# Dubai real estate market in October 2026
Dubai’s latest complete monthly data offers a useful starting point for an October market update. September recorded 10,636 property sales worth AED 24.0 billion. Transaction activity eased from August, while registered residential rental contracts increased. The figures below use each register’s stated reporting window and cut-off date.
Sales activity cooled from August
Dubai recorded 10,636 sales in September, down 7.6% from 11,507 in August. Their combined registered value was AED 24.0 billion, 3.0% lower month over month. Compared with September 2025, sales were down 45.4% and total value was down 47.7%.
These are counts of direct sales registrations and include both off-plan and resale transactions. The combined count is useful for measuring activity, but the two price series should be read separately.
Resale and off-plan prices moved in parallel
The median resale price was AED 1,485.8 per square foot across 3,808 transactions. The median off-plan price was AED 1,679.9 per square foot across 6,761 transactions. Both medians were 1.6% below August.
A monthly median can move when the mix of homes sold changes, as well as when prices change. It is a market indicator rather than a like-for-like measure of appreciation. Community results also varied: Dubai Hills Estate’s median reached AED 2,365.5 per square foot, up 7.1% from August across 143 sales; Business Bay’s median was AED 1,792, down 6.8% across 232 sales.
Rental registrations picked up
Ejari recorded 71,548 residential tenancy contracts in September, up 25.2% from August and 25.0% year over year. The median annual rent was AED 68,000, unchanged month over month and 1.2% higher than a year earlier. Median rent was AED 77.4 per square foot per year, up 2.9% year over year.
The combination of more registered contracts and a steady median annual rent points to a busier rental month without a material shift in the overall midpoint. Apartment and villa rents differ, so a citywide median should not be treated as a quote for a specific home.
What to watch through October
The September data suggests a more measured sales month alongside stronger rental registration activity. Buyers and investors can compare property type, location and transaction sequence before drawing conclusions from citywide averages. Sellers and landlords should use recent evidence from the same community and home type when setting expectations.
For current market tools and Dubai property listings, compare like with like and check the latest register updates. October remains in progress; this report uses September, the latest complete month in the available monthly summary.
Data and attribution
Source: Dubai Land Department Transactions (sales and price medians; September 1–30, cut off October 22, 2026), DLD Procedures (property-type deed counts; September 1–30, cut off October 21, 2026), and Ejari Contracts (residential rentals; September 2026, cut off October 20, 2026), presented through MarketPulse. Sales are direct registrations; mortgage registrations and gifts are excluded. All prices are reported by transaction sequence and are not blended.
