A Family Community After Years of Price Growth
This Dubai Hills Estate case study follows a large Emaar family community from 2023 to the first half of 2026. It looks at resale prices for apartments, villas and townhouses, the changes in rents and transaction numbers in 2026, and how yields compare with other areas.
Dubai Hills Estate is presented first as a place to live and only then as an investment. The data shows strong price growth between 2023 and 2025, followed in 2026 by slower growth, fewer transactions and falling rents.
Background: An Emaar Community Around a Golf Course
Dubai Hills Estate was developed by Emaar Properties as a joint venture with Meraas. It was planned as an 11 million sq m community with more than 4,400 villas and townhouses and 22,000 apartments, at the junction of Umm Suqeim Street and Al Khail Road (Emaar).
The community was built around an 18-hole golf course that opened in 2018. It also has a 180,000 sq m central park, Dubai Hills Mall, two GEMS schools and King's College Hospital. There is no Metro station inside the community (Metropolitan).
In March 2016, the first golf villas were scheduled for handover later that year, followed by the first apartments (Khaleej Times).
For the full profile, read our Dubai Hills Estate guide and our Emaar developer profile.
Price Performance: Apartments, Villas and Townhouses
All figures in this section are averages for resale transactions only, from Metropolitan's reports.
Apartments
The average resale apartment price rose from AED 1,884 per sq ft in 2023 to AED 2,353 in 2025, an increase of about 25% in two years (Metropolitan 2025 apartments report). In the first half of 2026, the average was AED 2,387, up 2.8% year on year (H1 2026 apartments report).
| Period | Average resale price per sq ft | Average resale price per sq m | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full year 2023 | AED 1,884 | about AED 20,280 | Not stated |
| Full year 2024 | AED 2,177 | about AED 23,430 | Up about 16% vs 2023 |
| Full year 2025 | AED 2,353 | about AED 25,330 | Up 8.1% vs 2024 |
| H1 2026 | AED 2,387 | about AED 25,690 | Up 2.8% vs H1 2025 |
Source: Metropolitan resale reports, covering resale apartment transactions only. Prices per sq m were calculated from the per sq ft figures in the sources. One square metre equals 10.764 sq ft.
Villas and Townhouses
Villa and townhouse prices rose faster. The average resale price climbed from AED 1,938 per sq ft in 2023 to AED 2,798 in 2025, an increase of about 44% (Metropolitan 2025 villas report). In the first half of 2026, the average was AED 2,778, up 2.1% year on year but slightly below the full-year 2025 average (H1 2026 villas report).
| Period | Average resale price per sq ft | Average resale price per sq m | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full year 2023 | AED 1,938 | about AED 20,860 | Not stated |
| Full year 2024 | AED 2,376 | about AED 25,580 | Up about 23% vs 2023 |
| Full year 2025 | AED 2,798 | about AED 30,120 | Up 17.7% vs 2024 |
| H1 2026 | AED 2,778 | about AED 29,900 | Up 2.1% vs H1 2025 |
Source: Metropolitan reports, covering resale villa and townhouse transactions only.
The half-year average hides differences by home size. The average resale price of three-bedroom homes fell 6%, and of four-bedroom homes 10.5%. Five-bedroom homes, by contrast, rose 20.6%.
Comparison With Other Areas
Property Monitor data for all transactions, including off-plan purchases, for 1 January to 6 June 2026 (Engel & Völkers):
| Area and property type | Average price per sq ft | Average price per sq m |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Dubai apartments | AED 3,011 | about AED 32,410 |
| Business Bay apartments | AED 2,547 | about AED 27,420 |
| Dubai Hills Estate apartments | AED 2,432 | about AED 26,180 |
| Dubai apartment average | AED 1,969 | about AED 21,190 |
| Jumeirah Village Circle apartments | AED 1,510 | about AED 16,250 |
| Dubai Hills Estate villas | AED 2,896 | about AED 31,170 |
| Dubai villa average | AED 2,241 | about AED 24,120 |
On these figures, Dubai Hills Estate apartments are about 19% cheaper than Downtown Dubai apartments, but about 24% above the city apartment average. Villas are about 29% above the Dubai villa average.
