# Aljada or Maryam Island: Which Sharjah Project to Choose? ## A data-driven comparison of price per sqm, real net yield, and 2026-2027 handover timelines for Sharjah's only two mature freehold masterplans. > Aljada wins for rental investors: AED 8,500-11,000/sqm vs AED 12,000-15,000 at Maryam Island, for a 5-6.5% net yield vs 4.5-5.5%. Maryam Island only makes sense for waterfront wealth plays. **Source canonique** : https://withlevel8.com/en/blog/invest-sharjah-2026-aljada-maryam-island-freehold **Locale** : en **Type** : guide **Publié** : 2026-06-28 **Dernière mise à jour** : 2026-09-13T14:13:48.485Z **Lecture** : 9 min **Catégories** : market-data, spotlight **Auteur** : David Bendayan — Senior Advisor · Dubaï **Revu par** : Yann Mechaly le 2026-06-25 ## TL;DR Aljada wins for rental investors: AED 8,500-11,000/sqm vs AED 12,000-15,000 at Maryam Island, for a 5-6.5% net yield vs 4.5-5.5%. Maryam Island only makes sense for waterfront wealth plays. --- ## Key takeaways - **Aljada vs Maryam Island**: at comparable specs, Aljada trades between **AED 8,500 and 11,000/sqm**, against **AED 12,000 to 15,000/sqm** at Maryam Island — a 35 to 45% gap. - **Net yield**: 5 to 6.5% at Aljada after charges, vacancy, and management, against 4.5 to 5.5% at Maryam Island. The lower entry price isn't offset by a proportionally higher rent. - **Handover schedule**: Aljada phases deliveries through 2027, with Naseej and Nest already occupied. Maryam Island concentrates Pearl, Sapphire, and Aquamarine into a tighter window, meaning more concentrated construction risk. - **Tenant profile**: Aljada attracts middle-income expat families working in Sharjah or Dubai. Maryam Island targets professionals on the Deira side, on a rare waterfront product more dependent on niche demand. - **Verdict**: Aljada wins on rental yield and lower entry ticket. Maryam Island only makes sense for waterfront scarcity and long-term wealth preservation. Both remain a complement, never a substitute, to a Dubai allocation, where DLD volumes run roughly 19 times higher than Sharjah's. ## Two Masterplans, Two Investment Logics Aljada and Maryam Island share the same legal status. What they actually sell investors is radically different. Aljada represents **AED 24 billion invested across 2.2 million sqm**, with 25,000 homes and phased deliveries through 2027. Built by Arada, the project functions as a city within a city: the Madar cultural hub designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, two schools, a hospital. The thesis rests on critical mass and agglomeration effects — a rental pool built through density of amenities, not site scarcity. Maryam Island plays a different card. Developed by Eagle Hills on 460,000 sqm of reclaimed land north of Al Khan, fifteen minutes from Deira by car, the project capitalizes on Sharjah's near-nonexistent waterfront supply. Where Aljada bets on volume, Maryam Island bets on the structural scarcity of freehold waterfront in the emirate. Both sit among the zones designated by the 2022 emiri decree opening freehold ownership to foreigners. The legal framework doesn't differentiate them at all. The real trade-off plays out entirely on the underlying economic model. ### What Freehold Status Actually Changes Freehold gives foreign buyers full title ownership, transferable and assignable without a local sponsor. In practice, that means unrestricted resale, mortgage access through local banks, and inheritance passed according to the buyer's chosen rules. This status, identical across both masterplans, says nothing about yield or resale liquidity. That's exactly what the rest of this comparison quantifies: price per sqm, charges, and market depth. On that last point, [Dubai Land Department](https://dubailand.gov.ae) remains the benchmark for positioning Sharjah against Dubai. ## What's the Price Gap Per Sqm Between Aljada and Maryam Island? In 2026, Aljada trades between **AED 8,500 and 11,000/sqm**, depending on phase and unit size. A studio starts around AED 450,000. Maryam Island charges between **AED 12,000 and 