The short answer
An area's median price per sqft is only useful if the sales behind it come from many buildings. In several of Dubai's busiest areas they don't. Over the last 90 days, more than half of the registered sales in those areas came from one development, so the "area price" you see quoted is really that one project's price.
That isn't good or bad. It just means you should compare the specific building, not the area, before you buy or sell there.
Why this happens
Off-plan made up 64% of Dubai sales over the last 90 days. When a large off-plan project launches, hundreds of its units can be registered in a few weeks. In a newer or smaller area, that one launch can outweigh everything else that sold there.
Busy flat areas where one development is most of the sales
All figures are Dubai Land Department registered sales over the last 90 days. Area names are DLD's official names, which often differ from the names in adverts.
| DLD area | Flat deals, 90 days | Median AED per sqft | More than half from one development? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madinat Al Mataar (Dubai South) | 3,012 | 1,732 | Yes |
| Majan | 1,058 | 1,416 | Yes |
| Al Hebiah Fifth | 625 | 1,735 | Yes |
| Al Khairan First | 551 | 2,584 | Yes |
| Al Hebiah First | 533 | 1,690 | Yes |
| International City Phase 1 | 354 | 681 | Yes |
For comparison, the median for all Dubai flats was AED 1,684 per sqft.
Busy flat areas where the median is a fair benchmark
In these areas no single development made up more than half of the sales, so the median reflects many buildings.
| Area | Flat deals, 90 days | Median AED per sqft |
|---|---|---|
| Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC) | 2,216 | 1,413 |
| Dubailand Residence Complex | 1,001 | 1,391 |
| Business Bay | 935 | 2,066 |
| Arjan | 657 | 1,523 |
The clearest example: International City
International City Phase 1 flats sold at a median of AED 681 per sqft, and one development made up most of those sales. Phases 2 and 3 sold at a median of AED 1,216 per sqft, spread across many buildings. Same district name, very different numbers. If you only read "International City" on a price chart, you could be badly off in either direction.
Villas: the same pattern
| DLD area | Villa deals, 90 days | Median AED per sqft | More than half from one development? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai Investment Park First | 347 | 1,196 | Yes |
| Madinat Al Mataar (Dubai South) | 211 | 1,369 | Yes |
| Al Rowaiyah First | 192 | 2,692 | Yes |
| Al Hebiah Sixth | 119 | 1,792 | Yes |
| Al Yufrah 1 | 173 | 1,509 | No |
| Wadi Al Safa 5 | 136 | 1,470 | No |
The citywide villa median was AED 1,594 per sqft.
How to read a dominated area
- Check the note first. Our Dubai price per sqft by area page flags areas where one development makes up most of the sales.
- Compare the building, not the area. Each building with recent sales has its own sold-prices page on binayah.ae, listing registered sales and monthly price per sqft.
- For off-plan, compare like with like. Put a launch price next to ready resale flats nearby and next to the wider city median, not just the area figure, which may be the same launch.
- Ask for the exact unit. A starting price is for the cheapest unit. Ask for the price per sqft of the unit you would actually buy.
My view: dominated areas can still be good buys. But I'd never use their area median as proof that a price is fair. In an area like JVC, where sales are spread across many buildings, the median is a much more honest yardstick.
If you're looking at Dubai South
Binayah markets several projects in Dubai South, including Vista Ridge and Windsor House by Ellington, so we are not neutral here. The point above applies to them too: Madinat Al Mataar's flat median is mostly one development, so ask for each project's own price per sqft and compare it with the city median. For the bigger picture, read the Dubai South investor guide.
If you're selling in one of these areas
Your real comparables are the sales in your own building or project, not the area. Look up your building's sold-prices page; it ends with a free request for an agent's valuation.
Next step
Tell us the area and budget you're considering in the form below, and a Binayah agent will send you the recent sales for the specific buildings, not just the area average.