# Land for Sale in Dubai 2026 — 8,742 Plot Deals, Median AED 7M | WIZI PREMIUM

> Buying a plot in Dubai: 8,742 land sales registered with the DLD in Jan–Aug 2026 (7.9% of the market), median AED 7M for a 516 m² plot at 1,502 AED/sqft. Prices by area, residential vs commercial, freehold rules and fees.

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Dubai · Buy · Land

# Land for sale in Dubai

8,742 plot sales were registered with the Dubai Land Department in the January–August 2026 — 7.9% of every property deal in the city, worth AED 126.1B. The median plot went for AED 7M and measured 516 m². Below: what land actually costs by area, how residential and commercial plots differ, and what a foreign buyer needs to know.

Segments & prices

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8,742

plot sales registered with the DLD, Jan–Aug 2026

AED 126.1B

total registered land value — 7.9% of all deals

AED 7.00M

median plot price for a median 516 m²

89%

of registered plots are freehold

Updated 2 September 2026 · By [WIZI Advisory Team](https://wizipremium.com/about.html) · RERA ORN 60234

Quick answer

## What land costs in Dubai

The median registered plot went for AED 7.00M (516 m², ~1,500 AED/sqft of land) across 8,742 DLD registrations in Jan–Aug 2026 — 7.9% of every property deal in the city. Residential plots (5,829, median AED 6.15M) run cheaper than commercial (2,913, median AED 8.02M) per deal but pricier per foot. Foreigners buy plots freehold inside designated zones ; budget 6–8% on top for DLD and admin fees.

Registered DLD land sales, January–August 2026, our aggregation. 1 USD ≈ AED 3.67.

Registered plot prices · Jan–Aug 2026

## What land actually sold for

Median registered price and median plot size for the eight busiest land zones. These are prices recorded by the Dubai Land Department — what buyers paid, not what sellers asked.

| Zone | Median price | Median plot | Deals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Al Yelayiss 5 | AED 7.84M | 462 m² | 921 |
| Madinat Hind 4 | AED 1.70M | 174 m² | 697 |
| Al Hebiah Fifth | AED 2.90M | 144 m² | 681 |
| Me'Aisem Second | AED 15.83M | 819 m² | 612 |
| Jabal Ali First | AED 646k | 57 m² | 383 |
| Me'Aisem First | AED 12.31M | 570 m² | 378 |
| Al Yufrah 1 | AED 7.25M | 528 m² | 323 |
| Al Yelayiss 1 | AED 3.04M | 144 m² | 310 |

Across all 8,742 registrations the median works out to 1,502 AED per sq ft of land, and 89% of plots were freehold. Note how far the zones diverge: a plot in Jabal Ali First has a median under AED 700k because the plots there are small, while Palm Jabal Ali clears AED 30M. Compare price per square foot, not headline price.

Residential vs commercial

## Two markets inside one number

The 8,742 plot registrations split almost two to one: 5,829 residential (median AED 6.15M, typical plot 506 m², 1,503 AED/sqft) and 2,913 commercial (median AED 8.02M, 526 m², 1,501 AED/sqft). Commercial land carries the higher median but the lower price per square foot — you are buying more ground, further out, with a build obligation attached to a business case rather than a home.

### Budgets that clear — all plots

under AED 2M

14%

AED 2–5M

24%

AED 5–15M

39%

AED 15M+

23%

### Residential plots only

under AED 2M

14%

AED 2–5M

30%

AED 5–15M

34%

AED 15M+

22%

Land is not an entry-level purchase. Only 14% of registrations cleared under AED 2M, while 62% sat above AED 5M — the median plot deal is roughly five times the median apartment. The largest single land registration of the period was AED 3.1B.

Figures come from individual sales registered with the Dubai Land Department, January–August 2026, aggregated by us. Only plots are counted here (PROP_TYPE «Land»); apartments and villas are excluded, because plot prices and home prices are not comparable — mixing them is the single most common error in Dubai market reporting.

