Dubai Real Estate Rentals Market Report 4 January 2026
Over 850 rental contracts were signed yesterday, with total contract values reaching AED 154.5 million. The market shows a clear preference for new leases over renewals in terms of capital committed, driven by a few key industrial areas.
A massive 79 contracts in Jabal Ali Industrial First alone accounted for nearly 60% of the day's total rental value, primarily from Labor Camp units. This single area's activity heavily skews the daily figures. Beyond that, the market is primarily residential and freehold.
Bay Villas Dubai Islands: Your Private Waterfront Sanctuary
Source: Building Arabia.
Top 3 Localities by Value:
- Jabal Ali Industrial First: AED 90.5M (79 contracts) – completely dominant.
- Al Wasl: AED 4.1M (27 contracts).
- Al Karama: AED 2.9M (36 contracts).
Rentals by Contract Status
| Status | Contracts | Total (AED) | Total (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| New | 337 | 112,069,546 | 30,514,118 |
| Renewed | 521 | 42,428,073 | 11,550,923 |
| Grand Total | 858 | 154,497,619 | 42,065,041 |
Note: 1 AED = 0.2723 USD
Rentals by Property Type
| Category | Type | Contracts | Total (AED) | Total (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit | Unit Total | 793 | 142,081,273 | 38,678,531 |
| Labor Camps | 87 | 91,114,492 | 24,804,376 | |
| Flat | 607 | 41,257,361 | 11,234,379 | |
| Office | 41 | 5,000,580 | 1,361,308 | |
| Shop | 45 | 4,016,612 | 1,093,603 | |
| Studio | 6 | 146,228 | 39,818 | |
| Clinic | 1 | 110,000 | 29,953 | |
| Hotel | 4 | 268,000 | 72,976 | |
| Showroom | 1 | 100,000 | 27,230 | |
| Warehouse | 1 | 68,000 | 18,516 | |
| Villa | Villa Total | 64 | 12,056,346 | 3,282,943 |
| Villa | 63 | 11,906,346 | 3,241,998 | |
| Complex Villas | 1 | 150,000 | 40,845 | |
| Virtual Unit | Office | 1 | 360,000 | 98,028 |
| Grand Total | 858 | 154,497,619 | 42,065,041 |
Top 10 Localities by Rental Value
| # | Locality | Contracts | Total (AED) | Total (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jabal Ali Industrial First | 79 | 90,454,492 | 24,630,758 |
| 2 | Al Wasl | 27 | 4,108,481 | 1,118,539 |
| 3 | Al Karama | 36 | 2,912,458 | 793,062 |
| 4 | Jabal Ali First | 45 | 2,615,115 | 712,094 |
| 5 | Burj Khalifa | 18 | 2,395,000 | 652,159 |
| 6 | Al Barsha South Fourth | 29 | 2,291,102 | 623,667 |
| 7 | Wadi Al Safa 5 | 14 | 1,875,494 | 510,637 |
| 8 | Hadaeq Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid | 10 | 1,870,300 | 509,253 |
| 9 | Al Thanyah Fifth | 13 | 1,836,443 | 499,973 |
| 10 | Oud Metha | 20 | 1,620,000 | 441,126 |
Other localities (e.g., Marsa Dubai, Al Safouh Second, Business Bay) accounted for the remaining 43,277,734 AED across 647 contracts.
Bottom Line: The rental market is a tale of two segments. One massive industrial area (Jabal Ali Industrial First) drove the total value, while the rest of the market saw steady activity in residential flats across established communities. New leases captured the bulk of the financial volume.
Disclaimer:
This report is based on publicly available data and Dubai Land Department (DLD) transaction summaries as of the date mentioned in the title of this post.
Final and detailed figures from the DLD may vary upon official release.
1 US Dollar = 3.672 UAE Dirhams
This report is merely informative, and all investments come with risk. You are responsible for your decisions.