According to the latest market report from Bayut, in the third quarter of 2026, apartment prices in some affordable and mid-range communities in Abu Dhabi increased by up to 9.2 percent. This growth occurred against a backdrop of sustained demand for more budget-friendly housing, as well as continued interest in luxury real estate.
Baniyas recorded the largest quarterly increase, where the average price per square foot for mid-level apartments rose by 9.2 percent. Al Ghadir community saw a growth of 6.2 percent, while on Al Maryah Island, apartment prices increased by 3.2 percent. Other areas, including Masdar City and Al Shamkha, also demonstrated moderate price increases.
At a media briefing, Matt Gregory, Senior Director of Strategy at Dubizzle Group, noted that Abu Dhabi continues to show positive momentum in housing prices across various segments. For the third quarter, Bayut registered about 2.5 million visits to the platform related to the Abu Dhabi real estate market, with the average number of active listings reaching approximately 20,000.
These figures reflect a constant interest in searching both in established communities and in new residential complexes. Saadiyat Island, Marina, and Marina Villa were among the popular places for searching ultra-luxury apartments. The luxury apartment segment attracted attention in Al Raha Beach, Yas Island, and Al Maryah Island.
For mid-range apartments, Al Reem Island was the most active search area, followed by Masdar City and Baniyas. Among buyers looking for affordable housing, Al Ghadir, Al Reef, and Al Shamkha remained popular. Ultra-luxury buyer interest in villas was shown by Saadiyat, Nuraiy, and Marina Islands.
In the luxury villa segment, Yas Island, Al Raha Beach, and Al Batin were preferred. The mid-range segment is represented by Al Raha Gardens, Zayed City, and Al Samkha, while for affordable villas, Al Shamkha, Al Reef, and Al Ghadir were popular.
Bayut's analysis identified Al Dafra as the leading location for estimated villa rental yield, showing a Return on Investment (ROI) of 11.5 percent in the mid-segment. Between Two Bridges, also known as Bayn Al Djesrain, an estimated yield of 10.1 percent was recorded for affordable villas. Among apartments, Al Reef offered an estimated yield of 7.9 percent in the affordable segment, and Al Samkha offered 7.1 percent for mid-range apartments.
On Al Maryah Island, an estimated yield of 7 percent was recorded for luxury apartments, and Marina offered 5 percent for ultra-luxury apartments. Regarding luxury villas, Al Raha Beach showed an estimated yield of 5.2 percent, and Saadiyat Island showed 4.3 percent in the ultra-luxury class. It should be noted that these figures represent estimated rental yields based on listed property prices, not guaranteed income.
According to Bayut, the listed rent in popular Abu Dhabi communities remained generally stable or showed only minor changes during the third quarter. Saadiyat Island and Al Raha Beach continued to be in demand among tenants seeking elite and luxury apartments. Al Reem Island attracted mid-range apartment tenants, while Khalifa City remained the leading spot for affordable rentals.
For villas, Saadiyat Island and Yas Island remained sought after in premium segments, while Zayed City and Khalifa City attracted mid-range and affordable tenants. Haider Ali Khan, CEO of Bayut, stated that Abu Dhabi is becoming increasingly competitive in the global real estate market, especially in the ultra-luxury housing and branded residences segment. He added that the range of properties under construction offers buyers greater choice and attracts international wealthy individuals and institutional investors.
The report is based on listed prices and search activity on Bayut, not on completed real estate transactions. The market for properties under construction in Abu Dhabi continued to attract interest in various price categories. Among popular ultra-luxury apartment projects was Saadiyat Cultural District, and on Yas Island, the Gardenia Bay project attracted seekers of luxury apartments. Shams Abu Dhabi on Al Reem Island was in the mid-range category, while the Al Reeman 1 and Reeman Garden 1 projects attracted interest in the affordable segment. Saadiyat Lagoons and Yas Park Gate remained popular for villas in the ultra-luxury and luxury classes. Bloom Living in Zayed City attracted mid-range buyers, and Al Reeman 2 in Al Shamkha was featured among affordable villa projects.
