Dubai real estate: the 2026 guide
In Dubai a foreigner buys freehold, pays a 4% fee once, then no tax on rent or on the capital gain. Here is how the market works, what a purchase costs and what each budget buys.
Foreigners can buy property in Dubai freehold in designated areas, without being residents. A purchase costs a 4% registration fee to the Dubai Land Department, then there is no property tax, no tax on rent and no capital-gains tax. The median price runs from about €2,800 per m² in International City to over €9,300 on Palm Jumeirah.
- Dubai Land Department (DLD)
- Law No. 7 of 2006 — property registration
- Law No. 8 of 2007 — escrow accounts
- DLD transactions, October 2026 sample
Can a foreigner buy in Dubai?
Yes. Since 2002, foreigners buy freehold in areas opened by the government — Dubai Marina, Downtown, Palm Jumeirah, Business Bay, JVC, Dubai Hills and dozens more. The right is framed by Law No. 7 of 2006 on property registration: the title deed is issued in your name by the Dubai Land Department, as for a UAE national.
You don't need to be a resident or hold a visa to buy. Everything can be done remotely: video viewing, e-signature or power of attorney, international transfer. That is how most of our clients based in France, Belgium or Switzerland buy.
On off-plan, your money does not go straight to the developer: Law No. 8 of 2007 requires it to be paid into an escrow account supervised by RERA, released only as construction progresses. It is the off-plan buyer's main protection.
What a Dubai purchase costs
On top of the price, budget about 6 to 7% on a resale property, and just over 4% on off-plan, where there is no agency commission.
| Item | Amount | When |
|---|---|---|
| DLD registration fee | 4% of the price | Once, at transfer (or Oqood registration off-plan) |
| Registration trustee fee | AED 4,000 + VAT (property ≥ AED 500,000) | At transfer, on resale |
| Agency commission | 2% + VAT on resale; none on off-plan | At signing |
| Mortgage fees (if financed) | 0.25% of the loan + processing fees | At loan registration |
| Service charges | Often AED 10–25 per sq ft per year | Yearly, capped by the RERA index |
| Property tax, tax on rent | 0 | Never |
Indicative amounts, excluding developer-specific fees (no-objection certificate on resale). French-side taxes: Dubai property taxation.
Price per m² in the most popular areas
Median price of sales registered with the DLD, converted per m². The full ranking, from priciest to most affordable area, is on our Dubai property prices page.
| Area | Median price per m² | ≈ in euros | Range (middle 50% of sales) | Median property price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Jumeirah | AED 38,200/m² | €9,300 | 25,900 – 52,900 | AED 5.82M |
| Downtown Dubai | AED 30,600/m² | €7,400 | 24,500 – 37,900 | AED 3.1M |
| Business Bay | AED 23,900/m² | €5,800 | 18,200 – 29,000 | AED 1.7M |
| Dubai Hills Estate | AED 25,400/m² | €6,200 | 22,900 – 27,700 | AED 2.5M |
| MBR City | AED 21,600/m² | €5,200 | 19,200 – 25,000 | AED 1.51M |
| Dubai Marina | AED 23,200/m² | €5,600 | 16,900 – 29,400 | AED 2.17M |
| Arjan | AED 15,200/m² | €3,700 | 13,200 – 17,400 | AED 990k |
| Al Furjan | AED 14,300/m² | €3,500 | 12,600 – 16,000 | AED 1.42M |
| Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC) | AED 15,200/m² | €3,700 | 13,000 – 17,400 | AED 1.0M |
| Jumeirah Lake Towers (JLT) | AED 20,700/m² | €5,000 | 14,900 – 26,500 | AED 1.73M |
| International City | AED 11,500/m² | €2,800 | 9,300 – 13,200 | AED 660k |
Source: transactions registered with the Dubai Land Department, recent sample per area — latest sales recorded in October 2026. Converted at today's rate: AED 1 = €0.243.
See all 19 areas →Off-plan, ready or resale?
Off-plan
You pay as construction progresses, e.g. 50 / 50: half during construction, half on handover. No agency commission, launch prices, but no rent until handover.
Ready to move in
The property is delivered: you rent it out from transfer. Rent starts right away, and banks lend more easily on a completed unit.
Discounted resale
A seller in a hurry sells below market. These deals go fast and are negotiated in days: that is where an advisor on the ground makes the difference.
How a purchase works, step by step
Allow four to six weeks from reservation to title deed on a resale, a few days to reserve off-plan.
- 01
Frame the project
Budget, goal (rent, capital gain, residence, Golden Visa), cash or mortgage.
- 02
Pick the property
Shortlist, viewings on site or by video, checks on the developer and service charges.
- 03
Reserve
A deposit secures the unit — often 10% off-plan, or a security cheque on a resale.
- 04
Sign
Sale contract with the developer (SPA) off-plan, or the DLD standard « Form F » on a resale.
- 05
Pay
Off-plan, into escrow per the schedule; on resale, on transfer day at the trustee office.
- 06
Get the title
The DLD issues the title deed (or the Oqood off-plan) in your name. The property is yours.
Why French buyers look at Dubai
A square metre sells for around €9,500 in Paris. In Dubai Marina, the median registered sale is AED 23,200/m² (≈ €5,600) — for a new or recent flat, with pool and gym in the tower.
In Paris, rent is taxed and owners pay property tax. In Dubai there is neither: rent comes in untaxed, up to 8% gross a year in the most rented areas.
French tax details are on our taxation page, and day-to-day life on living in Dubai.
What each budget buys
| Budget | What you find | Typical areas |
|---|---|---|
| Under AED 800,000 | Studio or small 1-bed, usually a rental | International City (AED 660k (≈ €160,000)), Al Furjan, Arjan |
| AED 800,000–2M | 1–2 bed in a recent tower | JVC (AED 1.0M (≈ €243,000)), JLT, Dubai Marina |
| AED 2–5M | Large flat or townhouse — unlocks the Golden Visa | Downtown (AED 3.1M (≈ €753,000)), Dubai Hills, Business Bay |
| Over AED 5M | Villa, penthouse, beachfront | Palm Jumeirah (AED 5.82M (≈ €1,413,000)), Jumeirah, Tilal Al Ghaf |
In brackets: median price of a property sold in the area, from DLD transactions.
Frequently asked questions
A more specific question? Our team answers within an hour during the day.