Asking prices tell you what sellers hope for. Registered sales tell you what buyers actually paid. Here is what a villa or townhouse cost in 16 Dubai communities over the last year, what you pay on top, and which communities are easiest to sell in.
By Umer Shauket, Founder & CEO, Cresco Real Estate. RERA ORN 34288. Published 8 November 2026.
The short answer
- Average registered villa prices ran from about AED 1.89M in DAMAC Hills 2 to about AED 70.7M in Emirates Hills.
- Most family communities averaged AED 3M to AED 6M: Town Square, JVC, DAMAC Lagoons, Mudon, The Valley, The Springs, Arabian Ranches 3, Al Furjan and DAMAC Hills.
- Per square foot, the range was AED 1,118 (DAMAC Hills 2) to AED 5,591 (Palm Jumeirah).
- Add the 4% Dubai Land Department transfer fee. On an AED 4M villa that is AED 160,000.
Villa prices by community
The table shows the average registered sale price, the average price per sq ft, the average rental yield where Property Finder shows one, and the number of registered villa and townhouse sales over the last year. We read each community page on 8 November 2026. The figures come from Dubai Land Department records published by Property Finder.
| Community | Average price | Price per sq ft | Rental yield | Sales in the year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAMAC Hills 2 | AED 1.89M | AED 1,118 | Not shown | 981 |
| Town Square | AED 3.01M | AED 1,353 | Not shown | 262 |
| Jumeirah Village Circle | AED 3.42M | AED 1,649 | 6.25% | 216 |
| DAMAC Lagoons | AED 3.64M | AED 1,649 | 5.23% | 852 |
| Mudon | AED 3.89M | AED 1,603 | 5.35% | 555 |
| The Valley | AED 4.34M | AED 1,361 | 5.21% | 982 |
| The Springs | AED 4.58M | AED 1,667 | 4.23% | 340 |
| Arabian Ranches 3 | AED 4.61M | AED 1,735 | 4.38% | 426 |
| Al Furjan | AED 5.71M | AED 1,500 | 5.09% | 264 |
| DAMAC Hills | AED 5.90M | AED 1,667 | Not shown | 315 |
| Arabian Ranches | AED 8.70M | AED 1,420 | 4.43% | 267 |
| Tilal Al Ghaf | AED 10.81M | AED 2,277 | 5.19% | 357 |
| Jumeirah Golf Estates | AED 14.48M | AED 2,241 | Not shown | 556 |
| Dubai Hills Estate | AED 14.83M | AED 2,367 | Not shown | 294 |
| Palm Jumeirah | AED 50.70M | AED 5,591 | Not shown | 76 |
| Emirates Hills | AED 70.71M | AED 3,079 | Not shown | 25 |
Averages include both ready and off plan sales. Rental yield is Property Finder’s gross figure and is not shown for every community.
Three things the table tells you
Price per sq ft and total price are different questions. Arabian Ranches averaged AED 8.70M a villa but only AED 1,420 per sq ft, because many of its villas are large and sit on big plots. Jumeirah Village Circle averaged AED 3.42M but AED 1,649 per sq ft. If you are comparing value, compare per sq ft. If you are comparing budgets, compare the total.
One project can move a community’s average. 166 of the 556 Jumeirah Golf Estates sales were in Ashwood Estates, and 186 of the 982 sales in The Valley were in Vindera. When a large launch registers many sales at once, the community average leans toward that project. Look at the sub community, not just the headline.
Liquidity varies more than price. The Valley, DAMAC Hills 2 and DAMAC Lagoons each registered more than 850 villa sales in the year. Emirates Hills registered 25 and Palm Jumeirah 76. More sales means more evidence for your price and, usually, more buyers when you sell.
What this means for a buyer
Your real cost is the price plus 4%. The Dubai Land Department transfer fee is 4% of the purchase price. Registration, agency and mortgage fees come on top and vary by deal.
| Example at the community average | Price | 4% DLD fee | Price plus fee | AED 2M Golden Visa line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAMAC Hills 2 | AED 1.89M | AED 75,564 | AED 1,964,660 | No, below AED 2M |
| The Valley | AED 4.34M | AED 173,730 | AED 4,516,973 | Yes |
| Arabian Ranches | AED 8.70M | AED 347,901 | AED 9,045,427 | Yes |
| Dubai Hills Estate | AED 14.83M | AED 593,041 | AED 15,419,072 | Yes |
The AED 2 million line matters. A property with a purchase value of AED 2 million or more can qualify for the Golden Visa, subject to the other conditions. Fifteen of the sixteen communities averaged above that. DAMAC Hills 2 averaged about AED 1.89M, so if the visa is part of your plan, check the exact unit price. Our Golden Visa through property guide sets out the conditions.
Yield is highest where prices are lowest per sq ft. Among the communities with a published yield, JVC showed 6.25% and Mudon 5.35%, against 4.23% in The Springs. Across Dubai, Cavendish Maxwell put the average gross villa yield at 4.9% in its Q3 2026 data, against 6.6% for apartments (Khaleej Times). A villa is usually bought for space and long term value more than for income.
Imagine two buyers with AED 4.2M each. One buys at the average in The Valley, at AED 1,361 per sq ft. The other buys at the average in JVC, at AED 1,649 per sq ft. The first gets roughly a fifth more built up area for the money. The second gets a higher published yield and a more central location. Neither is wrong. The table lets you see the trade.
How to check a specific villa
- Look up registered sales for the exact sub community and villa type, not just the community.
- Compare the asking price per sq ft with the registered average. A large gap needs a reason: plot, view, upgrades or condition.
- For off plan, compare the launch price with registered resales nearby.
- Ask for the service charge per sq ft and include it in your yearly cost.
You can run your own numbers with our price per sq ft calculator and see the full list of buying costs in our purchase cost guide.
The honest limits
These are averages over a year, and they mix villas and townhouses of very different sizes, ready and off plan. Property Finder shows the size of each change against the previous period but not always its direction, so we have published levels only. A community average is a starting point for a valuation, not a valuation.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a villa cost in Dubai in 2026?
On registered sales over the last year, the average villa or townhouse price ranged from about AED 1.89 million in DAMAC Hills 2 to about AED 70.7 million in Emirates Hills, according to Property Finder transaction pages built on Dubai Land Department data. Most family communities sat between AED 3 million and AED 6 million.
What is the cheapest villa community in Dubai per square foot?
Of the 16 communities we checked, DAMAC Hills 2 had the lowest average at AED 1,118 per sq ft, followed by Town Square at AED 1,353 and The Valley at AED 1,361.
Does a Dubai villa qualify for the Golden Visa?
A property with a purchase value of AED 2 million or more can qualify, subject to the other conditions. The average registered price was above AED 2 million in 15 of the 16 communities we checked. DAMAC Hills 2 averaged about AED 1.89 million, so many units there fall below the line.
What else do I pay on top of the villa price?
The Dubai Land Department transfer fee is 4% of the price. On an AED 4 million villa that is AED 160,000. Registration, agency and mortgage costs come on top and vary by deal.
Sources: Dubai Land Department transaction data as published on Property Finder transaction pages, read 8 November 2026 (each community name in the table links to its page); Khaleej Times, Cavendish Maxwell Q3 2026 yields. General information, not investment advice.