Rota Prime — Dubai Real Estate

Dubai in Numbers

Explore a City of People From Around the World Through Data

4.81million

Resident population

September 2026

≈92%

Expatriate resident share

2024 estimate · 2025 presentation

+26%

Foreign investment growth

Q1 2026, compared with the same quarter a year earlier

8%

Approximate Annual Rental Yield

Dubai · rental illustration

PEOPLE MAKING DUBAI HOME

Dubai’s population is growing.

The resident population grew by 226,885 in the first nine months of 2026. More people bring a wider range of housing and lifestyle needs.

The resident population over time

1953 – 09.2026 · million people

09.20264.81
The resident population over time1953: 0.05; 1968: 0.06; 1975: 0.18; 1980: 0.28; 1985: 0.37; 1993: 0.61; 1995: 0.69; 2000: 0.86; 2005: 1.32; 2006: 1.42; 2007: 1.53; 2008: 1.65; 2009: 1.77; 2010: 1.91; 2011: 2.00; 2012: 2.11; 2013: 2.21; 2014: 2.33; 2015: 2.45; 2016: 2.70; 2017: 2.98; 2018: 3.19; 2019: 3.36; 2020: 3.41; 2021: 3.48; 2022: 3.72; 2023: 3.97; 2024: 4.25; 2025: 4.58; 09.2026: 4.810.002.505.001953196819801995201109.2026

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Added to the population in 2026+226,885
Source: Dubai Data & Statistics · Emirates 24/7 · 28.09.2026
Data table
PeriodResident population
195350,000
196859,000
1975183,187
1980276,301
1985370,788
1993610,926
1995689,420
2000862,387
20051,321,453
20061,421,812
20071,529,792
20081,645,973
20091,770,978
20101,905,476
20112,003,170
20122,105,875
20132,213,845
20142,327,350
20152,446,675
20162,698,600
20172,976,455
20183,192,275
20193,355,900
20203,411,200
20213,478,300
20223,718,000
20233,974,300
20244,248,200
20254,580,300
09.20264,807,185

1953–2021: official historical records. 2022–2024: estimates revised through Dubai Population Now. 2025: year-end; 2026: the 28 September reading.

Source: Dubai Statistics Center · Statistical Yearbook · 1953–2021Source: Dubai Data & Statistics · Population Bulletin · 2022–2024Source: Digital Dubai · WAM · 2024–2025

A city with the world at home

Expatriate residents

UAE nationals

Making a life in Dubai means joining an international community. Dubai Residential’s investor presentation places the expatriate resident share at approximately 92%.

Source: Dubai Residential · Investor Presentation · 2024E · 08.2025

2026 · INTERNATIONAL DEMAND

International capital continues to choose Dubai.

In the first quarter of 2026, the value of foreign property investment rose 26% compared with the same quarter a year earlier.

Foreign property investment · Q1 2026

148.35 billion AED

≈ 40.4 billion USD

2025
100
2026
126

Same-quarter comparison · 2025 = 100

Year-on-year change+26%
Source: Dubai Land Department · Q1 2026 · 09.04.2026

PURCHASES CONTINUED THROUGH REGIONAL TENSIONS

81,839 residential transactions in H1 2026.

During a period of heightened regional tensions, Dubai recorded AED 225.7 billion in residential transactions. The city continued to attract international investment and home purchases.

225.7

billion AED · Residential transaction value

81,839

Residential transactions · H1 2026

Source: Reliant Surveyors · H1 2026 · H1 2026 · 06.08.2026Source: ANAROCK · Khaleej Times · H1 2026 · 19.07.2026

PROPERTY PRICES

See the bigger picture in property prices.

Explore Dubai’s residential market over the long term, with the price index from 2008 to September 2026.

