Dubai Property Prices by Area in 2026

Main takeaways

• Emaar Beachfront is the most expensive selected community, with a 12-month combined median of AED 3,639 per square foot.
• Dubai Hills Estate and Dubai Marina form the premium middle tier, at AED 2,338 and AED 2,148 per square foot.
• JVC and Town Square have the lowest combined entry prices, at AED 1,484 and AED 1,498 per square foot.
• Primary and resale prices differ sharply in some locations. Dubai Marina’s primary median was AED 3,589 per square foot versus AED 1,930 in resale.
• Price per square foot is a comparison tool, not a complete valuation. Project, building and unit differences remain decisive.

Among eight selected hot Dubai communities, Emaar Beachfront recorded the highest combined 12-month median property price at AED 3,639 per square foot. Dubai Hills Estate followed at AED 2,338, Dubai Marina at AED 2,148 and Sobha Hartland at AED 2,048. The lowest medians were found in Jumeirah Village Circle at AED 1,484 and Town Square at AED 1,498. Primary and resale markets must be separated: Dubai Marina’s primary median reached AED 3,589 per square foot, compared with AED 1,930 in resale, while Sobha Hartland showed the opposite pattern because its primary sample and project mix were different. Price per square foot helps benchmark areas, but it cannot replace building- and unit-level comparable transactions.

Dubai property prices by area: quick comparison

These are median transaction prices per square foot across primary and resale property categories. They are not asking prices and they do not describe every unit in the community.

Next step: Use the area median only to set a budget range, then move immediately to project, building and unit-level comparisons.

Dubai property price tiers among the selected areas

The selected areas fall into four practical price groups.

Highest-priced waterfront market

• Emaar Beachfront: AED 3,639 per square foot

Premium master communities

• Dubai Hills Estate: AED 2,338
• Dubai Marina: AED 2,148
• Sobha Hartland: AED 2,048

Upper mid-market and villa-development areas

• The Oasis: AED 1,773
• Damac Hills: AED 1,581

More accessible high-activity communities

• Town Square: AED 1,498
• Jumeirah Village Circle: AED 1,484

These categories are relative to the eight selected hot communities. They are not official Dubai market classifications.

Primary versus resale property prices

The gap between primary and resale medians reveals how differently new launches and existing properties are trading.

A primary premium does not automatically mean a new property is overpriced. New projects may offer:

• Newer specifications
• Payment plans
• Better amenities
• Premium views or locations
• Branded positioning
• Lower initial maintenance needs

The cost is that buyers may pay today for future delivery, while taking construction, completion and resale-competition risk.

A primary discount also does not automatically mean a bargain. Sobha Hartland had only 51 primary transactions during the 12-month period, compared with 1,131 resales. The primary median came from a different and much smaller transaction mix.

Current price direction: latest three-month medians

The latest rolling three-month median provides a more current, but less stable, snapshot.

The comparison between a 3-month median and a 12-month median is not an appreciation calculation. The windows contain different transaction mixes. The year-over-year change inside the three-month slice is the more appropriate directional indicator.

Buyer action: Compare the primary and resale median before deciding whether a payment plan justifies a new-launch premium.

1. Emaar Beachfront property prices

Emaar Beachfront recorded the highest combined median price in the selected dataset at AED 3,639 per square foot.

Its market structure was:

• Primary median: AED 5,146 per square foot
• Resale median: AED 3,567 per square foot
• Combined 12-month price change: -12.2%
• Resale price change: -1.4%
• Under-construction supply sold: 99.7%

The primary sample contained only 39 transactions and was marked thin. The resale market, with 430 transactions, provides the more reliable current benchmark.

Emaar Beachfront’s premium reflects:

• Waterfront positioning
• Beach access
• Limited coastal land
• Newer stock
• View premiums
• Lifestyle and international-buyer appeal

The cost is lower gross rental yield and greater sensitivity to the exact building, view and floor.

Buyer conclusion: Do not use the area median to value a sea-view corner unit or a lower-floor internal-view apartment. The adjustment can be substantial.

2. Dubai Hills Estate property prices

Dubai Hills Estate recorded a combined median of AED 2,338 per square foot.

Its primary and resale medians were unusually close:

• Primary: AED 2,322
• Resale: AED 2,349

This suggests less aggregate separation between the two markets than in Dubai Marina or Town Square.

The community includes apartments, villas and different development phases. Apartment and villa values should remain separate:

• Combined apartment median: AED 2,354 per square foot
• Combined villa median: AED 2,274
• Resale apartment median: AED 2,377
• Resale villa median: AED 2,265

The latest three-month combined median was AED 2,342, close to the 12-month level, although the three-month year-over-year change was negative 2.7%.

Buyer conclusion: Dubai Hills Estate is priced as a premium master community. Value depends more on project, location within the community and product type than on a broad primary-resale discount.

3. Dubai Marina property prices

Dubai Marina recorded a combined median of AED 2,148 per square foot.

Its primary-resale gap was the largest in the selected dataset:

• Primary median: AED 3,589
• Resale median: AED 1,930
• Primary premium: approximately 85.9%

This does not mean every new unit is 85.9% more expensive than an equivalent resale property.

The primary market contained newer and higher-priced transactions, while the resale market included a broad range of completed towers and ages.

The latest 12-month resale price increased 13.1%, even though the combined median declined 0.6%. The difference came from a major reduction in high-priced primary transaction volume.

