Market Analysis · 9 min · 2026-04-19

Dubai Price per Sqft 2026: How to Check It with Official Data

A step-by-step method to find the official price per sqft for a Dubai area or building, adjust it for your unit, and test a quoted price in the simulator.

Why Price per Sqft Is a Useful Anchor

Price per square foot (AED/sqft) lets you compare Dubai properties across sizes, buildings and developers. It answers a simple question: is the quoted price in line with what similar units have actually sold for?

The most reliable reference is not a published average but the registered transactions for units like yours. Here is how to find them.

Step 1: Pull Registered Transactions

Three official sources publish Dubai sale transactions registered with the Dubai Land Department:

• Dubai REST app (DLD): transactions by area, project and building
• DLD open data: transaction search by area, property type and date
• Dubai Pulse: DLD transaction datasets you can download and filter

Step 2: Filter for Comparable Units

Keep only transactions that match your unit as closely as possible:

1. Same area, ideally the same project or building
2. Same registration type: off-plan sales and ready sales are recorded separately, keep the one that matches your purchase
3. Same property type and similar size: price per sqft often differs between small and large units
4. Recent dates: the last few months, so the reference reflects current conditions

Step 3: Work Out the Reference Price per Sqft

Divide each transaction value by its area in sqft, then take the median of the list rather than the average, so that one unusual sale does not distort the result. If the data shows the area in square metres, 1 m² equals about 10.764 sqft.

Step 4: Adjust for Your Unit

Two units in the same building can justify different prices. Note the differences before comparing:

1. Floor: higher floors are often priced differently
2. View: sea, skyline or park view versus an internal view
3. Finishes and specification: the developer's package, appliances
4. Furniture: whether it is included
5. Service charges: a higher charge per sqft reduces your net return even at the same price

Step 5: Test the Quoted Price in the Simulator

Divide the quoted price by the unit size and compare it with your reference. Then enter the quoted price and size in the OffPlanSimulator to see the cash you need and the return under three scenarios built on your inputs. Run it again at your reference price to see what the difference means for your return.

Read Next

• Dubai Areas for Off-Plan: How to Compare
• Dubai ROI Calculator Guide
• How to Choose a Dubai Developer

Calculators for this guide: Dubai property ROI calculator · Off-plan calculator Dubai

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