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.
33%
Citywide off-plan premium
off-plan vs ready, AED/sqm
30%
Per-area median gap
across 60 areas, both sides sampled
6
Areas where off-plan is cheaper
gap runs negative
The gap between off-plan and ready median AED/sqm across Dubai is 33%. 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 60 areas that have enough sampled sales on both sides, then taking the median, gives 30%, with a quartile range of 11% to 60%. 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 | 842% | 26,876 AED/sqm | 2,852 AED/sqm | 522 |
| Trade Center Second | 241% | 51,374 AED/sqm | 15,073 AED/sqm | 323 |
| Al Safouh Second | 183% | 34,060 AED/sqm | 12,042 AED/sqm | 392 |
| Jumeirah Second | 178% | 78,658 AED/sqm | 28,340 AED/sqm | 134 |
| Al Safouh First | 163% | 40,441 AED/sqm | 15,358 AED/sqm | 384 |
6 areas where off-plan is cheaper than ready
Off-plan median AED/sqm sits below ready stock in Al Merkadh, Um Suqaim Third, Al Yufrah 1, 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 2026-08-13. It covers sales only (not rentals) and is market reference, not valuation or investment advice.