Dubai rental market heads for all-time record after 214,445 contracts in 7 months

Dubai recorded 214,445 rental contracts in the first seven months of 2026, putting the market on course to set a new all-time annual record.

Dubai’s rental market is on course to set a new all-time high for registered contracts in 2026 after 214,445 agreements were recorded in the first seven months of the year.

A total of 38,197 rental contracts were registered in July alone, comprising 18,431 new agreements and 19,766 renewals, according to a market analysis from fäm Properties. The year-to-date total is 1.9 per cent higher than during the same period last year.

One-bedroom properties continue to dominate Dubai’s tenancy market, accounting for 88,327 contracts, or 41 per cent of all agreements registered to date in 2026.

Dubai recorded 214,445 rental contracts between January and July 2026.

The total represents a 1.9 per cent increase compared with the same period last year.

Dubai rent market

Last year ended with a record 377,660 registered rental contracts, with the latest figures putting 2026 on course to establish a new all-time annual high.

July contributed 38,197 contracts to the year-to-date total. Of those, 18,431 were new rental agreements and 19,766 were renewals.

“The level of rental activity overall is a good sign of market resilience,” said Firas Al Msaddi, CEO of fäm Properties. “The volume of renewals alone shows that, regardless of regional uncertainty over the last few months, people still see Dubai as one of the best places in the world to live and work.”

One-bedroom properties have accounted for the largest proportion of registered tenancy contracts so far this year. A total of 88,327 agreements were for one-bedroom units, equivalent to 41 per cent of the total.

Two-bedroom homes accounted for 49,894 contracts, or 23 per cent, while studios represented 48,186 agreements, or 22 per cent. Three-bedroom properties accounted for 21,038 contracts, representing 10 per cent, while 6,962 agreements were registered for four-bedroom homes, equivalent to 3 per cent.

Al Warsan First has recorded the highest number of rental contracts to date in 2026, with 20,830 agreements.

Jebel Ali First ranks second with 18,478, followed by Al Barsha South Fourth with 16,489.

Business Bay has registered 13,728 contracts, while Nadd Hessa has recorded 11,710. Marsa Dubai follows with 11,229 rental contracts.

Dubai’s sales market also recorded 13,872 property transactions worth AED34.5bn ($9.4bn) in July. Off-plan sales continued to dominate, with 9,585 transactions worth AED20.5bn ($5.6bn).

The resale market recorded 4,287 transactions valued at AED14bn ($3.8bn).

Based on the supplied transaction figures, off-plan properties represented approximately 69 per cent of July sales by volume.

Dubai apartment sales

Apartments accounted for the majority of transactions during July.

Dubai recorded 11,759 apartment sales worth AED17.8bn ($4.8bn).

Another 1,322 villa sales were registered with a combined value of AED7.8bn ($2.1bn).

There were 268 plot transactions worth AED6.9bn ($1.9bn), alongside 515 commercial transactions, including offices and shops, valued at AED1.9bn ($517m).

Dubai South was the emirate’s best-performing area by sales volume for the fifth consecutive month, according to data from DXBinteract.

The area recorded 2,351 transactions worth AED2.6bn ($708m). Of those, 2,231 were off-plan transactions with a combined value of AED2.3bn ($626m).

Record Dubai apartment sale

At the top of Dubai’s property market, the most expensive apartment sold during July changed hands for AED166m ($45.2m). The property was located at Aman Residences Tower 2 at Jumeirah Second.

The month’s most expensive villa was at The Oasis – Lavita, selling for AED73m ($19.9m).

Properties priced below AED1m ($272,000) accounted for the largest share of Dubai sales during the month, at 43.4 per cent.

Another 30.3 per cent of transactions were for properties priced between AED1m ($272,000) and AED2m ($545,000). Combined, the two categories represented 73.7 per cent of transactions.

The full price breakdown was:

• Below AED1m ($272,000): 43.4 per cent
• AED1m-AED2m ($272,000-$545,000): 30.3 per cent
• AED2m-AED3m ($545,000-$817,000): 11.4 per cent
• AED3m-AED5m ($817,000-$1.36m): 8.2 per cent
• More than AED5m ($1.36m): 7 per cent