Price per square foot, real gross yield, full budget and new projects: what to know before buying an apartment in Dubai Marina.
On this page
- Buying in Dubai Marina: price per sq ft, yield and budget at a glance
- What appreciation to expect in Dubai Marina over 1, 3 and 5 years?
- What does buying in Dubai Marina really cost?
- Which new projects to buy in Dubai Marina: our off-plan selection
- The framework that secures a purchase in Dubai Marina
- Tax on a Dubai Marina investment: 0% locally and impact back home
- Watch points and pitfalls specific to buying in Dubai Marina
Buying property in Dubai Marina means paying 2,376 AED/sq ft on the sale side, for a calculated gross yield of 5.8% (annual rent of 138 AED/sq ft measured against the price), according to Bayut data from February 2026. This is the classic profile of a premium waterfront district: measured yield, strong rental demand and solid long-term appreciation.
That yield is a gross yield, before service charges and vacancy — never a net yield or a guaranteed income. Here we break down what you actually pay, what the district has delivered over five years, and the three new projects we track on the ground.
Buying in Dubai Marina: price per sq ft, yield and budget at a glance
In Dubai Marina, the sale price stands at 2,376 AED/sq ft and the calculated gross yield reaches 5.8%, based on annual rent of 138 AED/sq ft measured against the price, according to Bayut data from February 2026. This yield is gross: it accounts for neither service charges nor rental vacancy, and it is nothing like a guaranteed income.
Marina belongs to Dubai's premium segment. Premium districts such as Downtown and Marina post yields of roughly 5 to 6% according to the Bayut 2025 report, while the market median comes out at 5.6% across 65 districts with both sale and rental series. Marina's 5.8% therefore sits just above that median.
| District | Sale price | Gross yield | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai Marina | 2,376 AED/sq ft | 5.8% | Premium, waterfront |
| Market median (65 districts) | 1,883 AED/sq ft | 5.6% | All categories |
| Affordable districts (JVC, Arjan) | — | 7 to 10% | High yield |
The market median price comes out at 1,883 AED/sq ft across 73 districts, according to Bayut data: Marina therefore trades above the average, which explains its more measured yield. The trade-off is between immediate yield and location value — a choice our guide Dubai Marina vs Downtown Dubai explores in depth.
What appreciation to expect in Dubai Marina over 1, 3 and 5 years?
In Dubai Marina, sale prices rose by +1.5% over 12 months, +25% over 36 months and +58.8% over 60 months, according to Bayut data from February 2026. Long-term appreciation is the real driver of wealth returns here, far more than the rent collected each year.
This momentum reads against the wider market. The median change over 12 months reaches +2.6% across 71 districts according to Bayut: Marina is therefore moving more slowly in the short term, but compounds strongly over five years. The contrast between +1.5% over one year and +58.8% over five years sketches the profile of a mature premium market.
To weigh immediate yield against future capital gains, our guides on buy-and-resell strategies and up-and-coming districts lay out each logic.
What does buying in Dubai Marina really cost?
Beyond the listed price, a purchase in Dubai Marina carries a 4% transfer fee to the Dubai Land Department, plus roughly 4,700 to 5,500 AED in fixed fees. These fixed fees break down into the title deed (~580 AED), the plan fee (~250 AED) and the trustee office fee (~4,000 to 4,200 AED), according to Property Finder.
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Take a concrete example. On Rove Home Dubai Marina, developed by IRTH Group for delivery in December 2027, a 2,000,000 AED ticket generates 80,000 AED in transfer fees (4%), plus the ~4,700 to 5,500 AED in fixed DLD fees.
Agency fees apply on top in the secondary market: 2% of the price + 5% VAT, borne by the buyer. When buying off-plan directly from the developer, there is generally no commission on the buyer's side — a genuine cost difference between new-build and resale.
The recurring charges not to forget
Service charges weigh heavily on this segment. In luxury towers they reach 20 to 50+ AED/sq ft/year, against ~10 to 20 for a standard apartment, according to the RERA/Mollak index. In Marina, where supply is mostly high-end, this annual charge eats into net yield and must be built into the calculation from the outset.
