# Dubai and Abu Dhabi off-plan market in October 2026
The latest developer catalogue shows two markets at different scales. Dubai offers a much deeper pool of listed off-plan homes, while Abu Dhabi has fewer available listings and a higher median asking price. The figures below are a snapshot of advertised developer stock, alongside registered transactions where available; they are not forecasts or like-for-like valuations.
Dubai: broad choice across a large pipeline
On 23 October 2026, the catalogue showed 35,661 off-plan units across 976 projects and 287 developers in Dubai. The median asking price for listed homes was AED 2,070 per square foot, based on 33,868 priced residential listings, and the median asking ticket was AED 1.86 million. These home figures exclude offices and retail units.
Supply is spread across both established and emerging districts. Dubai South had 4,747 listed units across 38 projects. Jumeirah Village Circle had 2,261 units across 94 projects, while Dubai Islands had 1,693 units across 78 projects. Their different price points and project counts show why a citywide median should be treated as an overview: a buyer still needs to compare the same property type, size, view, handover date and payment schedule.
As a cross-check, listed apartment asking prices in Dubai South had a median of AED 1,997 per square foot on 23 October, compared with a median AED 1,676 per square foot across developer registrations there from October 2025 to September 2026. In Jumeirah Village Circle, the corresponding medians were AED 1,751 and AED 1,573. Asking stock and completed registrations are different samples, so these gaps do not measure appreciation.
Abu Dhabi: smaller catalogue, higher citywide median
The same 23 October snapshot recorded 2,347 off-plan units across 81 projects and 30 developers in Abu Dhabi. The median asking price for listed homes was AED 2,314 per square foot, based on 2,288 priced homes, and the median asking ticket was AED 3.33 million.
Reem Island held the largest listed pool, with 805 units across 21 projects and a median ask of AED 2,165 per square foot. Al Rahah had 567 units across six projects and a median ask of AED 2,686 per square foot. Yas Island showed 100 units across eight projects at AED 2,418 per square foot. These are catalogue asking figures, not a ranking of value or quality.
What registered activity adds
From November 2025 through 21 October 2026, ADREC project records showed 940 off-plan registrations for Yas Riva Residences, 836 for Wadeem plots, 673 for Yas Park Place and 662 for Yas Living. Wadeem is a land-plot project, so its count should not be compared directly with apartment or townhouse sales. Registration counts show recorded activity; they are not reservations, remaining availability or a measure of future delivery.
How to read the comparison
Dubai’s larger catalogue gives buyers more choice across price bands, but it also makes project and unit-level due diligence essential. Abu Dhabi’s smaller snapshot concentrates listed homes in a handful of locations, with Reem Island and Al Rahah accounting for much of the visible stock. In either emirate, check the project’s registration, construction progress, escrow arrangements, contract terms, handover assumptions and the exact unit’s price before comparing offers. Browse our current off-plan listings for available projects.
Sources and reporting dates
Developer-listed units and asking prices are from the MarketPulse Off-Plan units catalogue, snapshot dated 23 October 2026. Dubai registrations are from Dubai Land Department transaction records for October 2025 to September 2026; Abu Dhabi project registrations are from ADREC records for November 2025 to 21 October 2026. Data is current to the source cut-offs shown and can change as registers and developer availability update. MarketPulse market dashboard.
