Abu Dhabi Property Market 2025/2026

Abu Dhabi Residential Real Estate Market

• Executive summary

Abu Dhabi entered 2026 with exceptionally strong residential momentum.

In 2025, the emirate recorded:

• AED 142 billion (€34.1bn) of total real-estate transactions;
• 42,814 transactions, +52% in volume and +48% in value versus 2024;
• AED 76bn (€18.2bn) of residential sales, +67%;
• AED 8.2bn (€2.0bn) of foreign direct investment;
• foreign residents and non-resident foreigners accounted for 62% of residential sales value;
• the top 10 developers represented more than 90% of primary off-plan sales. 

The acceleration continued dramatically in H1 2026:

• AED 117bn (€28.1bn) of total real-estate transactions;
• AED 86.1bn (€20.7bn) of sales transactions;
• AED 70.4bn (€16.9bn) of residential unit sales;
• total transaction value +112% YoY;
• residential sales value +178% versus H1 2025;
• foreign direct investment AED 13.8bn (€3.3bn), +309%;
• investors from 116 nationalities participated;
• foreign residents + non-resident foreigners represented 70% of residential sales value. 

So Abu Dhabi is no longer simply a relatively quiet alternative to Dubai. It has become a major international residential investment market in its own right.

2. Residential prices: 2025 → 2026

The overall Abu Dhabi residential market appreciated strongly.

Knight Frank recorded average residential values of approximately:

AED 1,230/sq ft in Q2 2025, equivalent to roughly AED 13,240/m² (€3,180/m²).

Apartment values were around:

AED 1,296/sq ft = AED 13,950/m² ≈ €3,350/m²

while villas averaged:

AED 1,103/sq ft = AED 11,875/m² ≈ €2,850/m². 

By June 2026, repeat-sale prices across Abu Dhabi had increased approximately:

• Apartments: +20% YoY
• Villas: +12% YoY. 

This is particularly important because the growth is not confined to one luxury project: it is visible across several major residential districts.

3. The islands and prime residential districts

SAADIYAT ISLAND

Abu Dhabi’s ultra-prime residential address

For more details, please contact us.