Dubai market evidence
Al Merkadh vs Business Bay: Which Costs More?
A side-by-side comparison of Al Merkadh and Business Bay property prices from the historical DLD transaction record, broken down by property type.
The numbers for Al Merkadh and Business Bay
| Metric | Al Merkadh | Business Bay |
|---|---|---|
| Median AED/sqm | 18,855 AED/sqm | 18,103 AED/sqm |
| Median price | AED 1.3M | AED 1.6M |
| Sampled transactions | 35,662 | 95,944 |
| P25–P75 range | 16,141 AED/sqm – 21,291 AED/sqm | 13,440 AED/sqm – 24,941 AED/sqm |
| Apartment share | 96% | 100% |
What the price gap means
Al Merkadh runs 4% above Business Bay on median AED/sqm (18,855 AED/sqm in Al Merkadh against 18,103 AED/sqm in Business Bay). That gap is widest for Apartment — Studio, where Business Bay runs 31% above Al Merkadh. The headline number is driven by that unit type rather than a uniform premium across the board.
Citywide medians mix property types unevenly, so a headline gap can reflect what is being sold rather than a like-for-like premium. The per-type table above compares only the property types with enough sampled sales in both areas.
Beyond price, Al Merkadh is anchored by Buj Khalifa Dubai Mall Metro Station metro, Dubai Mall, Downtown Dubai, while Business Bay is anchored by Buj Khalifa Dubai Mall Metro Station metro, Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa.
This is sales transaction evidence only and ends 2026-07-27. It covers sales, not rentals, and is market reference, not valuation or investment advice.
Price by property type
| Property type | Al Merkadh tx | Al Merkadh AED/sqm | Business Bay tx | Business Bay AED/sqm | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apartment — Studio | 2,352 | 18,932 AED/sqm | 3,730 | 27,593 AED/sqm | -31% |
| Apartment — 1 Bed | 2,647 | 20,721 AED/sqm | 4,888 | 24,334 AED/sqm | -15% |
| Apartment — 2 Bed | 1,314 | 20,720 AED/sqm | 2,350 | 23,358 AED/sqm | -11% |
| Apartment — 3 Bed+ | 424 | 20,334 AED/sqm | 695 | 24,173 AED/sqm | -16% |
| Land plot | 235 | 14,636 AED/sqm | 22 | 16,515 AED/sqm | -11% |
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