Dubai real estate value added: up 5.4% at current prices, down 2.5% at constant prices
21/10/2026
The new H1 2026 release shows different results under two measures. The sector's value added is an economic indicator, not an apartment price index.
Source: . Published: 21/10/2026.
Dubai's economic results published on 18 October include the real estate sector's performance in the first half of 2026. Value added at current prices reached AED65.1 billion, compared with AED61.8 billion in January–June 2025, an increase of 5.4%.
At constant prices, the figure was AED55.8 billion, down 2.5% from the same period a year earlier. The sector accounted for 11.8% of the emirate's real GDP. Current prices reflect the monetary valuation of the relevant period; constant prices allow changes to be considered with adjustments for the price level.
These figures describe the industry's economic contribution. They are not an average apartment price, a price per square metre or the resale result for an individual property. A six-month period also cannot be compared directly with monthly transaction statistics without allowing for differences in coverage and methodology.
For buyers and investors, the report forms part of the wider market picture. It shows why assessing property calls for several sources and careful interpretation of indicators. When comparing properties, the area, housing type, condition, ownership costs and transactions involving genuinely comparable premises remain important.
Dubai's sectors performed differently during the first half of the year: financial and insurance activities, for example, grew 8.8% in real terms. Considering those differences helps explain the city's economic context while keeping a separate assessment of the terms for buying and using a particular property.