The 2026 Correction
According to Cushman & Wakefield Core, apartment prices in Dubai Hills Estate fell 4% in the second quarter of 2026 compared with the previous quarter, and villa prices fell 5%. The apartment fall was milder than in Palm Jumeirah, at 9%, and in Downtown and Business Bay, at 7% each (Khaleej Times).
You can follow the latest figures in our Dubai Property Price Index.
Resale Volume: Down by About a Quarter
Metropolitan's apartments report for the first half of 2026 recorded 597 resale apartment transactions, down 24.2% year on year. The villas report recorded 151 resale villa and townhouse transactions, down 23.7%.
That is a significant fall, but milder than in the central districts. Over the same period, Metropolitan's reports show resale apartment volumes down 47.6% in Downtown Dubai and 39.5% in Palm Jumeirah.
An important figure for apartment buyers: 37.7% of resale apartment transactions were resales of off-plan units. For villas and townhouses, the share was 2%.
The Off-Plan Market: Fewer Apartments, Very Expensive Villas
New apartment sales by developers slowed sharply. In the first half of 2026 there were 510 off-plan apartment sales worth AED 1.401 billion, a 53.7% fall in the number of transactions year on year, according to Metropolitan's apartments report.
New villas moved the other way. Developers sold 176 off-plan villas and townhouses worth AED 5.402 billion in the first half of 2026, compared with 72 in the whole of 2025, according to Metropolitan's villa reports.
Dividing total value by the number of transactions gives an average of about AED 30.7 million per new villa, compared with about AED 14.7 million per resale villa or townhouse. These averages were calculated from the totals in the reports and are for illustration only. They show that newly launched villas sit at the top end of the community's price range.
Rental Yield: Mid-Table
Property Monitor data for August 2026, published by Engel & Völkers, shows an average gross yield of 5.82% for apartments in Dubai Hills Estate and 4.69% for villas and townhouses (Engel & Völkers).
| Area, August 2026 | Average gross apartment yield |
|---|---|
| Jumeirah Village Circle | 6.36% |
| Business Bay | 5.92% |
| Dubai Hills Estate | 5.82% |
| Dubai Marina | 5.51% |
| Downtown Dubai | 5.10% |
| Area, August 2026 | Average gross villa and townhouse yield |
|---|---|
| Jumeirah Golf Estates | 5.76% |
| DAMAC Hills | 5.34% |
| Dubai Hills Estate | 4.69% |
| Arabian Ranches 2 | 4.61% |
| Arabian Ranches | 4.00% |
Source: Property Monitor via Engel & Völkers. According to the same source, the average yield in Dubai was 6.66% for apartments and 4.45% for villas.
Rents are the weak point in 2026. According to Cushman & Wakefield Core, apartment rents in Dubai Hills Estate fell 10% in the second quarter, and villa rents 12%, the sharpest quarterly fall among villa areas.
All yields are gross, before service charges, vacancy periods and management fees.
Worked Example: A Resale One-Bedroom Apartment
A resale one-bedroom apartment at the H1 2026 average price of AED 1,629,303 would earn about AED 94,800 a year at the average gross yield of 5.82%. If rents fell 10%, income would drop to about AED 85,300 and the gross yield to about 5.2%.
The example combines averages from two sources and is for illustration only. Actual prices and rents vary between buildings, and net income will be lower after service charges, vacancy periods and management fees.
Handover Record and New Supply
There is no public figure for on-time delivery across the whole community. Emaar has delivered projects late elsewhere: our Creek Gate case study documents a delay of about 14 months to completion and handover.
For any off-plan purchase, check construction progress and escrow account details in the DLD's Dubai REST app and in our handover tracker.
