The markets, in numbers.
The dashboard of the markets I follow — United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bali. Transactions, prices, yields: the data that informs a decision, with the source always stated.
How is the real estate market performing in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Bali?
In 2025 Dubai hit a record year — over 270,000 sale transactions, up 20% — Abu Dhabi saw transacted value grow 48%, and Ras Al Khaimah was the most dynamic UAE market, with apartment prices up 65%. Saudi Arabia opened to non-resident ownership in January 2026; Bali offers some of the highest holiday-rental yields in the world.
DLD, ADREC, REGA, BPS · industry reports · lucavallelonga.com analysis
United Arab Emirates
Dubai
The most liquid and transparent market in the region. 2025 was a record year, with structural international demand.
270,000+
Sale transactions 2025 · +20%
AED 917 bn≈ $250 bn
Value transacted 2025
+24%
Investor base growth
Source: DLD 2025 · Bayut · Global Property Guide
Gross market yield on existing stock (EJARI rents ÷ real DLD prices). A conservative figure: new developments, once completed, typically yield above this area average.
Structural growth
Official consolidated annual data for 2024 — the 2025 figures are still being published.
3.9M
Dubai population · end 2024, +5.5%
Dubai Statistics Center
+208,600
New Dubai residents in 2024
Dubai Statistics Center
70,500
New companies joining the Dubai Chamber of Commerce in 2024
Dubai Chamber of Commerce
AED 52 bn≈ $14 bn
Foreign direct investment in Dubai in 2024 · +33%, a record
Dubai Economy & Tourism
Masterplan
A masterplan maps out the city of the next twenty years — where it will grow and where value will concentrate. For an investor it's a read that matters: before choosing an area, it's worth going through it.
Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan
Government of Dubai
The urban plan taking Dubai to 5.8 million residents by 2040, with 60% of the population in five urban centres.
Explore the masterplanUnited Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi
The capital: more institutional, a strong presence of government developers. In 2025 transacted value grew 48%, driven by foreign capital.
42,814+
Real estate transactions · +52%
AED 142 bn≈ $39 bn
Value transacted 2025 · +48%
AED 8 bn≈ $2 bn
Foreign direct investment · +13%
Source: ADREC · Abu Dhabi Real Estate Market Report 2025
Masterplan
A masterplan maps out the city of the next twenty years — where it will grow and where value will concentrate. For an investor it's a read that matters: before choosing an area, it's worth going through it.
Plan Abu Dhabi 2030
Government of Abu Dhabi
The emirate's urban plan: diversification beyond oil, development of the islands — Saadiyat (culture), Yas (tourism), Al Reem (residential), Hudayriyat (lifestyle and sport), Fahid (Aldar) — new districts, infrastructure and tourism capacity.
Explore the masterplanUnited Arab Emirates
Ras Al Khaimah
The fastest-growing UAE market in 2025 — apartment prices up 65% — driven by the Wynn resort on Al Marjan Island, opening in 2027.
+65%
Apartment price growth 2025
~7%
Average gross apartment yield
2027
Wynn resort opening · Al Marjan
Source: Bayut · RAK Market Report 2025
Masterplan
A masterplan maps out the city of the next twenty years — where it will grow and where value will concentrate. For an investor it's a read that matters: before choosing an area, it's worth going through it.
Ras Al Khaimah Vision 2030
Government of Ras Al Khaimah · RAKTDA
The emirate's decade-long strategy, centred on sustainable tourism: 3.5 million annual visitors by 2030 and doubled hotel capacity. It's the framing behind launches like the Wynn resort on Al Marjan Island (opening 2027), the first integrated resort in the region.
Explore the masterplanSaudi Arabia
Arabia Saudita
An expanding market, driven by Vision 2030. Since January 2026 the law opening property ownership to non-residents is in force — a turning point for foreign investors.
SAR 66 bn≈ $18 bn
Riyadh residential sales · H1 2025, +63%
Jan 2026
Ownership opened to non-residents
Vision 2030
The structural growth driver
Source: Cavendish Maxwell · Arabian Business · STC Real Estate Index 2025
Structural growth
Official consolidated annual data for 2024 — the 2025 figures are still being published.
35.3M
Saudi Arabia population · 2024
GASTAT · General Authority for Statistics
65.4%
Home ownership · end 2024, 70% target by 2030
Saudi Housing Program · Ministry of Municipalities and Housing
+4.3%
Non-oil sector growth in 2024
GASTAT · General Authority for Statistics
Masterplan
A masterplan maps out the city of the next twenty years — where it will grow and where value will concentrate. For an investor it's a read that matters: before choosing an area, it's worth going through it.
Saudi Vision 2030
Government of Saudi Arabia
The national transformation plan: diversification beyond oil, private sector at 65% of GDP, megaprojects (NEOM, Red Sea, Diriyah) and the regional HQ programme. As of January 2026, real estate opened to non-resident investors.
Explore the masterplanIndonesia
Bali
Some of the highest holiday-rental yields in the world. Investment concentrates in Canggu and the emerging areas nearby — Pererenan and Cemagi — as well as Ubud. Foreigners buy leasehold (over 80% of the market); tourism at record levels in 2025.
~6.95M
Tourist arrivals 2025 · +9.7%
+7%
Property price growth 2025
81%
Leasehold share of supply
Source: BPS · tourist arrivals · private market reports
United Arab Emirates
Umm Al Quwain
The early-stage market I follow closely. For years the quietest of the Emirates, today it sits at the centre of a development plan that is reshaping its trajectory — led by the emirate's government together with Sobha, with other developers now entering.
The signals I track
Downtown Umm Al Quwain
A 25-million-sqft coastal masterplan, a partnership between the UAQ government and Sobha announced in 2025: 11 km of coastline and up to around 150,000 residents planned.
Sobha Siniya Island
An ~$5 billion waterfront island community: around 25,000 residents and 8,000 units in the first phase, handover expected in 2028.
New developers
The arrival of solid players — Deyaar alongside Sobha — is the signal that matters: it brings credibility, infrastructure and construction standards.
Location
A natural coastline, beaches and a lagoon, and a direct border with Ras Al Khaimah — the most dynamic emirate of 2025, where the Wynn resort opens in 2027.
It remains an early-stage market: low entry tickets — around 20% below Dubai and Abu Dhabi — and upside tied to the growth of the whole federation, but still-forming liquidity and scarce public market data. I follow it for those who want to enter early: precise figures are assessed project by project.
Source: Khaleej Times · The National · developer announcements · lucavallelonga.com analysis
The data is curated and verified against official sources — DLD, ADREC, REGA, BPS — and reliable industry reports. For Dubai, median area prices already come from the direct Dubai Land Department feed, updated nightly; yields remain curated until rental contracts are integrated (on the roadmap).
Data updated May 2026 · Curated by Luca Vallelonga
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