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.
35%
Citywide off-plan premium
off-plan vs ready, AED/sqm
33%
Per-area median gap
across 61 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 35%. 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 13% to 69%. 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 | 1049% | 29,196 AED/sqm | 2,541 AED/sqm | 596 |
| Jumeirah Second | 334% | 74,725 AED/sqm | 17,222 AED/sqm | 115 |
| Trade Center Second | 255% | 51,250 AED/sqm | 14,441 AED/sqm | 369 |
| Al Safouh First | 189% | 41,674 AED/sqm | 14,403 AED/sqm | 370 |
| Al Safouh Second | 181% | 33,778 AED/sqm | 12,042 AED/sqm | 416 |
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 2026-07-27. It covers sales only (not rentals) and is market reference, not valuation or investment advice.