15,000/sqm**, a midpoint near AED 13,500/sqm — a 30 to 40% gap across the full range. The real benchmark isn't Sharjah against Sharjah. It's Sharjah against Dubai. Maryam Island prices like a secondary Dubai neighborhood: JVC runs around AED 13,200/sqm, Town Square at AED 12,400/sqm. Dubai Marina climbs to AED 22,000/sqm. The direct effect on purchasing power: at an equal budget, buyers get a 1-bedroom at Maryam Island or a 2-bedroom at Aljada. That's not a minor sizing detail. It's a livable-space trade-off. ### Where the Discounts Still Sit in 2026 Aljada retains a genuine geographic discount: 30 to 40% below Dubai for comparable residential product, outside waterfront positioning. Maryam Island doesn't price at a Sharjah discount. It prices at a waterfront premium, aligned with Dubai's secondary zones rather than Sharjah's baseline. The discount disappears the moment you add a water frontage — [Dubai Land Department](https://dubailand.gov.ae) sets the market benchmark against which both masterplans are measured. ## What Real Net Yield Should You Target on Each? At Aljada, observed gross yields range from 6.5 to 8% on studios and 1-bedrooms in delivered phases. The smallest units reach up to 9%. At Maryam Island, estimated gross yields sit between 6 and 7.5%, driven by stable rents but held back by higher initial valuations. The real difference plays out on charges. Service charges in Sharjah run between AED 12 and 18/sqft/year, against AED 18 to 30/sqft/year in Dubai. That gap isn't trivial. It shows up directly in net income, especially on smaller units where charges weigh proportionally heavier. Another line to budget for in both cases: rental vacancy, observed between 45 and 60 days per year across Sharjah. It mechanically shaves 1 to 1.5 points off gross yield if left out of the calculation. | Project | Gross | Charges | Vacancy | Target Net | |---|---|---|---|---| | Aljada (studio/1BR) | 6.5-8% | AED 12-18/sqft | 45-60 days | 5-6.5% | | Maryam Island | 6-7.5% | AED 12-18/sqft | 45-60 days | 4.5-5.5% | | Dubai JVC/Marina (benchmark) | 6-8% | AED 18-30/sqft | 30-45 days | 4.5-6% | ### Why Aljada Widens the Net Yield Gap The mechanism is simple: at equal charges, a lower entry price mechanically produces a higher net yield on the same absolute rent. Aljada prices 30 to 40% below Dubai for comparable unit sizes, while Maryam Island approaches JVC levels. The Sharjah/Dubai charges differential amplifies the gap rather than closing it. This is exactly the gross/charges/vacancy trade-off we systematically model with our [net yield calculator](/en/calculateur) before any purchase recommendation. ## 2026-2027 Delivery Gap: What It Means for Cash Flow Aljada delivers in phased tranches through 2027. Part of the portfolio is already completed and rented out. That changes everything for an investor who wants immediate income, not a promise of income. Buying an already-delivered phase at Aljada lets you collect rent from the first quarter of ownership. Buying a 2027-delivery tranche instead means carrying 12 to 18 months of dry holding costs, with no rent, while payment plan installments keep coming due. Maryam Island works differently. Deliveries concentrate on three towers: Pearl, Sapphire, and Aquamarine. No existing rental stock to buy on the short-term secondary market. Income starts at handover, full stop. No shortcut available. The phased payment plan (often 60/40 or 70/30 post-handover) cushions this holding period, but doesn't eliminate it. The classic mistake is calculating IRR from the signing date. It should be recalculated from the first actual rent date. Twelve months of carrying costs with no income, on a AED 1.5M ticket, weighs heavily on a 5-year IRR, even with a higher net yield afterward. The practical trade-off we often frame with clients: mix one delivered unit for immediate cash flow with one off-plan tranche to capture handover appreciation. This timing logic also applies to other masterplans under development, as detailed in our analysis of [Jumeirah Emirates Towers](/en/blog/jumeirah-emirates-towers-contrarian-office-investment-2026). To quantify this gap precisely against your own investment horizon, the [net yield calculator](/en/calculateur) factors in the first-rent date, not just the purchase price. ## How Should You Choose Based on Your Investor Profile? The rule is simple: entry ticket and exit objective determine the choice, not aesthetic preference. **Yield-focused, smaller ticket.