Buyer conclusion: In Dubai Marina, compare building age, renovation, view, floor and service charges before comparing the primary and resale medians.

4. Sobha Hartland property prices

Sobha Hartland recorded a combined median of AED 2,048 per square foot.

Its resale median was AED 2,053, while its primary median was AED 1,600.

The apparent primary discount should be treated cautiously because:

• Primary volume was only 51 transactions
• Resale volume was 1,131
• The primary and resale project mix differed
• The primary median declined 20.8%

The community’s 99.3% sold percentage indicates very strong absorption of under-construction supply.

Buyer conclusion: Sobha Hartland is a premium market with strong resale depth. The AED 1,600 primary median is not a universal benchmark for every new project.

5. The Oasis property prices

The Oasis recorded a combined median of AED 1,773 per square foot.

The market is primarily villa-led and development-driven:

• Primary median: AED 1,788
• Resale median: AED 1,361
• Combined price change: +11.1%
• Resale price change: +15.1%

The resale sample contained 84 transactions, while primary volume reached 764.

The latest three-month combined median was AED 1,801 and remained 7.6% higher year over year.

Buyer conclusion: The Oasis should be compared as a developing villa community, not against apartment-heavy markets using the same assumptions.

6. Damac Hills property prices

Damac Hills recorded a combined median of AED 1,581 per square foot.

Its primary median was AED 1,798, while resale was AED 1,402.

The combined price increased 21.4%, but the split shows:

• Primary median declined 1.9%
• Resale median increased 11.6%
• Primary transaction volume increased sharply

The combined median was lifted partly by the changing mix of primary and resale transactions.

Apartment and villa prices also differ:

• Resale apartment median: AED 1,370
• Resale villa median: AED 1,532

Buyer conclusion: Damac Hills offers a lower entry price than Dubai’s premium communities, but cluster and product-type comparison is necessary.

7. Town Square property prices

Town Square recorded a combined median of AED 1,498 per square foot.

Its market split was:

• Primary median: AED 1,683
• Resale median: AED 1,327
• Combined price growth: +17%
• Resale price growth: +14.4%

Resale apartments traded at a median of AED 1,324 per square foot, while resale villas traded at AED 1,335.

This is one of the most consistent price structures in the dataset, with apartment and villa resale medians close to each other.

Buyer conclusion: Town Square remains relatively accessible among the selected hot areas, but its strong appreciation means buyers must benchmark against recent transactions rather than older launch prices.

8. Jumeirah Village Circle property prices

JVC recorded the lowest combined median among the selected areas at AED 1,484 per square foot.

Its market split was:

• Primary median: AED 1,543
• Resale median: AED 1,343
• Combined price growth: +8.1%
• Resale price growth: +7.2%

JVC’s 14,925 combined transactions make its area-level medians more statistically useful than those from smaller markets.

However, JVC also has the widest variety of building age, quality and developer reputation.

Two apartments with the same bedroom count can trade at materially different prices because of:

• Handover year
• Construction quality
• Service charges
• Layout efficiency
• Furnishing
• View and floor
• Building occupancy
• Nearby construction

Buyer conclusion: JVC’s median is useful for broad comparison, but a building-specific benchmark is mandatory.

What price per square foot does not tell you

Price per square foot does not directly reveal:

• Total ticket price
• Layout efficiency
• Rental income
• Service charges
• Building quality
• View premium
• Payment-plan value
• Handover risk
• Resale liquidity
• Future competing supply

A smaller inefficient unit can have a lower total price but a high price per square foot. A large villa can have a lower price per square foot but require a much larger capital commitment.

How to use area prices correctly

Use the area median as the first filter, then compare:

1. Primary or resale market
2. Apartment or villa category
3. Project and building
4. Bedroom count and size
5. Floor, view and orientation
6. Condition and furnishing
7. Recent comparable transactions
8. Current competing listings
9. Service charges
10. Expected rent and net return

Final verdict

The selected hot communities cover a wide price range:

• Emaar Beachfront is the highest-priced market at AED 3,639 per square foot.
• Dubai Hills Estate, Dubai Marina and Sobha Hartland occupy the premium range.
• The Oasis and Damac Hills sit below the premium apartment-led communities.
• Town Square and JVC offer the lowest area-level entry prices in this comparison.

Lower price does not automatically mean better value, and a higher price does not automatically mean stronger quality or future appreciation.

The correct purchase price is determined by comparable transactions for the specific building, project and unit.

Frequently asked questions

Which selected Dubai area has the highest property price per square foot?

Emaar Beachfront recorded the highest combined 12-month median at AED 3,639 per square foot.

Which selected area has the lowest median property price?

Jumeirah Village Circle recorded AED 1,484 per square foot, slightly below Town Square at AED 1,498.

Why are primary prices higher than resale prices in some areas?

New launches may include newer specifications, payment plans, premium locations and luxury stock. The transaction mix can also differ materially.

Why is Sobha Hartland’s primary median lower than its resale median?

The primary sample was much smaller and reflected a different project mix, so it should not be interpreted as a universal discount on new property.

Is price per square foot enough to value a property?

No. Building quality, floor, view, layout, condition, service charges, handover status and comparable transactions must also be considered.

Are lower-priced areas automatically better investments?

No. A lower entry price can improve affordability and yield, but demand, supply, liquidity, quality and future competition determine investment performance.