Zero income tax. 6-11% rental yields. A 10-year Golden Visa. And a market that recorded AED 682.5 billion in sales in 2025 — up 30.7% year-on-year. Here's the definitive case for Dubai property investment.
Dubai levies zero income tax, zero capital gains tax, and zero property tax on individuals. Your rental income is 100% yours. Your capital appreciation is 100% yours. This alone makes Dubai's effective yields 30-40% higher than equivalent properties in London, New York, or Sydney.
Every figure below comes from the Dubai Land Department's official 2025 report. 5th consecutive year of growth. The longest bull cycle in Dubai history — 56+ months.
See how Dubai stacks up against the world's top property investment cities on every metric that matters.
| City | Avg Yield | Income Tax | Capital Gains Tax | Entry (1-Bed) | Residency Route | Currency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇦🇪 Dubai | 6–11% | 0% | 0% | £55K–£150K | Golden Visa (10yr) | AED (USD pegged) |
| 🇬🇧 London | 3–4% | 20–45% | 18–28% | £300K+ | No property route | GBP |
| 🇺🇸 New York | 2–4% | 22–37% | 15–20% | $400K+ | No property route | USD |
| 🇸🇬 Singapore | 2–3% | 0–22% | 0% | $500K+ | No property route | SGD |
| 🇭🇰 Hong Kong | 2–3% | 15% | 0% | $600K+ | No property route | HKD |
| 🇦🇺 Sydney | 3–4% | 19–45% | 23–47% | A$500K+ | No property route | AUD |
| 🇵🇹 Lisbon | 4–5% | 28% | 28% | €200K+ | Golden Visa (5yr) | EUR |
| 🇹🇷 Istanbul | 4–6% | 15–40% | 0% (5yr hold) | $100K+ | Citizenship ($400K) | TRY (volatile) |
* Yields and taxes are approximate ranges based on Q1 2025 market data.
The structural drivers behind Dubai's sustained property growth — and why the window of opportunity remains open.
AED 2M+ property investment grants you and your family a 10-year renewable UAE residency. No minimum stay. Over 200,000 issued to date. 2025 update: down-payment requirement removed.
Dubai Metro expansion, Al Maktoum Airport (world's largest), Expo City conversion, Museum of the Future — billions in infrastructure driving property values in surrounding areas.
Growing at 5%+ annually. D33 agenda targets 5.8M by 2040 — nearly double today. Remote workers, entrepreneurs, and corporate relocations fuelling demand.
AED pegged to USD since 1997 (1 USD = 3.6725 AED). Zero currency risk for dollar investors. Portfolio diversification for GBP/EUR holders.
Developers offer 60/40, 70/30, and post-handover plans spanning 3-5 years. Secure a £250K property with just £50K upfront — impossible in London.
RERA and DLD provide full oversight. Escrow accounts protect buyer funds. All transactions registered publicly. #1 in MENA for property transparency.
18.7M visitors in 2024, #1 globally. Hotel occupancy 80%+. Short-term rental yields of 10-15% in prime areas like Marina and Downtown.
65-72% of transactions are off-plan with flexible installments. 131,504 units launched via 532 projects in 2025 alone. Capital appreciation from launch to handover: 15-30%.
Emirates Hills villa sold for AED 425M ($116M) in 2025. Branded residences (Armani, Mercedes, Bugatti) command 30-50% premiums. Ultra-luxury driving global headlines.
Knight Frank: +3% prime growth. Cushman & Wakefield: +5-8%. Industry consensus: 10-15% transaction growth. Population + visa demand = sustained appreciation.
From desert to the world's top investment destination in two decades. Understanding the cycle is key to timing your entry.
Property Monitor DPI shows average monthly appreciation of +1.19% since mid-2020. Prices have more than doubled from the COVID low. But with 5.8M population target and massive infrastructure spending, the structural drivers remain intact.
214,912 transactions worth AED 682.5B analysed. Area-by-area price/sqft, rental yield tables, 8 key trends, Golden Visa guide, budget scenarios, and 2026 forecasts from Knight Frank, CBRE, and Cushman & Wakefield.
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