** A studio or 1-bedroom in a delivered phase at Aljada targets a net yield of 5 to 6.5%. This is the pure investor profile: rent and cash flow first, resale second. **Wealth preservation, local resale.** Maryam Island targets a buyer aiming for an affluent Emirati or Gulf clientele, sensitive to sea views. A net yield around 5% is acceptable in exchange for better exit liquidity on this specific segment. **First UAE purchase.** Coming from France, Belgium, Canada, or Israel, starting with Aljada limits exposure. The lower entry ticket buys time to learn the market before committing a larger budget. **Portfolio already exposed to Dubai.** Sharjah then plays a geographic diversification role, not a core allocation. The liquidity ratio remains sharply unfavorable to Sharjah against Dubai. Against your own rent and vacancy assumptions, [the Level8 net yield calculator](/en/calculateur) lets you settle objectively between the two scenarios. ### The Shared Limit of Both Projects Both Aljada and Maryam Island remain limited-liquidity markets compared to Dubai. Neither suits an investor who prioritizes resale speed above all. On this specific criterion, Dubai keeps a structural edge, with annual volume nearly 19 times higher than Sharjah's. ## 2026 Verdict: Aljada Wins, But Dubai Remains the Foundation On measurable criteria, Aljada clearly beats Maryam Island. Price per sqm runs **35 to 45% lower**, net yield exceeds it by **100 to 150 basis points**, and already-delivered phases generate immediate rental income rather than a promise. Maryam Island keeps one honest advantage: waterfront remains rare in Sharjah. This positioning appeals to a resident clientele willing to pay a premium to live on the water, with smoother local resale than elsewhere in the emirate. But neither project changes the tax equation: Sharjah, like Dubai, applies **0% tax** on rents and capital gains across the entire emirate. The real differential doesn't play out on taxation. It plays out on liquidity, and that tilts massively toward Dubai. Dubai Land Department recorded roughly **AED 760 billion** in transactions in 2025, against roughly **AED 40 billion** in Sharjah — a liquidity ratio of **1 to 19**. This ratio dictates allocation sequencing. A portfolio should be built on Dubai first, off-plan at developer price through [our projects](/en/projets), to capture market depth and the fastest exit on resale. Aljada can then be added as a satellite position, at a smaller ticket, for the higher net yield it delivers on comparable unit sizes. For an investor already holding property in Sharjah, facing a thin secondary market, an exit shouldn't depend on a hypothetical buyer. A firm offer within 48 hours ([sell in 48h](/en/vendre-48h)) lets you exit without waiting, off-market, with no agency fees. **Aljada beats Maryam Island on the numbers. Dubai beats both on liquidity.** ## Further Reading Three related reads from the Level8 journal: - [Bugatti Residences Dubai: The Real Investment Case for 2026](/en/blog/bugatti-residences-dubai-investor-file-2026) — Bugatti Residences Dubai decoded for investors: price per sqm, payment plan, rental yield, and comparison with Armani, Cavalli, and Mercedes-Benz Places. - [Al Reem Island: 49% of Abu Dhabi's Off-Plan Sales This Summer](/en/blog/al-reem-island-49-percent-abu-dhabi-off-plan-sales) — Yes, Al Reem Island dominates Abu Dhabi's off-plan market: 1,291 of the 2,658 off-plan apartment sales in summer 2026, or 49%. Sold floor area quadrupled in two years, according to MERED. - [Dubai Jumeirah Park: How to Buy a Villa in 2026](/en/blog/dubai-jumeirah-park-buying-a-villa-2026) — A step-by-step guide to buying