Downtown Dubai Apartments 2026 Q1 Resale Report
(1st January - 31st March 2026)
AED 2,766
Average price per sq. ft
Compared to Q1 2025
447 transactions
AED 1.586B total resale value
Apartments in Downtown Dubai Q1 2026 Resale Report
Executive Summary
Two-bedroom units led resale activity in Downtown Dubai during Q1 2026 with 206 transactions, a drop of 33.0% year-over-year, and an average transaction price of AED 3,908,708. One-bedroom apartments recorded 166 transactions in Downtown Dubai in Q1 2026, down 41.0% year-over-year, with an average price of AED 2,211,926. Studio units in Downtown Dubai totaled 26 resale transactions in Q1 2026, falling 38.0% year-over-year, at an average price of AED 1,335,561, while three-bedroom apartments saw 45 transactions, down 62.0% year-over-year, averaging AED 6,511,067.
Ready properties accounted for 82.1% of all apartment transactions in Downtown Dubai in Q1 2026, while off-plan completions represented 17.9% of the transaction mix. The off-plan primary market in Downtown Dubai recorded 116 transactions in Q1 2026 with a total value of AED 1,037,500,086.
Key Facts
- In Q1 2026, the average resale price per square foot for apartments in Downtown Dubai was AED 2,766, down 0.6% year-over-year.
- Downtown Dubai recorded 447 resale apartment transactions in Q1 2026, a decline of 41.2% compared to the same quarter in 2025.
- The total value of resale apartment transactions in Downtown Dubai reached AED 1,585,596,136 in Q1 2026, down 46.6% year-over-year.
- Ready properties accounted for 82.1% of resale transactions in Downtown Dubai during Q1 2026, while off-plan completions represented 17.9%.
- Two-bedroom apartments led resale activity in Downtown Dubai with 206 transactions in Q1 2026, averaging AED 3,908,708 per unit, down 33.0% in transaction count year-over-year.
- One-bedroom apartments recorded 166 resale transactions in Downtown Dubai during Q1 2026 at an average price of AED 2,211,926, reflecting a 41.0% decline in transaction volume year-over-year.
- Three-bedroom apartment resales in Downtown Dubai totaled 45 transactions in Q1 2026 with an average price of AED 6,511,067, down 62.0% in transaction count compared to Q1 2025.
Key Performance Indicators
Key Performance Indicators
Resale - Q1 2026
Rental - Q1 2026
Source: Property Monitor, Metropolitan Premium Properties Analysis
Price Trend
Price Trend - Downtown Dubai Apartments
Average Price per Sq. Ft - Downtown Dubai Apartments
| Period | Average Price per Sq. Ft (AED) |
|---|---|
| Q1 2025 | 2,783 |
| Q2 2025 | 2,727 |
| Q3 2025 | 2,733 |
| Q4 2025 | 2,801 |
| Q1 2026 | 2,766 |
Source: Property Monitor, Metropolitan Premium Properties Analysis
How did Downtown Dubai Apartments transactions split between off-plan and ready in Q1 2026?
In Q1 2026, ready apartments dominated transaction activity in Downtown Dubai, accounting for 82.1% of all deals while off-plan units represented 17.9% of transactions. By value, ready properties captured an even larger share at 82.8% of total AED volume compared to 17.2% for off-plan units. The marginal difference between transaction-count distribution and value distribution indicates that ready and off-plan apartments traded at broadly similar average price points during the quarter.
Which Apartments bedroom configurations recorded the highest resale activity in Downtown Dubai during Q1 2026?
In Q1 2026, Downtown Dubai apartment transactions were dominated by 2-bedroom units, which recorded 206 sales at an average price of AED 3,908,708, followed by 1-bedroom units with 166 transactions at AED 2,211,926. Studio apartments registered 26 transactions at an average price of AED 1,335,561, while 3-bedroom units saw 45 sales at AED 6,511,067, reflecting a 62.0% year-on-year decline in transaction count. Across reportable segments, average prices ranged from AED 1,335,561 for studios to AED 6,511,067 for 3-bedroom units in Downtown Dubai during the quarter.
Performance by Bedroom Type
Price Insights by Bedroom
| Bedrooms | Avg Price | Price YoY | Transactions | Trans. YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | AED 1,335,561 | -2.1% | 26 | -38% |
| 1 B/R | AED 2,211,926 | +3.4% | 166 | -41% |
| 2 B/R | AED 3,908,708 | +2.6% | 206 | -33% |
| 3 B/R | AED 6,511,067 | -9.8% | 45 | -62% |
| 4 B/R | AED 20,750,000 | -10.5% | 2 | -83% |
| 5 B/R | AED 20,000,000 | -4.4% | 1 | 0% |
| 6 B/R | AED 24,000,000 | N/A | 1 | N/A |
Transaction Distribution by Bedroom
Transaction Volume by Bedroom Type - Q1 2026
| Bedroom Type | Transactions |
|---|---|
| Studio Bed | 26 |
| 1 B/R Bed | 166 |
| 2 B/R Bed | 206 |
| 3 B/R Bed | 45 |
| 4 B/R Bed | 2 |
| 5 B/R Bed | 1 |
| 6 B/R Bed | 1 |
Source: Property Monitor, Metropolitan Premium Properties Analysis
How did off-plan primary-market sales of Apartments in Downtown Dubai perform in Q1 2026?
