Dubai Rental Yields by Area 2026 — Which Zones Deliver the Best ROI?
With Dubai property prices at all-time highs, many investors are asking the same question: where does the rental income actually justify the purchase price? We crunched 4.1 million Ejari rental contracts and 1.66 million DLD sales transactions to give you real yield figures — not estimates, not marketing materials.
What Is Gross Rental Yield?
Gross rental yield = Annual rent ÷ Purchase price × 100
For example: A flat in International City that rents for AED 45,000/year and sells for AED 600,000 yields 7.5%.
We use median rents and prices (not averages) to avoid distortion from outliers. Yields are type-matched — apartment rents versus apartment sale prices within the same community.
Top Areas by Gross Rental Yield (2025–2026 Data)
| Area | Median Rent (AED/yr) | Median Sale PSF | Gross Yield |
|---|---|---|---|
| International City | 45,000 | 654 | 8.5% |
| Majan | 58,000 | 936 | 7.2% |
| Discovery Gardens | 52,000 | 988 | 7.2% |
| Motor City | 65,000 | 1,084 | 7.1% |
| Jumeirah Village Circle | 72,000 | 1,195 | 7.0% |
| Dubai Silicon Oasis | 55,000 | 946 | 6.8% |
| Remraam | 48,000 | 893 | 6.6% |
| Town Square | 68,000 | 1,245 | 6.4% |
| DAMAC Hills 2 | 71,000 | 1,320 | 6.3% |
| Liwan | 58,000 | 1,109 | 6.1% |
Source: DLD Ejari contracts + sales transactions, 2025–2026. Minimum 50 transactions per area.
High-Yield vs High-Value: The Trade-Off
Budget Zones: 7–8.5% Yield
International City remains the undisputed yield champion at 8.5% gross. Studio and 1-bedroom flats average AED 550,000–700,000 to buy and rent for AED 40,000–50,000/year. High occupancy rates and limited new supply keep rents sticky.
Majan and Discovery Gardens deliver 7.2% — solid mid-market options with strong renter demand from JLT and Media City employees.
Mid-Market Sweet Spot: 6.5–7%
JVC is the volume leader (18,782 transactions in 2025) and consistently delivers 7.0% gross yields. The sheer liquidity makes it easy to enter and exit, a key advantage for investors.
Motor City and Silicon Oasis attract long-term tenants (tech workers, families) with lower turnover costs — boosting effective yields net of vacancy.
Premium Areas: 5–6% Yield
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Areas like Dubai Hills Estate, Dubai Creek Harbour, and Business Bay deliver 5–6% gross — lower yield, but capital appreciation upside is stronger. These areas saw 15–25% price growth in 2024–2025.
Off-Plan vs Ready: Which Yields More?
Ready properties yield more today. Off-plan properties are bought at 1,820 AED/sqft median versus ready at 1,430 AED/sqft — a 27% premium. Since rents are set by the market (not the developer), off-plan investors accept a lower yield in exchange for:
Explore the off-plan market to compare developer launch prices versus secondary market rates.
How to Read This Data
The Rentals dashboard lets you filter by area, bedroom count, and property type. The Area pages show yield estimates alongside transaction history, price trends, and investment scores.
What's Driving Dubai Rents in 2026?
Net Yield Calculation
Gross yields look great. Here's what to subtract for net yield:
For a 7% gross yield property, expect 4.5–5.5% net after expenses. Still competitive versus global gateway cities where 3–4% net is considered good.
Data source: Dubai Land Department via Dubai Pulse Open Data. Analysis covers 4.1M Ejari rental contracts and 1.66M sales transactions. [Full methodology](/methodology).
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