The sum, one-bed apartments, 2026 so far, median resale price and median new lease
- Dubai Marina: AED 1.45 million, rent AED 85,000, about 5.9%
- Downtown: AED 2.1 million, rent AED 110,000, about 5.2%
- Business Bay: AED 1.5 million, rent AED 87,000, about 5.8%
Our read
On rent, the three are within a point of each other. What differs is how the price moves. This year the Marina's price per square foot is 11% below 2025, Downtown's 8% and Business Bay's 5%. Downtown carries the address and the view of the Burj Khalifa, and it is the strongest of the three for holiday lets, above all at New Year. Business Bay sits next to Downtown and DIFC, and has about 7,400 homes handing over by December.
So the choice is less about the rent and more about where you expect the price to go, and how long you will hold.
Want better numbers, in these areas or others? Let us know.
Source: Dubai Land Department transaction and rent data, 2026 so far. Yields are our own, from median prices and median new leases.