Latest Property Market: Prices in Dubai & Ras Al Khaimah

Dubai's demand comes from people moving in, while Ras Al Khaimah's comes from a growing tourism and resort pipeline. Dubai is adding more than 800 residents a day, but prices have eased after several years of strong gains. Ras Al Khaimah is still growing, though at a slower pace than in 2025.

Headline Indicators

Source: Residential price index data for Dubai (August and Q3 2026) and Ras Al Khaimah (Q2 2026), and Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment figures for September 2026. Verify building-level prices on DLD or RAK Municipality records before making an offer.

Dubai Prices After the Correction

Dubai villas recorded a 1.7% annual decline in August 2026, their first yearly fall since 2021. In Q3 2026, most villa and apartment communities showed little or no price change from the previous quarter. For buyers, this gives more room to negotiate than during the rapid growth years.

Dubai Housing Supply

About 20,000 homes were completed in Dubai in H1 2026, roughly 15% of the preliminary target for the full year. Construction delays and cost pressures are slowing handovers, so new supply is reaching the market more gradually than headline pipeline figures suggest. Buyers of off-plan units should allow for possible handover delays when planning their finances.

Ras Al Khaimah Growth Slows

Ras Al Khaimah prices were up 13.8% year on year in Q2 2025. A year later, annual growth had slowed to its weakest pace in 2 years. Apartments still lead, with Al Marjan Island apartments averaging AED 1,160 per sq ft, up 9.4% year on year. Freehold villas carry an average asking price of AED 872 per sq ft, with values up 4.6%.

Dubai Islands carries a much higher price per sq ft than Al Marjan Island, while Al Marjan offers a lower entry point linked to the Wynn opening. The 2 figures below are measured differently, so treat the gap as a guide to scale and check each building's own registered sales.

Waterfront Data Side by Side

Source: Analysis of DLD transaction records for Dubai Islands, Ras Al Khaimah price index data for Q2 2026, and published masterplan figures. Verify the exact building's transaction history before relying on area figures.

Buy in Dubai If

You want a large resale market, a deep tenant pool and the option to exit without a long wait. Check how your chosen building has traded since prices began easing in 2026 before you agree on a price.

Buy in Ras Al Khaimah If

You can hold through the Wynn opening and beyond, accept a smaller resale market, and want a lower ticket size. Walk away if your plan depends only on the resort lifting prices before you sell.

Dubai landlords benefit directly from population growth, since new residents usually rent before they buy. Dubai sellers, however, face a market where annual prices have dipped, so pricing against recent DLD transactions is essential.

Ras Al Khaimah Transaction Breakdown

Source: RAK Municipality, Lands and Properties Sector, January to June 2026. Verify recent sales in your own building through RAK Municipality before listing a property.

What This Means for Ras Al Khaimah Sellers

With 1,274 sales in 6 months, Ras Al Khaimah is a far smaller market than Dubai. Large new launches can draw buyers away from resale stock, so sellers should price realistically and allow more time to sell. Landlords earn an average gross yield of 5.3%, with demand closely tied to the emirate's tourism growth.

Short-Term Rentals on Al Marjan Island

Short-term rental rights carry extra weight in Ras Al Khaimah because tourism drives much of the demand. The developer of the new Vienna House Residences on Al Marjan Island says it will be the only development on the island to offer short-term rentals. Confirm short-term rental permission in writing before you plan for holiday home income.

For overseas buyers, including NRIs, the choice comes down to holding period and budget. Both emirates allow foreign ownership in designated freehold areas, and property worth AED 2 million or more qualifies for the UAE Golden Visa in either emirate.

Freehold Areas in Ras Al Khaimah

Freehold ownership for foreign buyers applies only within designated areas, including established communities such as Al Hamra and Mina Al Arab. Confirm with RAK Municipality that your exact plot falls within a freehold area before signing. This is non-negotiable due diligence.

Paying From Abroad

Overseas buyers sending funds from India or elsewhere should confirm the escrow account details with the developer before any international transfer and keep every payment receipt. Do not accept verbal confirmation of account details from an agent; ask the developer to confirm them in writing.

Each emirate runs its own land registry, fee scale and off-plan law, and the new launches do not change any of them. Dubai purchases register with the Dubai Land Department, while Ras Al Khaimah purchases register with the Lands and Properties Sector of RAK Municipality.

Rules and Costs Compared

Source: DLD fee schedule and RAK Municipality service rules, October 2026. Confirm current fees with the relevant registry before budgeting.

Escrow Protection in Both Emirates

Dubai off-plan payments go into a project escrow account registered with DLD. Ras Al Khaimah's Decree No. 12 of 2023 sets the conditions for opening and using escrow accounts and requires development unit transactions to be recorded in the Initial Register. In both emirates, pay only into the project escrow account and never into a personal or brokerage account.