a villa in Dubai Jumeirah Park in 2026: DLD process, escrow, ancillary costs, 3-4BR yields, and off-plan vs resale trade-offs. ## FAQ ### What's the minimum budget to invest in Aljada or Maryam Island in 2026? At Aljada, a studio starts around AED 450,000, roughly AED 8,500 to 11,000/sqm. At Maryam Island, the entry ticket is higher, between AED 12,000 and 15,000/sqm, pushing the minimum budget above AED 600,000 for an equivalent unit size. ### What net rental yield should you expect from Aljada and Maryam Island? Aljada shows a net yield of 5 to 6.5% after charges, vacancy, and management, against 4.5 to 5.5% at Maryam Island. The gap comes mainly from service charges, lighter at Aljada, and a lower entry price per sqm. ### How does freehold status apply to Aljada and Maryam Island? Both masterplans sit among the zones designated by the 2022 emiri decree opening freehold ownership to foreigners in Sharjah. Title is transferable, assignable without a local sponsor, and mortgageable through local banks, with no legal difference between the two projects. ### When will off-plan units at Aljada and Maryam Island be delivered? Aljada phases deliveries through 2027, with the Naseej and Nest phases already occupied, spreading out construction risk. Maryam Island concentrates Pearl, Sapphire, and Aquamarine into a tighter timeline, with delay risk more concentrated within the same window. ### Why is Maryam Island more expensive than Aljada despite a lower yield? Maryam Island charges a waterfront premium tied to the scarcity of freehold sea frontage in Sharjah, not a geographic discount. Its price per sqm aligns with secondary Dubai zones like JVC or Town Square, while Aljada retains a genuine 30 to 40% discount below Dubai for comparable residential product. ### Should you prefer Sharjah over Dubai for a rental investment in 2026? No: DLD volumes in Dubai remain roughly 19 times higher than Sharjah's, guaranteeing far deeper resale liquidity. Aljada and Maryam Island can complement an allocation, but they don't replace a core Dubai exposure, where net yields typically reach 5 to 8% with zero tax on rental income or capital gains. ## Sources The figures and rules quoted in this article come from the following sources : - [Arada Developments](https://www.arada.com) - [Eagle Hills / DLD 2026](https://dubailand.gov.ae) --- ## Données factuelles citables - **Le masterplan Aljada représente 24 milliards AED investis sur 2,2 millions de m², avec 25 000 logements et des livraisons échelonnées jusqu'en 2027.** — Source : Arada Developments (https://www.arada.com) Ancrage : https://withlevel8.com/en/blog/invest-sharjah-2026-aljada-maryam-island-freehold#claim-aljada-arada-investment-2026 - **Les prix moyens à Aljada s'établissent entre 8 500 et 11 000 AED/m² en 2026, soit 30 à 40 % sous les équivalents dubaïotes pour des gabarits comparables.** — Source : Arada / REIDIN 2026 Ancrage : https://withlevel8.com/en/blog/invest-sharjah-2026-aljada-maryam-island-freehold#claim-aljada-price-sqm-2026 - **Maryam Island se négocie entre 12 000 et 15 000 AED/m² en 2026, une fourchette proche de JVC (13 200 AED/m²) et Town Square (12 400 AED/m²) à Dubaï.** — Source : Eagle Hills / DLD 2026 (https://dubailand.gov.ae) Ancrage : https://withlevel8.com/en/blog/invest-sharjah-2026-aljada-maryam-island-freehold#claim-maryam-island-price-sqm-2026 - **Les charges de service à Sharjah se situent entre 12 et 18 AED/sqft/an, contre 18 à 30 AED/sqft/an à Dubaï.** — Source : Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department, 2026 Ancrage : https://withlevel8.com/en/blog/invest-sharjah-2026-aljada-maryam-island-freehold#claim-sharjah-service-charges-2026 - **Le Dubai Land Department a enregistré environ 760 Md AED de transactions en 2025, contre environ 40 Md AED à Sharjah — un ratio de liquidité de 1 à 19.