With a calculated gross yield of 6.8% and a price per sq ft below the market median, Reem Island is the most accessible way into Abu Dhabi property. Here are the figures, a worked example at AED 1.5M, projects grouped by entry price and the pitfalls to know.
On this page
- Should you invest in Al Reem Island? The answer in numbers
- Worked example: an AED 1.5M budget on Reem Island
- How have prices moved on the island? Yield versus capital growth
- Which projects and developers on Reem Island for your budget?
- Ready or off-plan: the island's handover schedule
- Pitfalls to avoid when you invest in Al Reem Island
To invest in Al Reem Island, Abu Dhabi, is to aim for the top of the market on yield: the island shows a calculated gross yield of 6.8% according to Bayut data (March 2026), with entry prices starting at AED 500,000 among the projects we list.
Connected to downtown by several bridges, the island combines long-completed towers with a new wave of off-plan launches. For many of our clients, it is the natural way into the Abu Dhabi market: a reasonable budget, strong rental demand and a wide choice of developers.
Should you invest in Al Reem Island? The answer in numbers
Yes, if yield is your priority: the island is a designated investment zone where foreigners can buy, according to DARI, and its calculated gross yield reaches 6.8%. That figure sets the average annual rent of AED 102/sq ft against the average price of AED 1,497/sq ft, based on Bayut data (March 2026). It excludes service charges and vacancy.
Across the emirate, calculated gross yields range from 2.4% (Al Jurf Gardens) to 6.8% (Al Maryah Island) across the 8 districts with both sales and rental data, with a median of 5.7%, according to Bayut data (August 2026). At 6.8% in March 2026, Reem therefore matches the emirate's highest reading in August 2026, although the two readings are not from the same date.
The market median price stands at AED 1,792/sq ft across 10 districts, according to Bayut data (August 2026). Reem's price per sq ft sits below that median: you buy in for less than elsewhere while collecting one of the highest rents relative to price.
That rent is not taxed: personal income tax is 0% in the UAE, according to the official UAE government portal. For a breakdown of the real costs, read our guide to property taxation for investors in Abu Dhabi.
Worked example: an AED 1.5M budget on Reem Island
With AED 1.5M, the median entry price of the projects we list, you buy around 1,002 sq ft at the average price of AED 1,497/sq ft recorded by Bayut in March 2026. That unit generates a theoretical gross rent of around AED 102,200 a year.
| Item | Amount | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase budget | AED 1.5M | Median entry price in our catalogue |
| Floor area | ≈ 1,002 sq ft | AED 1,497/sq ft (Bayut, March 2026) |
| Annual gross rent | ≈ AED 102,200 | AED 102/sq ft/year (Bayut, March 2026) |
| Transfer fees | ≈ AED 30,000 | 2% of the price (DARI) |
| Total outlay | ≈ AED 1.53M | Price + transfer fees |
| Gross yield on price | 6.8% | Rent ÷ price |
| Gross yield on total outlay | ≈ 6.7% | Rent ÷ (price + fees) |
The 2% transfer fee is paid through ADREC/DARI at registration. Once added to the outlay, it shaves roughly a tenth of a point off the gross yield.
I always ask my clients to think in terms of total outlay, fees included, rather than the headline price alone: that is the figure that underpins both the first rent and the eventual resale.
Not shown in the table: service charges, vacancy and management. Our guide on moving from gross to net yield covers them line by line, and our guide to rental management in Abu Dhabi prices the cost of a property manager.
How have prices moved on the island? Yield versus capital growth
Reem Island's price per sq ft rose 6.1% over 12 months, 37.3% over 36 months and 44% over 60 months, according to Bayut data (March 2026).
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Across the whole market, the median 12-month change is also +6.1% across 10 districts, according to Bayut data (August 2026). The two series end in different months: they point to a comparable pace, not strict equality.
This is a reading of the past, not a forecast. At the average price, a home bought on the island five years ago has gained around 44%. We have no rental trend series: the 6.8% yield is a March 2026 snapshot.
The practical takeaway: Reem combines one of the highest gross yields in the emirate with price growth in line with the market. To place the island within the emirate's cycles, see our analysis of price trends and momentum in Abu Dhabi, or the Abu Dhabi market overview.
