Off-plan property in Dubai under AED 1 million: where, what it buys, and the trade-offs
One in three off-plan sales in 2026 was under AED 1 million. Where those sales are, what the money buys, the cash you need and the trade-offs.
Written by our team
8 min read
You can still buy an off-plan home in Dubai for under AED 1 million. In 2026 so far, one in three off-plan sales has been below that price. Most of them are studios, in newer districts away from the coast and the business centres. This guide shows where these sales happen, what the money buys, the cash you need before the keys, and the trade-offs.
This is general information, not financial advice.
How many off-plan sales are under AED 1 million
From 1 January to 19 October 2026, 28,556 of the 87,291 off-plan sales registered with the Dubai Land Department (33%) were for less than AED 1 million, by our analysis of DLD sales records.
Most of these were small apartments:
| Home | Off-plan sales under AED 1M | Median size | Median price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | 22,828 | 382 sq ft | AED 673,180 |
| 1-bed apartment | 4,262 | 699 sq ft | AED 893,806 |
| 2-bed apartment | 258 | 1,090 sq ft | AED 741,297 |
Our analysis of DLD off-plan sales under AED 1 million, 1 January to 19 October 2026. Hotel apartments, offices and villas are left out of the table.
So AED 1 million buys a studio in most of the districts below, or a smaller 1-bed in some of them. A 2-bed under AED 1 million is rare, and a villa or townhouse is very rare.
Where the sub-AED 1 million off-plan sales are
The Land Department records sales by large districts, not the names on the brochures. The table gives the district, the areas it covers, and the median off-plan sale under AED 1 million in 2026.
| Areas | Land Department district | Sales under AED 1M | Median price | Median size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai South, Emaar South, Expo City | Madinat Al Mataar | 6,695 | 655,000 | 366 sq ft |
| Dubai Land Residence Complex, Arabian Ranches 3 | Wadi Al Safa 5 | 2,724 | 725,000 | 443 sq ft |
| Majan, Al Barari | Wadi Al Safa 3 | 2,483 | 682,999 | 407 sq ft |
| Downtown Jebel Ali | Jabal Ali Industrial Second | 2,091 | 686,052 | 390 sq ft |
| Jumeirah Village Circle | Al Barsha South Fourth | 2,025 | 764,999 | 416 sq ft |
| City of Arabia, Ghaf Woods | Wadi Al Safa 4 | 1,931 | 593,000 | 342 sq ft |
| DAMAC Lagoons, Reportage Hills | Al Hebiah Fifth | 1,005 | 731,000 | 387 sq ft |
| Motor City | Al Hebiah First | 807 | 816,657 | 416 sq ft |
| Arjan | Al Barshaa South Third | 801 | 799,000 | 435 sq ft |
| Dubai Production City | Me'Aisem First | 757 | 703,000 | 434 sq ft |
| Al Furjan | Jabal Ali First | 741 | 649,900 | 387 sq ft |
| International City, Al Warsan | Warsan Fourth | 690 | 799,375 | 613 sq ft |
| Jumeirah Village Triangle | Al Barsha South Fifth | 672 | 781,546 | 392 sq ft |
| Dubai Studio City | Al Hebiah Second | 586 | 563,500 | 347 sq ft |
Our analysis of DLD off-plan sales under AED 1 million, 1 January to 19 October 2026. Prices in AED.
A district covers several areas, and the cheap sales may be in only one of them, usually the one with apartment buildings.
On our site
On our site in November 2026, 380 off-plan projects start from under AED 1 million. The areas with the most are Jumeirah Village Circle (76 projects), Dubai Land Residence Complex (41), Dubai South (21), Dubailand (18), Jumeirah Village Triangle (18), Town Square (16), Arjan (15) and Dubai Production City (14).
Some examples, spread across areas. The price is the lowest unit, usually a studio on a low floor; the plan shows booking / construction / handover.
| Project | Area | From (AED) | Plan | Handover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Binghatti Vintage by Binghatti | Majan | 580,000 | 10 / 50 / 40 | Mar 2027 |
| Azizi Lina by Azizi | Downtown Jebel Ali | 601,000 | 10 / 40 / 50 | Dec 2027 |
| Valencia by DAMAC | DAMAC Lagoons | 612,000 | 5 / 55 / 40 | Mar 2029 |
| Auresta Tower by Tiger Properties | Jumeirah Village Circle | 628,000 | 20 / 50 / 30 | Dec 2028 |
| Samana Boulevard Heights by Samana | Dubai Land Residence Complex | 693,000 | 10 / 59 / 31 | Dec 2028 |
| Astra South by Dugasta | Dubai South | 733,000 | 20 / 20 / 60 | Sep 2027 |
| Oasiz by Danube by Danube | Dubai Silicon Oasis | 739,000 | 10 / 54 / 36 | Nov 2027 |
| Haya at Town Square by Nshama | Town Square | 850,888 | 10 / 50 / 40 | Feb 2027 |
| Golf Acres by Emaar | Emaar South | 950,000 | 10 / 70 / 20 | Dec 2028 |
Prices, plans and handover dates on our site in November 2026. They change often, and the cheapest units sell first. Ask for the current price list.