In Q1 2026, Downtown Dubai apartments recorded 116 off-plan transactions totaling AED 1,037,500,086, representing a 27.5% year-over-year decline in transaction count alongside a 7.4% increase in total value. The off-plan primary market accounted for approximately one-fifth of total transaction volume in the community during the quarter, with resale activity comprising 447 transactions valued at AED 1,585,596,136. The divergence between declining transaction counts and rising off-plan values in Downtown Dubai suggests a shift toward higher-value unit sales in the primary market during the period.
Rental Summary
Rental Contract Distribution - Q1 2026
Contract Types
Rental Insights by Bedroom
| Bedrooms | Avg Rent | Price YoY | Transactions | Trans. YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | AED 84,578 | +5.9% | 129 | -4% |
| 1 B/R | AED 125,125 | +4.5% | 901 | -6% |
| 2 B/R | AED 198,222 | +2.4% | 747 | -19% |
| 3 B/R | AED 300,744 | +2.2% | 200 | -17% |
| 4 B/R | AED 1,778,266 | +110.4% | 20 | +43% |
| 5 B/R | AED 1,750,000 | +272.2% | 2 | 0% |
Source: Property Monitor, Metropolitan Premium Properties Analysis
Dubai Apartments Market Context -- Q1 2026
Dubai recorded 147,091 rental transactions and 44,267 sale transactions in Q1 2026, establishing a rental-to-sales volume ratio of approximately 3.3 to 1. Of all sale transactions across Dubai during the quarter, 71.9% were initial sales and 28.1% were resale transactions, reflecting continued dominance of off-plan and first-time handovers in the market. Rental contract activity split into 33.6% new contracts and 66.4% renewals, indicating that roughly two-thirds of tenants in Dubai remained in their existing units during Q1 2026. These Dubai-wide figures provide the market context against which Downtown Dubai apartment-specific trends can be evaluated.
Dubai Overall Market Context
Dubai Apartments Market Totals - Q1 2026
| Category | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Initial Sale | 71.9% |
| Resale | 28.1% |
| Category | Percentage |
|---|---|
| New | 33.6% |
| Renewal | 66.4% |
Source: Property Monitor, Metropolitan Premium Properties Analysis
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the average price per square foot for resale apartments in Downtown Dubai in Q1 2026?
How many resale apartment transactions occurred in Downtown Dubai in Q1 2026?
What was the total transaction value for resale apartments in Downtown Dubai in Q1 2026?
What was the average price of a two-bedroom resale apartment in Downtown Dubai in Q1 2026?
What was the average price of a one-bedroom resale apartment in Downtown Dubai in Q1 2026?
What share of Downtown Dubai apartment transactions in Q1 2026 were for ready properties?
What was the average price of a three-bedroom resale apartment in Downtown Dubai in Q1 2026?
Methodology
This analysis of Downtown Dubai apartment resale activity in Q1 2026 draws on transaction records from Property Monitor, which aggregates Dubai Land Department registration data covering the period from 1 January through 31 March 2026. Year-on-year comparisons reference the corresponding quarter in 2025, with percentage changes calculated on a like-for-like basis using the same data source and geographic boundaries. The reported average price per square foot of AED 2,766 reflects a 0.6 percent decline compared to Q1 2025, while transaction count fell 41.2 percent to 447 resale registrations totaling AED 1.59 billion in value. Readers should note that registration lag between sale agreement and formal recording at the Land Department may cause recent transactions to appear in subsequent reporting periods, potentially understating activity in the final weeks of the quarter.
Glossary
- PSF
- Price per square foot. A standardized metric dividing a property's total sale price by its area in square feet, used to compare unit values across different sizes and locations in Dubai.
- Off-plan
- A property sold by a developer before construction is complete, typically purchased through a payment plan during the development phase.
- Secondary market
- The resale market where existing properties change hands between private parties rather than being purchased directly from developers.
- Ready property
- A completed, habitable property available for immediate occupancy, as opposed to an off-plan unit still under construction.
- Resale
- A transaction where a property is sold by an individual owner to another buyer, regardless of whether the property was originally purchased off-plan or as a completed unit.
- AED/sqft
- Price denominated in United Arab Emirates Dirhams per square foot, the standard unit for expressing property prices in Dubai's real estate market.
- Downtown Dubai
- A freehold master-planned community developed by Emaar Properties, centered around Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall, featuring residential apartments, hotels, and commercial space.
- Resale Off-Plan Origin
- A transaction classification for properties originally purchased off-plan from developers but subsequently resold by the initial buyer before or after completion.
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