Dubai apartments for sale: what €200k to €1M buys in 2026

As of October 2026, about €200,000 buys an entry-level new apartment in one of Dubai's outer master communities, €500,000 to €600,000 buys a one or two-bedroom in a central tower, and €900,000 to €1M buys a branded apartment on the water in Business Bay or Dubai Harbour. On top of the price, budget for the 4% Dubai Land Department fee and a few smaller charges.

Foreigners can buy outright in Dubai's freehold areas, with no residency needed. The harder questions are which budget band suits your goal, whether to buy off-plan or ready, and how much of the advertised yield survives service charges and tax at home. This guide works through each in euros.

How much is an apartment in Dubai in 2026

Prices are quoted per square foot, and they vary hugely by district. According to Property Monitor figures based on Dubai Land Department transactions from January to early June 2026, published by Engel & Völkers, apartments sold for an average of about AED 1,969 per sq ft. That is roughly €486 per sq ft, or about €5,200 per square metre.

The spread between areas is wide. The same data puts Jumeirah Village Circle at about AED 1,510 per sq ft (around €4,000 per m²), Business Bay at about AED 2,547 (around €6,800 per m²) and Downtown Dubai at about AED 3,011 (around €8,000 per m²).

The market has also cooled. ValuStrat's index, reported by Khaleej Times, showed apartment values 5.3% lower in August 2026 than a year earlier, and citywide values about 10% below February. Cavendish Maxwell recorded the first annual fall in average prices in roughly five and a half years. For buyers this means more room to negotiate on ready stock, and less reason to rush into a launch. Our guide to Dubai property prices in 2026 tracks the numbers in more detail.

What each budget buys: apartments for sale in Dubai by price

The table below uses the starting prices of the launches we currently list. These are "from" prices for the smallest units in each release, and they move with every phase.

Today our listings come from one developer. Other developers will be added, and you should always compare a launch with resale stock in the same area before committing.

€200,000 to €400,000: the outer master communities

This is where most first-time buyers from Europe start. DAMAC Riverside in Dubai Investment Park is the lowest entry in the range we list, with instalments on Riverside Views from AED 1,800 a month (about €444) during construction. DAMAC District sits inside the 42 million sq ft DAMAC Hills community next to Trump International Golf Club, on a 60/40 plan: 20% at booking, 1% a month for 40 months, and 40% at handover.

A step up, Valencia sits in the walkable district at the heart of DAMAC Lagoons, close to DAMAC Mall, and Lagoon Views in the same community starts at AED 1,625,000 (about €401,000) with a Q2 2027 handover.

The trade-off is location. These communities are inland and car-dependent, and they will be building sites for years. Tenants tend to be families and commuters rather than holidaymakers. If you want the cheapest possible ticket, our guide to studio apartments for sale in Dubai looks at the smallest units.

€500,000 to €650,000: city addresses and the Golden Visa line

At this level you can buy in the city itself. Safa Gate is a glass tower on Sheikh Zayed Road by Safa Park, and Chelsea Residences offers sea views over Dubai Maritime City on a 1% monthly plan.

This band matters for another reason. A property worth AED 2 million or more (about €494,000) can support an application for the 10-year Golden Visa, according to the Dubai Land Department and the federal ICP Golden Residency guide. ICP says off-plan units count if bought from an approved developer. The rules and paperwork are covered in our Dubai Golden Visa through property guide.

€900,000 to €1M: branded towers on the water

The top band buys designer-branded apartments. Business Bay has two de GRISOGONO towers with Dubai Canal views, and DAMAC Bay by Cavalli is a 42-storey tower at Dubai Harbour with a private beach. All three are on 60/40 plans and complete between Q4 2027 and Q1 2028, the earliest handovers in the table above.

The name on the door adds cost and usually higher service charges. Whether the premium holds at resale is a fair question, and we weigh it in our guide to branded residences in Dubai.

Dubai Investment Park

DAMAC Riverside Views

From AED 795,000 ≈ €196k

Q1 2029

1–2 BR · From AED 1,800 a month during construction

DAMAC Hills

DAMAC District

From AED 808,000 ≈ €200k

Q3 2029

Studio – 2 BR · 60/40 with 1% monthly instalments

Al Wasl / Sheikh Zayed Road

Safa Gate

Golden Visa

From AED 2,135,000 ≈ €527k

Q4 2029

1–2 BR · Payment plan available (ask for the current release)

Dubai Harbour

DAMAC Bay by Cavalli

Golden Visa

From AED 3,939,000 ≈ €973k

Q3 2027

1–3 BR, 3–5 BR duplexes · 60/40

Off-plan or ready: which suits a European buyer

Most of the market is now off-plan. Engel & Völkers reported that off-plan sales made up about 71% of Dubai residential transactions in the first half of 2026.

Off-plan gives you a lower deposit, a payment plan spread over three or four years and a brand-new unit. Your payments go into a project escrow account regulated by the Dubai Land Department, and the developer can only draw on it as construction progresses. Our guide to buying off-plan in Dubai explains escrow and Oqood registration step by step.

The downsides are real:

• No income until handover. You pay instalments for years before you can rent.
• Delays happen. Fitch Ratings noted in 2025 that only about 56% of units scheduled for 2022 to 2024 were actually delivered in that period.
• Supply. Fitch expected a large wave of handovers around 2026 and warned of a price correction of up to 15%. New towers compete for the same tenants.
• Finance. Under Central Bank rules, banks can lend at most 50% on an off-plan property, so most buyers fund construction instalments in cash.

A ready apartment costs more upfront but earns rent immediately, and you can see the building, the view and the service charge history before you buy.

The costs on top of the price

The largest charge is the Dubai Land Department registration fee of 4% of the price. DLD's own fee schedule for off-plan sales splits it 2% buyer and 2% seller, but in a 2021 notice DLD said the buyer settles the registration fee through the developer, and in practice buyers usually pay the full 4% unless a launch offer covers it.

Service charges deserve attention. They are paid every year, approved by RERA per building, and they rise with amenities. Branded towers usually sit at the top of the range. Our full breakdown of Dubai property buying costs lists every fee, and the calculator below adds them up for any price.

Cheap apartments for sale in Dubai: where the trade-offs sit

Cheap apartments exist, but the lowest prices come with conditions. They are usually small, far from the coast and the business districts, and surrounded by new supply. That combination can squeeze rents when several towers hand over at once.

Before you buy at the bottom of the market, check three things:

1. The rent comparables. Look at what finished buildings nearby actually let for, not the developer's projection.
2. The pipeline. Count how many units are due in the same community over the next two years.
3. The exit. Ask who will buy the unit from you in five years, and at what discount to a new launch.

Rental yields and tax

Gross yields on Dubai apartments are higher than in most European capitals. Engel & Völkers put the average gross yield for apartments at about 6.9% in the first half of 2026, against 4.5% for villas. Net yield, after service charges, letting fees, maintenance and empty months, is lower. Our guide to Dubai rental yields shows how much typically survives.

The UAE does not tax an individual's rental income from property held in a personal name, under Cabinet Decision No. 49 of 2023 on corporate tax. That does not mean the income is tax-free for you. Most European countries tax residents on worldwide income, so rent and any gain on sale may be taxable at home. Read our guide to tax on Dubai property for UK and EU residents and take advice for your own situation.

When you have a budget and a shortlist in mind, you can ask for a shortlist and one RERA-licensed partner broker will contact you.