Which projects and developers on Reem Island for your budget?
Among the projects we list on the island, 17 are offered by 11 developers, with entry prices from AED 500,000 to AED 1.8M and a median of AED 1.5M calculated across the 7 projects with a published price.
Up to AED 1.5M
- Oceanscape, by DAMAC Properties: from AED 500,000, the lowest entry price on the island.
- The District, by Reportage Properties: from AED 1.1M.
- Radiant Bridges and Radiant Terrace, by Radiant: from AED 1.4M and AED 1.5M.
At AED 1.8M
- The Artery Residences and Sunstone, by IMKAN Properties.
- Flow25, by GAF Property.
Price on request
- A1LA Residence (Object One Real Estate Development), Bab Al Qasr Beach Resort 77 and Bab Al Qasr Royal 28 (Burtville Developments).
- JOUD Residence and One Residence (One Development), Marlin 2, Marina Bay.
- Rivage (Deyaar Development), Riviera Residences Tower 1 (Mered), Rixos Al Reem Residences (East & West Properties).
IMKAN, DAMAC, Radiant, Reportage, Burtville and One Development each have several projects on the island: enough to compare, for the same budget, different offerings from a single developer.
Ready or off-plan: the island's handover schedule
Among the projects we list, Oceanscape (May 2013) and Marina Bay (January 2013) are the only ones already completed: they are the only ones you can rent out from day one.
Upcoming handovers
Rivage leads the way in December 2027, followed by One Residence in June 2028. Sunstone, A1LA Residence and Marlin 2 are expected in December 2028.
The 2029 wave
2029 accounts for most key handovers: Riviera Residences Tower 1 in March, Flow25 in April, Radiant Bridges in May, The District and JOUD Residence in June, Radiant Terrace in August, Rixos Al Reem Residences in September, then The Artery Residences and Bab Al Qasr Royal 28 in December.
What I see on the ground: investors who buy into a clustered handover and finish the fit-out before receiving the keys let faster than those who wait for completion to deal with it.
Bab Al Qasr Beach Resort 77 closes the schedule in December 2031. For payment plans and protections specific to off-plan purchases, see our guide to buying off-plan in Abu Dhabi.
Pitfalls to avoid when you invest in Al Reem Island
On Reem, most mistakes come not from choosing the island but from reading the numbers and documents too quickly.
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- A district yield is not your unit's yield. The 6.8% is a district average, calculated gross from Bayut data for March 2026. Every tower has its own rent, floor, view and service charges: ask for rents actually signed in the target project, then work in net terms.
- Our catalogue is not the market. Our 17 projects and our AED 1.5M median describe our listings, not every transaction on the island.
- A listed entry price alone won't get you a Golden Visa. The threshold is AED 2,000,000 of property investment, according to the UAE Golden Visa portal; the highest listed entry price on the island is AED 1.8M. Get the actual price of any "on request" unit confirmed and read our guide to the property Golden Visa in Abu Dhabi.
- Figures without their month mislead. Reem's series end in March 2026, while the latest market reading dates from August 2026: any comparison should show both dates.
- Entry costs are part of the outlay. Factor them in from the start, as explained in our guide to property purchase costs in Abu Dhabi.
With my clients, I find that those who settle their exit strategy before signing, whether resale or long-term letting, choose their unit on the island far more calmly than those who buy first and decide later.
— Léonard ARZOUNI, Real Estate Consultant
Lucretia supports you on the ground to compare buildings, obtain real rents and secure every step through to title.
This article is part of our guide
Abu Dhabi Property Investment Guide: Buy, Let and Resell with Confidence
About the author
Léonard ARZOUNI
Real Estate Consultant
Léonard is a luxury real estate consultant with more than six years of experience in the high-end market. He is fluent in French and English and assists an international clientele in the acquisition and management of exceptional properties, both residential and investment-oriented. His expertise covers property valuation, portfolio management and strategic negotiation, enabling him to develop tailor-made solutions adapted to each client's wealth objectives. He is appreciated for his rigour and attention to detail. Outside of work, Léonard is passionate about contemporary art, collecting works by emerging artists. He is a curious traveller who loves discovering new cultures.