- VAT on residential: 0% on purchase as on rental (5% only on commercial).
- Transfer fee and fixed fees: paid once, at transfer.
- Service charges: recurring, annual, indexed to surface area.
The itemised breakdown line by line is in our guide to property purchase costs in Dubai.
Which new projects to buy in Dubai Marina: our off-plan selection
Among the projects we list in Dubai Marina, three new developments cover staggered deliveries from 2026 to 2028. They let you enter the district off-plan, with payment spread over the construction period.
- Six Senses Residences, delivered by Select Group (4 projects published in our catalogue), delivery scheduled for July 2028.
- Residences Du Port - Autograph Collection Residences, by FIM Partners, delivery scheduled for December 2026.
- Rove Home Dubai Marina, developed by IRTH Group, delivery scheduled for December 2027.
Reserving off-plan requires a deposit of 5 to 20% of the price (often 10 to 20%) at booking, sometimes preceded by a fixed booking fee of ~20,000 to 100,000 AED before signing the SPA. The full mechanics are described in our guides on buying off-plan and the payment plan.
The framework that secures a purchase in Dubai Marina
Dubai Marina is one of the freehold zones where full ownership has been open to foreigners since 2002, according to the Dubai Land Department. You hold the property in your own name, with no time limit and a title deed in your name.
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For financing, a non-resident in practice obtains an LTV of 50 to 75%, meaning a down payment of 25 to 50% depending on the bank. The CBUAE regulatory cap sets 80% for resident expats on a property ≤ 5M AED, and 50% off-plan. On a Marina ticket, the cash to mobilise must therefore be planned early.
On the residency side, a property in Marina can reach the Golden Visa threshold of 10 years, set at 2,000,000 AED in property investment. Processing usually takes a few business days once the file is complete, and 2 to 4 weeks in total including the Emirates ID and the medical exam.
The details are in our guides on freehold in Dubai, non-resident mortgages and the Golden Visa.
Tax on a Dubai Marina investment: 0% locally and impact back home
An individual holding a property in Dubai Marina in their own name pays no local tax on rental income or on capital gains, according to the official UAE government portal. The rate is 0%.
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The 9% corporate tax on profits above 375,000 AED, in force since June 2023 according to the Federal Tax Authority, does not apply to individuals holding in their own name. It only targets ownership through a company.
For a French tax resident, the France-UAE treaty of 19 July 1989 eliminates double taxation through a tax credit equal to the French tax: the French tax is neutralised, but the income counts towards the effective-rate calculation. This mechanism depends on your situation and does not replace personalised advice.
Worked examples are covered in our guides on property taxation and rental income.
Watch points and pitfalls specific to buying in Dubai Marina
The first pitfall in Dubai Marina is reading the 5.8% yield as net income. This figure is gross (Bayut, February 2026): in the district's luxury towers, service charges of 20 to 50+ AED/sq ft/year sharply erode the net once deducted.
The second pitfall concerns short-term appreciation. Don't over-read the +1.5% over 12 months against the +58.8% over 60 months: in a mature premium market, most of the performance comes from value already accrued, not from a rapid rise to come.
- Financing: off-plan is capped at 50% LTV by the CBUAE, and a non-resident mobilises 25 to 50% down payment — to plan for on a high Marina ticket.
- Succession and project choice: an unregistered will and a poorly assessed developer are avoidable risks. Our guides on mistakes to avoid and choosing your developer cover them.
One last reflex: reason on the district's own data — 2,376 AED/sq ft and 5.8% (Bayut) — not on a general press ballpark. It's the Marina figure that should ground your calculation, available on the district page and on our Dubai market page.
This article is part of our guide
Dubai Property Investment Guide for Foreign Buyers
About the author
Sofiane ABDELAZIZ
Real Estate Consultant
Sofiane is a real estate investment expert in Dubai with a solid background in finance and investment strategy. He specializes in financial market analysis and risk management, treating real estate as a true asset class. After gaining experience in the secondary market, he moved into Off Plan investment, developing in-depth knowledge of the Dubai real estate market. At Lucretia Immobilier, he supports an international clientele in acquiring high-potential properties with a structured, transparent, and performance-driven approach.
