Apartment rents in some of Dubai's busiest rental communities are 10% to 13% lower than a year ago, according to Savills' report on the third quarter of 2026. The consultancy describes the market as "rebalancing rather than reversing", with early signs that prices and rents are steadying.
01Rents by community
| Apartments | Rent against Q3 2025 |
|---|---|
| Dubai Marina | down 12.8% |
| Business Bay | down 12.2% |
| Jumeirah Village Circle | down 10.4% |
| Al Furjan | down 7.5% |
| DIFC | down 7.3% |
| Majan | down 5.1% |
| Discovery Gardens | down 4.3% |
| International City Phase 2 and 3 | down 0.4% |
Year-on-year change in apartment rents, Q3 2026, as reported from Savills' quarterly report. The report gives changes by community, not a single figure for Dubai.
Among villas and townhouses, rents were 15% lower in Arabian Ranches 3 and 13.4% lower in DAMAC Lagoons.
The largest falls are in central and established communities. The smallest are in lower-priced areas: International City was almost unchanged.
02A busier rental market
- 181,900 rental transactions in the quarter, up 16% on the second quarter and level with a year ago.
- New leases were 44% of them, up from 36%. More tenants are moving, not only renewing.
03Sales, prices and supply
| Dubai residential, Q3 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Sales | 34,500, down 4% on Q2 |
| Value | AED 70.8bn (off-plan AED 45.7bn, ready AED 25.1bn) |
| Average apartment price | AED 1,817 per sq ft, down 4.8% on Q2 |
| Average villa and townhouse price | AED 1,523 per sq ft, down 3.3% on Q2 |
| New launches | about 5,000 homes in the quarter |
As reported from Savills' Q3 2026 report. Our own count of the quarter is in the Q3 analysis linked below.
Developers have slowed down. About 50,000 homes were launched in the first nine months, roughly 64% fewer than in the same period of 2025.
On completions, Savills expects 75,000 to 85,000 homes to be handed over in 2026, with the rest moving into 2027. More than 525,000 homes are scheduled for 2027 to 2030.
04What it means if you are buying
Work out the yield on today's rent. If you are buying to let, use current rents for the area, not last year's. Our guide to the best areas in Dubai for rental yield shows how to do the sum.
Lower-priced areas have held up best. Rents in International City and Discovery Gardens fell least. Starting prices by area are in the cheapest off-plan apartments in Dubai.
Handover year matters. A home completing in 2027 or 2028 will be let in a market with more new homes. See what is due on our 2027 and 2028 handover pages.
Compare the terms as well as the price. Current plans and incentives are on our offers and payment plans pages.
For the sales figures in full, see Dubai off-plan sales, Q3 2026, and for the supply outlook, S&P Global on Dubai's housing stock.
SourcesWhere this story comes from.
Sources
- Khaleej Times: Rents in Dubai fall over 12%: Dubai Marina, Business Bay and JVC lead, 13 October 2026
Corrections
- No corrections to this story. If something has changed or is wrong, tell us and we will correct it and log the change here.
13 Oct 2026, 21:08 GST · Reported by OffPlan Insider Newsdesk, checked against the developer's own material before publication.
