Dubai real estate market: January 2026 figures
The Dubai real estate market experienced another month of strong growth in January 2026. As you will discover in this article, the market grew across all sectors, once again silencing critics and pessimists. Discover detailed figures on the Dubai real estate market, as well as analysis from Dubai Immo.
Dubai: sales up sharply
In total, no fewer than 17,457 sales were recorded by the Dubai Land Department during January 2026. This represents an increase of 22.7% compared to January 2025.
In terms of sales volume, the astronomical figure of 72.5 billion dirhams, or more than 16 billion euros, was achieved. This represents an increase of 62.3% compared to January 2025. Impressive.
The price per sqft is rising sharply
With an average price of AED 1,800 per sq ft, the market has experienced one of the strongest growth rates in its history. This represents a 15.6% increase over one year. In euros, the price per m2/sq ft has not changed significantly due to the favorable exchange rate, but at parity, the increase is spectacular.
Rents continue to rise
The average price of an apartment for rent in Dubai is AED 72,000, an increase of 2.9%. This slowdown in growth can be explained by the large number of apartments delivered at the end of 2025 and a slower increase in rents due to the new indexation system put in place by the authorities.
The average price of a villa for rent is AED 185,000, up 5.7% compared to January 2025.
Slight decline in off-plan sales
For the first time in a long time, the percentage of sales on the secondary market has increased. The breakdown is now as follows: 31% of sales on the secondary market and 69% of sales off-plan.
This can be explained by the fact that more and more residents are eligible for mortgages. Sales on credit have logically increased by 5%, representing nearly 25% of total transactions.
Record sales in January 2026 in Dubai
The most expensive villa was sold for 96 million dirhams in Dubai Hills.
The most expensive apartment was sold in the Aman residence on Jumeirah Peninsula.
Conclusion
The Dubai real estate market is doing very well at the start of 2026. All the figures are positive, and demand shows no sign of slowing down. On the contrary, it is accelerating in all sectors of the market.
As for our agency, we completed more than 120 transactions in January, worth several hundred million dirhams.
Demand comes from all over the world, not just Europe and Asia. More and more investors are coming from the Americas, both North and South America. Demand from Africa is also growing rapidly.
The Dubai authorities have also introduced a very attractive system, and the maturity of the market is attracting more and more institutional investors, who are beginning to invest heavily in Dubai.
If you are considering investing in Dubai in 2026, or selling a property, please do not hesitate to contact our teams.
Guillaume Giroux, Dubai Immo founder and real estate expert, Dubai, UAE
As founder of the Dubai Immo Group and a real estate investor, I bring you daily updates on the Dubai market. My aim is to provide you with all the keys you need to invest wisely and securely, by sharing my in-depth analysis and strategic advice.
