What is a good rental yield in Dubai?

Gross yields on Dubai residential property generally sit between 5% and 8%, depending on community, home type and whether the home is let long term or short term. Lower purchase prices in outer communities usually produce the higher gross figures; prime central districts produce lower yields and more of the return is expected from capital growth. A gross yield is not a return: service charges, management and vacancy typically take 1 to 2 percentage points off it.

How do you calculate rental yield?

Gross yield is annual rent divided by the purchase price, expressed as a percentage. A home bought for AED 1,500,000 and let for AED 100,000 a year has a gross yield of 6.7%. Net yield subtracts service charges, agency and management fees, maintenance, vacancy periods and any mortgage cost from the rent before dividing.

Are service charges deducted from these yields?

No. Every range on this page is a gross figure. Emaar service charges vary by community and building and are quoted per sq ft per year, so the deduction depends on the specific unit. Ask for the service charge on the exact unit you are considering before you rely on a net number.

Can I rent out an off-plan Emaar home before handover?

No. A home can only be let once it has been handed over and the title is registered, so an off-plan purchase produces no rent until its handover date. That is why handover year matters as much as yield when you compare projects.

Is rental income in Dubai taxed?

The UAE levies no personal income tax on rental income. Owners who are tax resident elsewhere are generally still taxable on that income in their home country, and the treatment depends on local rules and any double taxation treaty. Take advice in your own jurisdiction.

Emaar Dubai

Emaar rental yields in Dubai, by community

Gross rental yield is annual rent divided by the purchase price. It is the quickest way to compare one Emaar community against another, and the easiest number to get wrong: a gross figure ignores service charges, management, maintenance and empty months, which together usually take 1 to 2 percentage points off it.

The ranges below describe gross yields observed in the open market for comparable homes in each community. They are ranges on purpose. We do not publish a single number, a forecast or a projected return, because rents and prices move and the right figure depends on the exact unit, floor, view and lease type.

An advisor sends the current rent comparables and the service charge for the unit you are considering, so you can see the net figure rather than the gross one.

Indicative gross yield ranges

Community	Gross yield	Prices from	Typical stock	What moves it
Emaar South	6.5% to 8%	AED 2.02M	Apartments and townhouses	Lowest entry prices in the Emaar portfolio and steady tenant demand from Al Maktoum airport and Expo City employment, which is what lifts the gross figure.
Expo Living	6.5% to 8%	AED 1.60M	Apartments	Low purchase prices against workforce rental demand around Expo City. Newer district, so rental evidence is still thin.
Dubai Creek Harbour	6% to 7.5%	AED 1.79M	Apartments	Large supply pipeline keeps entry prices moderate while waterfront and skyline views support rents. Handover volume can soften rents in the year units complete.
Emaar Beachfront	6% to 7.5%	AED 5.04M	Apartments	Short-let and holiday demand can push the gross figure higher than long-let, but management costs and vacancy are also higher.
Dubai Marina	5.5% to 7%	AED 4.58M	Apartments	Deep, established tenant market and fast re-letting. Older stock carries higher service charges, which hits net yield.
The Valley	5.5% to 7%	AED 7.28M	Townhouses and villas	Family tenants on longer leases, so low vacancy, but villa rents move more slowly than apartment rents.
Business Bay	5.5% to 7%	AED 2.82M	Apartments	Central location with year-round corporate tenant demand; heavy supply keeps rent growth in check.
Rashid Yachts & Marina	5.5% to 7%	AED 2.11M	Apartments	New marina district; rental evidence is limited until the first phases hand over, so treat the range as provisional.
Downtown Dubai	5% to 6.5%	On request	Apartments and penthouses	Highest rents per sq ft in the portfolio, but purchase prices rose faster than rents, which compresses the yield. Strong capital appreciation record instead.
Dubai Hills Estate	5% to 6.5%	AED 1.65M	Apartments, townhouses and villas	Schools, the mall and the golf course keep occupancy very high; premium pricing on villas caps the gross figure.
Arabian Ranches III	5% to 6.5%	On request	Villas and townhouses	Established villa rental market with long tenancies and low turnover.
The Oasis by Emaar	4% to 5.5%	AED 16.50M	Villas and mansions	Luxury villa rents are lumpy and tenant pools are small. Buyers here are typically pursuing capital growth and end use, not yield.
Grand Polo Club & Resort	4% to 5.5%	On request	Villas	Equestrian-led luxury community. Pre-handover, so no rental track record yet; the range reflects comparable prime villa districts.

These are indicative gross yield ranges for comparable homes in the open market, not forecasts, projections or guarantees. Gross yield is annual rent divided by purchase price; it does not deduct service charges, agency or management fees, maintenance, vacancy or DLD costs, which together typically take 1 to 2 percentage points off the gross figure. Rents and prices move. Confirm any figure against current listings and your own numbers before you buy.

Gross yield and net yield

The gross calculation

Annual rent divided by purchase price. A home at AED 1,500,000 let for AED 100,000 a year is a 6.7% gross yield. Nothing is deducted.

What comes off it

Service charges quoted per sq ft per year, agency letting fee, management fee if you are not local, maintenance, and the empty weeks between tenants. Budget 1 to 2 percentage points in total, more on older or highly amenitised buildings.

Off-plan timing

An off-plan home earns nothing until handover. Compare the handover year alongside the yield, and check the payment plan so you know what is due before any rent starts.

Rental yield questions

What is a good rental yield in Dubai?: Gross yields on Dubai residential property generally sit between 5% and 8%, depending on community, home type and whether the home is let long term or short term. Lower purchase prices in outer communities usually produce the higher gross figures; prime central districts produce lower yields and more of the return is expected from capital growth. A gross yield is not a return: service charges, management and vacancy typically take 1 to 2 percentage points off it.
How do you calculate rental yield?: Gross yield is annual rent divided by the purchase price, expressed as a percentage. A home bought for AED 1,500,000 and let for AED 100,000 a year has a gross yield of 6.7%. Net yield subtracts service charges, agency and management fees, maintenance, vacancy periods and any mortgage cost from the rent before dividing.
Are service charges deducted from these yields?: No. Every range on this page is a gross figure. Emaar service charges vary by community and building and are quoted per sq ft per year, so the deduction depends on the specific unit. Ask for the service charge on the exact unit you are considering before you rely on a net number.
Can I rent out an off-plan Emaar home before handover?: No. A home can only be let once it has been handed over and the title is registered, so an off-plan purchase produces no rent until its handover date. That is why handover year matters as much as yield when you compare projects.
Is rental income in Dubai taxed?: The UAE levies no personal income tax on rental income. Owners who are tax resident elsewhere are generally still taxable on that income in their home country, and the treatment depends on local rules and any double taxation treaty. Take advice in your own jurisdiction.