To see them all, search projects and set a maximum price.
The cash you need before the keys
The price is not what you pay up front. On a AED 700,000 studio:
| 10% booking | 20% booking | |
|---|---|---|
| Booking amount | 70,000 | 140,000 |
| DLD registration fee (4%) | 28,000 | 28,000 |
| Cash at booking | about 98,000 | about 168,000 |
The DLD fee table sets the registration fee at 4% of the price, split between seller and buyer unless they agree otherwise (DLD, checked 5 November 2026). On off-plan sales the buyer usually pays all of it, and every project on our site lists it. Some developers run offers that cover part of it. Add small DLD fees and any admin fee the developer charges, and see costs on top of the price for the full list.
After booking you pay the construction instalments, then the handover payment. On a 10 / 40 / 50 plan that is AED 350,000 at the keys for a AED 700,000 home. Before completion, banks lend at most 50% of the value on an off-plan home. At handover the home is finished and the usual limits apply, on the bank's valuation: up to 80% for an expatriate's first home and 60% for an investment (Khaleej Times, citing Central Bank rules). Plan where the handover money comes from. Read off-plan payment plans, explained and, if you want to pay part after the keys, post-handover payment plans.
A home under AED 2 million does not qualify for the Golden Visa, but since April 2026 a sole owner can apply for the 2-year investor visa at any value; the DLD asks for a title deed (see the Golden Visa through property).
Running costs and rent in these districts
Service charges. In the DLD service charge index (mostly budget year 2023), the median rate is about AED 14 per sq ft in the district covering Dubai South, AED 13 in DLRC, AED 12.5 in Arjan, AED 15 in Al Furjan and Dubai Production City, and AED 12 in International City. On a 400 sq ft studio at AED 14, that is about AED 5,600 a year. New buildings can be higher; ask the developer for the expected rate and check it in the Dubai REST app after handover. More in service charges in Dubai.
Rent. These are among the highest-yielding districts in Dubai. Gross yields on ready studios, April 2025 to March 2026:
| District (areas) | Median studio rent (AED/yr) | Median ready studio price | Gross yield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madinat Al Mataar (Dubai South) | 42,000 | 467,000 | 9.0% |
| Wadi Al Safa 5 (DLRC) | 40,000 | 425,000 | 9.4% |
| Al Barsha South Fourth (JVC) | 52,000 | 613,547 | 8.5% |
| Al Barshaa South Third (Arjan) | 50,000 | 570,000 | 8.8% |
| Jabal Ali First (Al Furjan) | 48,000 | 520,000 | 9.2% |
| Me'Aisem First (Dubai Production City) | 40,000 | 410,000 | 9.8% |
Our analysis of Ejari rents and DLD ready sales, April 2025 to March 2026.
Look at the prices in that table. The median ready studio sold for AED 410,000 to about AED 614,000, while the median off-plan studio under AED 1 million sold for AED 673,180. An off-plan studio costs more than a ready one in the same district, because it is new and comes with a payment plan. If its rent is the same as an older studio nearby, your yield will be lower: AED 42,000 on a AED 655,000 studio in Dubai South is 6.4% gross, before service charges. See rental yields by area for the step from gross to net, and off-plan vs ready for the trade-off.
Trade-offs of the cheapest districts
- Distance. Dubai South, DLRC, Majan, City of Arabia and Dubai Production City are far from the main business districts. Check the drive at rush hour and whether there is a metro station. Downtown Jebel Ali, Al Furjan and Expo City have projects within a short walk of a station.
- A lot of new supply. The DLD project register on 12 June 2026 showed about 25,400 units in active projects in the district covering JVC, 13,000 in the one covering Dubai South, 10,500 in the one covering Arjan and 7,900 in the one covering DLRC. When many buildings finish in the same year, tenants have more choice and rents can fall. Cavendish Maxwell found that 21.4% of rental transactions in Q3 2026 were at a lower rent than before (Khaleej Times, 2 November 2026).
- Resale competition. When you sell, you compete with other owners of similar studios in the same area.
- Developer and delivery. Many cheap projects come from smaller developers. Check their finished projects and whether they handed over on time: read do Dubai developers hand over on time? and make sure you pay only into the project's escrow account.
- Small homes. A 380 sq ft studio suits a single tenant. If you plan to live in it later, check the layout and storage.
Sources
- Dubai Land Department, register an initial (off-plan) sale, fees, checked 5 November 2026: dubailand.gov.ae
- Khaleej Times (Cavendish Maxwell data), Q3 2026 rents, 2 November 2026: khaleejtimes.com
- Khaleej Times, Central Bank mortgage limits including off-plan: khaleejtimes.com
- Our analysis of DLD sales, 1 January to 19 October 2026; Ejari rents and DLD ready sales, April 2025 to March 2026; the DLD project register as of 12 June 2026; the DLD service charge index (mostly budget year 2023); projects published on this site, November 2026