The off-plan premium in Dubai is smaller than the citywide number suggests
Why the headline off-plan premium is a mix effect, and what the per-area median actually shows.
31%
Citywide off-plan premium
off-plan vs ready, AED/sqm
33%
Per-area median gap
across 61 areas, both sides sampled
7
Areas where off-plan is cheaper
gap runs negative
The gap between off-plan and ready median AED/sqm across Dubai is 31%. That figure gets quoted often, but it does not measure what it appears to: the difference between buying the same property off-plan or ready.
Calculating each of the 61 areas that have enough sampled sales on both sides, then taking the median, gives 33%, with a quartile range of 17% to 66%. The two figures now sit close together, which was not true of earlier windows: the mix effect has narrowed as off-plan launches spread beyond the newest communities. The difference comes from what is being sold rather than from a premium: off-plan launches cluster in newer, higher-priced communities, while ready sales spread across existing stock of every kind. The two sides are not selling the same thing.
Where the gap runs widest
| Area | Off-plan vs ready | Off-plan median | Ready median | Sampled sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saih Shuaib 1 | 890% | 28,612 AED/sqm | 2,889 AED/sqm | 498 |
| Al Rowaiyah First | 472% | 28,790 AED/sqm | 5,034 AED/sqm | 196 |
| Trade Center Second | 239% | 51,374 AED/sqm | 15,136 AED/sqm | 323 |
| Al Safouh Second | 183% | 34,069 AED/sqm | 12,042 AED/sqm | 394 |
| Jumeirah Second | 164% | 78,658 AED/sqm | 29,843 AED/sqm | 136 |
7 areas where off-plan is cheaper than ready
Off-plan median AED/sqm sits below ready stock in Al Merkadh, Al Yufrah 1, Um Suqaim Third, Trade Center First, Wadi Al Safa 7, Bukadra, Zaabeel First. That runs against the common claim that off-plan always costs more, and the reason is again structural: ready stock in these areas includes property types that carry a higher price per square metre.
How to use these numbers
- 01Do not quote the citywide figure for a specific area. It answers a different question than the one you are asking.
- 02Open the area's own off-plan comparison page and check the sample size on both sides before trusting the percentage.
- 03Once the area-level gap looks real, compare within the same unit type too. Location mix is only half the story.
A single citywide percentage cannot answer whether to buy off-plan or ready. Comparing inside one area removes the location mix, but it does not remove the unit-type mix, so check the comparison within the same property type before drawing a conclusion. The full breakdown for each area sits on its own off-plan comparison page.
Data comes from Dubai Land Department historical sales records through 2026-10-06. It covers sales only (not rentals) and is market reference, not valuation or investment advice.