Residential prices through the years

01.2008 – 09.2026 · index points

09.2026229.5
Residential prices through the years01.2008: 100.0; 02.2008: 109.2; 03.2008: 114.4; 04.2008: 114.4; 05.2008: 115.5; 06.2008: 120.4; 07.2008: 150.6; 08.2008: 159.3; 09.2008: 169.1; 10.2008: 149.6; 11.2008: 141.5; 12.2008: 121.5; 01.2009: 115.8; 02.2009: 109.6; 03.2009: 112.1; 04.2009: 109.6; 05.2009: 113.2; 06.2009: 116.0; 07.2009: 119.5; 08.2009: 119.8; 09.2009: 121.4; 10.2009: 124.4; 11.2009: 124.7; 12.2009: 123.1; 01.2010: 122.7; 02.2010: 121.5; 03.2010: 120.8; 04.2010: 123.7; 05.2010: 126.2; 06.2010: 127.7; 07.2010: 123.3; 08.2010: 122.9; 09.2010: 120.1; 10.2010: 122.2; 11.2010: 123.2; 12.2010: 126.5; 01.2011: 126.6; 02.2011: 129.2; 03.2011: 127.2; 04.2011: 128.4; 05.2011: 124.6; 06.2011: 123.5; 07.2011: 120.6; 08.2011: 119.5; 09.2011: 122.0; 10.2011: 124.7; 11.2011: 123.8; 12.2011: 126.9; 01.2012: 122.7; 02.2012: 122.1; 03.2012: 117.5; 04.2012: 118.3; 05.2012: 119.0; 06.2012: 119.3; 07.2012: 120.0; 08.2012: 120.2; 09.2012: 119.1; 10.2012: 120.6; 11.2012: 123.0; 12.2012: 125.8; 01.2013: 126.0; 02.2013: 127.5; 03.2013: 130.1; 04.2013: 133.1; 05.2013: 135.0; 06.2013: 138.1; 07.2013: 141.2; 08.2013: 142.6; 09.2013: 142.6; 10.2013: 144.9; 11.2013: 149.2; 12.2013: 153.0; 01.2014: 157.0; 02.2014: 161.5; 03.2014: 165.5; 04.2014: 168.4; 05.2014: 170.5; 06.2014: 171.2; 07.2014: 170.6; 08.2014: 170.0; 09.2014: 172.3; 10.2014: 172.1; 11.2014: 171.6; 12.2014: 170.7; 01.2015: 169.5; 02.2015: 167.8; 03.2015: 164.2; 04.2015: 165.0; 05.2015: 163.0; 06.2015: 162.9; 07.2015: 160.7; 08.2015: 161.6; 09.2015: 161.3; 10.2015: 161.5; 11.2015: 162.6; 12.2015: 164.0; 01.2016: 162.3; 02.2016: 159.0; 03.2016: 155.8; 04.2016: 156.5; 05.2016: 155.5; 06.2016: 154.8; 07.2016: 154.8; 08.2016: 155.2; 09.2016: 155.7; 10.2016: 154.7; 11.2016: 154.6; 12.2016: 155.3; 01.2017: 154.1; 02.2017: 153.7; 03.2017: 152.0; 04.2017: 152.4; 05.2017: 152.8; 06.2017: 154.5; 07.2017: 154.3; 08.2017: 153.6; 09.2017: 152.0; 10.2017: 151.5; 11.2017: 152.0; 12.2017: 152.7; 01.2018: 152.1; 02.2018: 150.6; 03.2018: 147.6; 04.2018: 146.2; 05.2018: 146.0; 06.2018: 145.7; 07.2018: 146.0; 08.2018: 145.0; 09.2018: 144.8; 10.2018: 142.5; 11.2018: 141.4; 12.2018: 140.6; 01.2019: 139.6; 02.2019: 136.6; 03.2019: 133.5; 04.2019: 131.9; 05.2019: 132.5; 06.2019: 131.2; 07.2019: 131.0; 08.2019: 128.1; 09.2019: 127.8; 10.2019: 126.6; 11.2019: 124.9; 12.2019: 121.6; 01.2020: 121.8; 02.2020: 121.1; 03.2020: 120.4; 04.2020: 121.0; 05.2020: 119.8; 06.2020: 117.4; 07.2020: 114.2; 08.2020: 112.7; 09.2020: 114.9; 10.2020: 113.8; 11.2020: 114.6; 12.2020: 116.3; 01.2021: 117.6; 02.2021: 119.8; 03.2021: 121.9; 04.2021: 125.0; 05.2021: 126.3; 06.2021: 129.0; 07.2021: 131.5; 08.2021: 133.5; 09.2021: 135.2; 10.2021: 136.5; 11.2021: 135.1; 12.2021: 136.3; 01.2022: 138.3; 02.2022: 139.8; 03.2022: 140.6; 04.2022: 141.7; 05.2022: 142.7; 06.2022: 142.3; 07.2022: 141.4; 08.2022: 143.2; 09.2022: 146.1; 10.2022: 148.7; 11.2022: 150.3; 12.2022: 152.1; 01.2023: 153.2; 02.2023: 154.1; 03.2023: 154.5; 04.2023: 157.1; 05.2023: 160.6; 06.2023: 162.9; 07.2023: 166.5; 08.2023: 169.8; 09.2023: 173.5; 10.2023: 175.5; 11.2023: 177.5; 12.2023: 178.9; 01.2024: 179.2; 02.2024: 180.7; 03.2024: 185.0; 04.2024: 188.6; 05.2024: 189.9; 06.2024: 192.7; 07.2024: 195.0; 08.2024: 199.9; 09.2024: 202.2; 10.2024: 205.6; 11.2024: 206.6; 12.2024: 208.5; 01.2025: 207.3; 02.2025: 210.2; 03.2025: 214.3; 04.2025: 218.5; 05.2025: 220.9; 06.2025: 224.7; 07.2025: 227.0; 08.2025: 232.4; 09.2025: 234.7; 10.2025: 235.0; 11.2025: 234.1; 12.2025: 233.6; 01.2026: 232.7; 02.2026: 233.7; 03.2026: 235.0; 04.2026: 233.2; 05.2026: 231.5; 06.2026: 228.9; 07.2026: 228.5; 08.2026: 227.8; 09.2026: 229.50.0150.0300.02008201120152019202209.2026