** — Source : Dubai Land Department, 2025 (https://dubailand.gov.ae) Ancrage : https://withlevel8.com/en/blog/invest-sharjah-2026-aljada-maryam-island-freehold#claim-liquidity-ratio-dubai-sharjah-2025 --- ## FAQ — questions / réponses extraites ### What's the minimum budget to invest in Aljada or Maryam Island in 2026? At Aljada, a studio starts around AED 450,000, roughly AED 8,500 to 11,000/sqm. At Maryam Island, the entry ticket is higher, between AED 12,000 and 15,000/sqm, pushing the minimum budget above AED 600,000 for an equivalent unit size. ### What net rental yield should you expect from Aljada and Maryam Island? Aljada shows a net yield of 5 to 6.5% after charges, vacancy, and management, against 4.5 to 5.5% at Maryam Island. The gap comes mainly from service charges, lighter at Aljada, and a lower entry price per sqm. ### How does freehold status apply to Aljada and Maryam Island? Both masterplans sit among the zones designated by the 2022 emiri decree opening freehold ownership to foreigners in Sharjah. Title is transferable, assignable without a local sponsor, and mortgageable through local banks, with no legal difference between the two projects. ### When will off-plan units at Aljada and Maryam Island be delivered? Aljada phases deliveries through 2027, with the Naseej and Nest phases already occupied, spreading out construction risk. Maryam Island concentrates Pearl, Sapphire, and Aquamarine into a tighter timeline, with delay risk more concentrated within the same window. ### Why is Maryam Island more expensive than Aljada despite a lower yield? Maryam Island charges a waterfront premium tied to the scarcity of freehold sea frontage in Sharjah, not a geographic discount. Its price per sqm aligns with secondary Dubai zones like JVC or Town Square, while Aljada retains a genuine 30 to 40% discount below Dubai for comparable residential product. ### Should you prefer Sharjah over Dubai for a rental investment in 2026? No: DLD volumes in Dubai remain roughly 19 times higher than Sharjah's, guaranteeing far deeper resale liquidity. Aljada and Maryam Island can complement an allocation, but they don't replace a core Dubai exposure, where net yields typically reach 5 to 8% with zero tax on rental income or capital gains. --- ## Lectures complémentaires - [The Yards, City of Arabia Dubai: What's Being Built in 2026](https://withlevel8.com/en/blog/the-yards-city-of-arabia-dubai-2026-guide) — What's being built around The Yards at City of Arabia in 2026: neighbouring developers, transport, price per sqm and projected yields for investors. - [Bugatti Residences Dubai: The Real Investment Case in 2026](https://withlevel8.com/en/blog/bugatti-residences-dubai-investor-file-2026) — Bugatti Residences Dubai unpacked for investors: price per sqm, 70/30 payment plan, rental yield and comparison with Armani, Cavalli and Mercedes-Benz Places. - [Al Reem Island: 49% of Abu Dhabi's Off-Plan Sales This Summer](https://withlevel8.com/en/blog/al-reem-island-49-percent-abu-dhabi-off-plan-sales) — Al Reem Island dominates Abu Dhabi off-plan: 1,291 of 2,658 apartment sales in summer 2026, or 49%. Sold area quadrupled in two years, per MERED. - [Dubai Jumeirah Park: How to Buy a Villa in 2026](https://withlevel8.com/en/blog/dubai-jumeirah-park-buying-a-villa-2026) — Step-by-step guide to buying a villa at Dubai Jumeirah Park in 2026: DLD process, escrow, transaction costs, 3–4BR yields, and off-plan vs resale comparison. - [Sei Saadiyat Abu Dhabi: Aldar Launches 16 September 2026](https://withlevel8.com/en/blog/sei-saadiyat-abu-dhabi-aldar-launch-september-16-2026) — Aldar opens sales for Sei Saadiyat on 16 September 2026: 265 double-height lofts in Phase 1, full freehold for foreigners in Abu Dhabi's Cultural District. --- ## À propos de l'auteur **David Bendayan** — Senior Advisor · Dubaï David accompagne les investisseurs francophones et internationaux chez Level8 sur l'immobilier à Dubaï — sélection de programmes, off-plan, plans de paiement et coordination de l'achat jusqu'à la livraison. Liens publics : https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-bendayan --- _Document généré par Level8 Property Advisory · https://withlevel8.com · boutique d'advisory immobilier à Dubaï._ _Contact : WhatsApp +33 6 77 91 90 17 · hello@withlevel8.com_