing
Dubai Marina recorded a 5.90% 12-month resale yield and a 6.56% latest three-month resale apartment yield.
Its resale prices increased:
This makes Dubai Marina more attractive than its combined market figures suggest.
Its main cost is a higher purchase price. The 12-month median resale price was AED 1,930 per square foot, compared with AED 1,343 in JVC and AED 1,327 in Town Square.
Transaction volume also declined materially.
Decision: Dubai Marina is a premium income-and-appreciation market, not the highest-yield market.
6. Dubai Hills Estate: Moderate premium yield
Dubai Hills Estate recorded a 5.83% overall resale yield and a 5.69% resale apartment yield.
These figures are respectable for a premium master community, especially with 96.4% of under-construction supply sold.
The trade-off is slower recent activity and a higher median resale price of AED 2,349 per square foot.
Villas produced a lower 3.33% gross yield, reflecting the higher capital value of the asset class.
Decision: Dubai Hills suits investors who prioritise community quality and long-term ownership over maximum immediate yield.
7. Emaar Beachfront: Lowest yield, strongest scarcity thesis
Emaar Beachfront recorded a 4.62% resale gross yield.
That is the lowest reliable yield among the compared communities, but also the highest resale price at AED 3,567 per square foot.
The area is better understood as a waterfront scarcity and lifestyle investment than an income-maximisation strategy.
With 99.7% of under-construction supply sold, absorption is strong. However, resale prices were 1.4% lower over the 12-month comparison.
Decision: Emaar Beachfront is unsuitable for investors whose primary objective is maximum gross yield.
Why the highest yield is not always the best investment
A high yield can result from:
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Strong rent
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A low acquisition price
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Older or lower-quality stock
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High tenant turnover
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A small or unusual sample
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Lower expected appreciation
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Higher service or maintenance costs
A 7% gross yield in a building with high service charges and frequent vacancy may produce a lower net return than a 6% gross yield in a well-managed, highly occupied building.
The strongest counterargument to area-level yield rankings is that investors do not buy areas. They buy specific units.
That counterargument is correct.
Use area-level yield to shortlist markets, then calculate:
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Actual achievable annual rent
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Purchase price and closing costs
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Annual service charges
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Maintenance allowance
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Vacancy allowance
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Management and leasing costs
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Financing costs, when applicable
Final verdict
Jumeirah Village Circle is the highest-yield selected hot area on the reliable 12-month resale measure.
Its advantage is supported by the largest resale transaction base, which makes the figure more decision-useful.
Town Square is the better choice for investors seeking both yield and capital growth.
Damac Hills is the strongest recent apartment-yield mover, while Dubai Marina offers a premium blend of income and appreciation.
Do not buy solely because an area ranks first. The investment return will be determined by the building, unit, service charges, achievable rent and purchase price.
Ask fäm Properties for a unit-level rental-yield calculation using recent rent evidence, registered comparable sales and building service charges.
Frequently asked questions
Which area has the highest rental yield in Dubai in 2026?
Among the selected hot communities with reliable 12-month resale data, Jumeirah Village Circle recorded the highest overall gross rental yield at 7.23%.
Which area has the highest apartment rental yield?
Jumeirah Village Circle led the selected communities for 12-month resale apartment gross yield at 7.25%, followed by Damac Hills at 6.33%.
Which area has the highest villa rental yield?
Among reliable 12-month resale villa samples, Jumeirah Village Circle recorded 6.00%, followed by Damac Hills at 5.28% and Town Square at 5.26%.
Is gross rental yield the same as net yield?
No. Gross yield excludes service charges, maintenance, vacancy, management fees, leasing costs, financing and acquisition expenses.
Why can rental yield fall while rent rises?
Yield can compress when property prices rise faster than annual rent. Rent may increase in dirham terms while the return as a percentage of the property’s value declines.
Should investors choose the area with the highest yield?
No. Yield should be assessed with liquidity, price direction, service charges, building quality, tenant demand and future supply.
Why is The Oasis excluded from the yield ranking?
The supplied API does not provide a gross rental-yield value for The Oasis, so it cannot be ranked responsibly for income.