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Index change over the selected period+129.5%
Source: Property Monitor · Dynamic Price Index · 01.2008–09.2026
Yearly data table
Periodindex points
01.2008100.00
12.2008121.47
12.2009123.08
12.2010126.53
12.2011126.89
12.2012125.78
12.2013152.97
12.2014170.72
12.2015164.03
12.2016155.29
12.2017152.68
12.2018140.55
12.2019121.64
12.2020116.29
12.2021136.26
12.2022152.05
12.2023178.90
12.2024208.45
12.2025233.63
09.2026229.54

Property Monitor Dynamic Price Index · January 2008 = 100. The chart uses published monthly index readings; the table shows the starting point, year-end readings and the latest available month.

2026 · AT A GLANCE

More Numbers

New investors, growing businesses and capital flowing into property.

29,312

New property investors

Up 14% compared with the same quarter a year earlier

Q1 2026

Source: Dubai Land Department

10,018

Active companies in DIFC

Up 30% compared with the same period a year earlier

H1 2026

Source: DIFC

23.9

billion USD

Luxury property investment

87.71 billion AED · Up 26% compared with the same quarter a year earlier

Q1 2026

Source: Dubai Land Department

8.7

billion USD

Property investment by women

32 billion AED · 15,540 property investments

Q1 2026

Source: Dubai Land Department

INTERNATIONAL INTEREST IN DUBAI

Top property buyer nationalities in Dubai

British buyers lead the ranking, followed by Indians, Australians and Egyptians.

Top buyer nationalities in Betterhomes’ March–April 2026 sales · Ranked 1–4

  1. 🇬🇧#1

    United Kingdom

  2. 🇮🇳#2

    India

  3. 🇦🇺#3

    Australia

  4. 🇪🇬#4

    Egypt

Source: Betterhomes · Gulf News · 03–04.2026 · 24.06.2026

START WITH THE SAME BUDGET

Five cities. Different rental income figures.

Enter your property budget to see the approximate annual rental income the same amount could represent across five cities.

USD

≈ 918,125 AED

Change the amount to see the annual equivalent across all five cities.

Approximate annual rental income

Dubai

20,000 USD

New York

14,000 USD

Istanbul

10,000 USD

London

8,000 USD

Paris

6,250 USD

Dubai monthly equivalent 1,667 USD

Apply now

And in Dubai, you pay no personal income tax on your rental income.

Calculation details

The Rota Prime illustration uses 8% for Dubai and 4% for Istanbul. London, New York and Paris use Numbeo’s mid-2026 city-centre rent-to-price ratios. Annual rental income = property budget × annual rate.

CityAnnual rent / property priceAnnual rent
Dubai · Illustration8.0%20,000 USD
New York5.6%14,000 USD
Istanbul · Illustration4.0%10,000 USD
London3.2%8,000 USD
Paris2.5%6,250 USD
Source: Numbeo · Property Investment · 2026 Mid-YearSource: UAE Government · Taxation · 2026

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USD

≈ 918,125 AED

Changing this amount also updates the rental comparison above.

The sources behind the numbers

Each indicator carries its own data period. Explore the chart data tables and source links here.

Sources checked: 26 October 2026