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## Estimate your yield

Currency

AED 0.55M AED 45M

Gross estimate from typical 2026 yields; service charges and 5% VAT on rent are on top.

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Buyer FAQ

## Common questions

**Can a foreigner buy a land plot in Dubai?**

Yes, but only inside designated freehold zones — the same 60+ areas that allow foreign ownership of homes. Ownership is registered in your own name with a DLD title deed, with no requirement to be a resident, have a sponsor or hold a local bank account. Outside those zones land is leasehold or reserved for UAE and GCC nationals. In our Jan–Aug 2026 data 89% of registered plots were freehold.

**How much does land cost in Dubai?**

The median registered plot sale in Jan–Aug 2026 was AED 7M for a 516 m² plot, which works out to about 1,502 AED per square foot of land. The spread is wide: 14% of deals closed under AED 2M and 23% above AED 15M, so the zone matters far more than the headline median.

**What is the difference between a residential and a commercial plot?**

Usage is fixed at registration and determines what you may build. Residential plots (5,829 registrations, median AED 6.15M) are for villas and low-rise housing. Commercial plots (2,913, median AED 8.02M) carry a higher median but a lower price per square foot, because they tend to be larger and further from the centre. You cannot simply build a home on a commercial plot — changing usage requires approval and is not guaranteed.

**What does buying a plot cost on top of the price?**

The Dubai Land Department transfer fee is 4% of the purchase price, plus a trustee office fee of about AED 4,000–4,200 and roughly AED 580 in administrative charges. Budget 6–8% in total once agency commission is included. Development costs — design, permits, connections and construction — come afterwards and are the larger number by far.

**What can I actually build on the plot?**

That is set by the affection plan issued for the specific parcel, which fixes the permitted use, the buildable footprint and the height. Ask for it before you commit — two neighbouring plots of the same size can carry very different build rights. Construction then needs approval from Dubai Municipality and, in master-planned communities, from the master developer as well.

**Is buying land a better investment than buying an apartment?**

It is a different one. Land produces no rent while it sits empty, so there is no yield to offset holding costs, and your return depends on either the zone appreciating or on you completing a build. An apartment starts paying from handover. Land makes sense when you intend to develop, or when you have a specific view on a zone; it rarely makes sense as a passive parking place for money.

Keep exploring

## Every way to buy in Dubai

[Land & plots →](https://wizipremium.com/buy/land-for-sale-dubai.html) [Apartments for sale →](https://wizipremium.com/dubai-apartments.html) [Villas for sale →](https://wizipremium.com/buy/villas-for-sale-dubai.html) [Townhouses →](https://wizipremium.com/buy/townhouses-dubai.html) [Penthouses →](https://wizipremium.com/buy/penthouses-dubai.html) [Studios →](https://wizipremium.com/buy/studios-dubai.html) [Mansions →](https://wizipremium.com/buy/mansions-for-sale-dubai.html) [Luxury property →](https://wizipremium.com/buy/luxury-property-dubai.html) [Beachfront apartments →](https://wizipremium.com/buy/beachfront-apartments-dubai.html) [Apartments under AED 1M →](https://wizipremium.com/buy/cheap-apartments-dubai.html) [Off-plan projects →](https://wizipremium.com/buy/off-plan-dubai.html) [Resale & off-market →](https://wizipremium.com/resale-property-dubai.html) [Prices 2026 by area →](https://wizipremium.com/buy/dubai-property-prices.html) [Price index — DLD data →](https://wizipremium.com/dubai-property-price-index.html) [Best areas to buy →](https://wizipremium.com/best-areas-to-buy-property-dubai.html) [Freehold zones →](https://wizipremium.com/dubai-freehold-areas.html) [Payment plans compared →](https://wizipremium.com/dubai-off-plan-payment-plans.html) [Mortgage for non-residents →](https://wizipremium.com/dubai-mortgage-non-residents.html) [Branded residences →](https://wizipremium.com/buy/branded-residences-dubai.html) [No down payment? →](https://wizipremium.com/buy/no-down-payment-dubai.html)

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## Find a land plot in Dubai for your budget

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