There is no public area-level figure for homes due for handover in Dubai Hills Estate. The high share of off-plan units among resale apartment transactions suggests more apartment buildings are still on the way. That is why it is worth asking which towers near the property are due for completion.
Liquidity: An Active Resale Market
In 2025, Metropolitan counted 1,398 resale apartment transactions and 382 resale villa and townhouse transactions in Dubai Hills Estate, about 1,780 in total. In the first half of 2026, the figures were 597 and 151 respectively.
Both markets have enough activity for a seller to find a buyer, but the slowdown may make a sale take longer than it did in 2025.
Scorecard
The scores summarise this case study based on the data presented.
| Category | Score out of 10 | Basis for the score |
|---|---|---|
| Location | 8 | Inland location between Al Khail Road and Umm Suqeim Street, with a mall, schools and a hospital inside the community. No Metro station or waterfront |
| Developer | 9 | Developed by Emaar Properties, originally as a joint venture with Meraas. Emaar is one of Dubai's longest-established developers |
| Project concept | 8 | A family community around an 18-hole golf course and a central park, with apartments, townhouses and villas |
| Pricing | 5 | Apartments about 19% cheaper than Downtown Dubai but about 24% above the city apartment average, per Property Monitor for 1 January to 6 June 2026. Includes off-plan transactions |
| Rental potential | 6 | Average apartment yield of 5.82%, close to Business Bay and below the city apartment average of 6.66%. Apartment rents fell 10% in Q2 2026 |
| Value appreciation potential | 6 | Resale prices rose about 25% for apartments and about 44% for villas between 2023 and 2025, but growth slowed to 2% to 3% in H1 2026, and prices fell in Q2 |
| Liquidity | 7 | About 1,780 resale apartment, villa and townhouse transactions in 2025. Volume fell about 24% in H1 2026 |
Bottom line: Dubai Hills Estate suits long-term investors and families who want an established Emaar community with schools, a mall and a hospital. It suits less well those looking for the highest yield or a quick profit while rents are falling.
Dubai Hills Estate Case Study: Takeaways for Israeli Investors
- Decide first whether you want an apartment or a villa. The two markets differ in price, yield and transaction volume.
- Watch rents too. Prices held up better than in the central districts, but rents fell sharply in the second quarter.
- Check what is being built nearby. More than a third of resale apartment transactions were off-plan units, a sign that more new buildings are still to come.
- Stress-test the yield. Run the numbers in our calculators, including a scenario where rents are 10% lower than today.
- Compare with a higher-yield area. Our Jumeirah Village Circle case study shows a nearby community with lower prices and a higher yield.
FAQ
Is Dubai Hills Estate a good investment in 2026?
This Dubai Hills Estate case study shows an established developer, an active resale market and an apartment yield close to 6%. Price growth slowed in 2026 and rents fell in the second quarter, so it is better suited to a long hold than a quick profit.
What is the average price per sq ft?
According to Metropolitan, the average resale price in H1 2026 was AED 2,387 per sq ft for apartments and AED 2,778 for villas and townhouses. Property Monitor's all-transaction averages for 1 January to 6 June 2026, including off-plan purchases, were AED 2,432 and AED 2,896 respectively.
What rental yield can I expect?
According to Property Monitor data published by Engel & Völkers, the average gross yield in August 2026 was 5.82% for apartments and 4.69% for villas and townhouses.
Is Dubai Hills Estate cheaper than Downtown Dubai?
Yes, for apartments. According to Property Monitor, the average price per sq ft was about 19% lower than in Downtown for 1 January to 6 June 2026: AED 2,432 vs AED 3,011.
Weighing an Apartment Against a Villa in Dubai Hills Estate?
Dubai Index can compare a specific apartment building or villa in Dubai Hills Estate with actual resale prices, rents after the Q2 fall and the new construction around the golf course, so you see the numbers before you make an offer. Leave your details for a free consultation.