The 2 headline launches both use a Wyndham hospitality brand. On Dubai Islands, Grovy Developers has launched its first branded project, Ramada Residences by Wyndham, with USquare Luxe Properties. On Al Marjan Island, Sugee Group and Wyndham have announced the world's first Vienna House Residences by Wyndham, with Marjan Development as the island's master developer.

Ramada Residences and Vienna House Residences Compared

Source: Developer statements published in October 2026. Verify project registration, escrow account and handover date with DLD or RAK Municipality before reserving a unit.

What the Developers Say

Abhishek Jalan, CEO of Grovy Developers, said the company chose Dubai Islands for its first branded project and wanted to be part of the area's growth at the right stage. Sheikh Saqr bin Omar Al Qasimi, CEO of Marjan Development, said the project supports the island's plan to attract strong partners and new concepts to Ras Al Khaimah.

Latest Projects on Dubai Islands

Beyond the 2 branded launches, Dubai Islands now has a wide spread of new projects, from apartments to villa plots. Construction is also moving on Bay Grove Residences by Nakheel, where a contract worth more than AED 800 million was awarded in September 2026 for 537 homes across Phases 1 and 3.

For villa buyers, the new gated community Bay Estate by Nakheel offers about 360 villas and townhouses across the Cala, Verda and Agora districts, along with beachfront and waterfront plots and a yacht marina. Buyers looking for a waterfront plot can register interest in Nakheel Elite Island, a collection of waterfront estate lots on Island E, where final pricing will be confirmed at launch.

Apartment buyers can consider Wynwood by Imtiaz, which offers 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedroom apartments and duplexes by Imtiaz Developments, with handover scheduled for Q3 2027 and a 20/40/40 payment plan. On Island B, Ellington Properties is developing Meriva Signature by Ellington as part of The Meriva Collection, a limited set of 3 and 5 bedroom beachfront residences with private pools and direct shoreline access.

Source: Developer announcements and project details, August to October 2026. Verify each project's registration, escrow account and handover date on DLD records before reserving a unit.

Recent Projects on Al Marjan Island

Al Marjan Island has also drawn a run of hotel-branded launches as the resort's opening approaches. BNW Developments announced the world's first Dolce Residences by Wyndham on the island in August 2026, which means Al Marjan now has 2 Wyndham residential brands, alongside Vienna House.

Ellington Properties has 2 projects on the island. Its beachfront project Ellington Playa del Sol, next to the Wynn resort, offers studios, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments, 3 bedroom duplexes, 4 bedroom penthouses and a 4 bedroom villa, with handover scheduled for Q4 2027 and access to a private yacht jetty. The larger Ellington Costa Mare brings about 900 residences across 4 towers, with handover scheduled for Q3 2028 and a 20/50/30 payment plan.

Buyers who prefer an established Dubai developer can also look at DAMAC Elite Beachside, a beachfront project by DAMAC Properties on Al Marjan Island with completion expected in Q1 2028 and a 20/40/40 payment plan.

Source: Developer announcements and project details, 2024 to 2026. Verify each project's registration and escrow account with RAK Municipality before reserving a unit.

Our Advisory View on Branded Residences

A hotel brand adds service standards, but it does not guarantee a return. Before reserving a branded unit, ask who manages the rental pool, what the management fee is, and whether any projected return is written into the contract. Read this before you sign: request the rental management agreement and compare its terms with the brochure.

Use these steps to choose the right emirate and protect your purchase.

1. Set your holding period first: a shorter hold generally suits Dubai's resale market, while a longer hold suits Ras Al Khaimah's resort-led growth.

2. Compare the price per sq ft of your exact building with its recent registered sales.

3. Confirm the unit lies within a designated freehold area, especially in Ras Al Khaimah.

4. Check project registration and escrow details with DLD or RAK Municipality.

5. Budget the full registration fee and fixed charges for the emirate you choose.

6. For branded units, read the rental management agreement and fee schedule before reserving.

7. Get short-term rental permission in writing if your plan relies on holiday home income.

This article uses residential price index data for Dubai (August and Q3 2026) and Ras Al Khaimah (Q2 2026), Dubai housing supply data for H1 2026, Dubai population statistics for September 2026, RAK Municipality transaction data for H1 2026, analysis of DLD transaction records for Dubai Islands, DLD and RAK Municipality fee rules, and developer and contractor announcements and project details published between 2024 and October 2026.

Before any financial commitment, verify prices, project registration and escrow details through DLD for Dubai or RAK Municipality for Ras Al Khaimah, and confirm fees with the registry handling your purchase.

Supply pipeline figures and handover dates are forecasts and can change. Market figures reflect the latest data available at the time of publication.