UAE rental yields in 2026: the published figures, and the rules around them.
// Short answer
Global Property Guide puts the UAE's average gross rental yield at 4.94% in Q2 2026, with Dubai at 5.53% and Abu Dhabi at 5.76%. Those are gross figures from asking prices and asking rents, not what an owner keeps, and not a Brinkman Data calculation. Inside Dubai, the spread by area and unit size is wide.
Rules and rates as of September 2026, for Dubai unless another emirate is named. Freehold areas are extended by amendment and fees are set by each emirate, so check the dated items again before you sign. Every figure links to its source.
On this page
What is the average rental yield in the UAE?
Global Property Guide puts the UAE's average gross rental yield at 4.94% for Q2 2026, down from 5.45% in Q4 2025. Gross here means median asking rent times 12, divided by median asking price, using Propertyfinder data. The same source says net is typically 1.5 to 2 points lower.
These are that source's figures, from a page last updated in May 2026. A gross yield is rent before any cost.
What are rental yields in Dubai and Abu Dhabi?
Per Global Property Guide's Q2 2026 data, the average gross yield on apartments is 5.53% in Dubai and 5.76% in Abu Dhabi. Sharjah shows 5.72%, Ajman 4.95% and Ras Al Khaimah 3.09%. All are gross figures from asking prices and asking rents.
| City (Global Property Guide, Q2 2026) | Average gross yield, apartments |
|---|---|
| UAE average | 4.94% |
| Dubai | 5.53% |
| Abu Dhabi | 5.76% |
| Sharjah | 5.72% |
| Ajman | 4.95% |
| Ras Al Khaimah | 3.09% |
Why does a Dubai-wide yield average mislead?
Because unit size and area move the figure more than the city does. In the same Global Property Guide data, Dubai studios show 7.80% gross and three-bedrooms 4.48%. On Palm Jumeirah, a studio shows 8.16% and a three-bedroom 2.87%.
| Area and unit (Global Property Guide, Q2 2026) | Gross yield |
|---|---|
| Dubai-wide, studio | 7.80% |
| Dubai-wide, 1-bedroom | 6.03% |
| Dubai-wide, 2-bedroom | 5.58% |
| Dubai-wide, 3-bedroom | 4.48% |
| JVC, 1-bedroom | 6.86% |
| Dubai Marina, 1-bedroom | 6.12% |
| Downtown, 1-bedroom | 5.72% |
| Palm Jumeirah, studio | 8.16% |
| Palm Jumeirah, 3-bedroom | 2.87% |
| Al Furjan, studio | 8.23% |
| Abu Dhabi, Al Reem, 1-bedroom | 6.20% |
| Abu Dhabi, Yas Island, 1-bedroom | 6.24% |
The question that matters is never the city. It is the building, the unit size and the rent it can actually get.
What comes off a gross rental yield in Dubai?
Building service charges, which RERA approves per project and the DLD publishes in its Service Charge Index. The 5% housing fee on annual rent falls on the tenant, but on the owner in any period the home is owner-occupied or vacant. There is no UAE income tax on a long let.
- Service charges: search the project in the DLD Service Charge Index before you buy.
- Housing fee: 5% of annual rent, via the DEWA bill; for an owner-occupied or vacant home, on the RERA rental-index value.
- Ejari: registered by the tenant, about AED 177.75 online.
- Tax: none in the UAE on an Ejari long let; your home country may tax it. Detail: UAE property tax for foreigners.
Sources
How much can a Dubai landlord raise the rent?
It depends on how far the current rent sits below the RERA index average for similar units. Under Decree No. 43 of 2013: up to 10% below, no increase; 11% to 20% below, 5%; 21% to 30% below, 10%; 31% to 40% below, 15%; more than 40% below, 20%.
Either party must give at least 90 days' notice before the lease expires to change terms or not renew. The DLD Rental Index tool calculates the permitted increase from the contract details. A secondary source reports that since January 2025 the index rates buildings from 1 to 5 stars, with the 0% to 20% bands unchanged.
Sources
Can a foreign owner run a holiday home in Dubai?
Yes, with a Department of Economy and Tourism permit for each unit before it is listed. The host collects a Tourism Dirham of AED 10 (Standard) or AED 15 (Deluxe) per occupied bedroom per night and files by the 15th of each month. A building NOC may be required.
These details come from a commercial source; the DET site could not be read for this article, and published permit fees were not verified. Holiday-home income under a DET permit also counts as licensed business income for Corporate Tax, unlike an Ejari long let.
Sources
// Buying in United Arab Emirates?
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See the $499 report, page by pageFrequently Asked Questions
What is a good rental yield in Dubai?
Do studios yield more than larger units in Dubai?
Who pays the 5% housing fee in Dubai?
Is the maximum rent increase in Dubai 20%?
Header photo: Makalu, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. All credits: image credits.