Apartments for Sale in Dubai Marina: Prices, Rents, Yields
Dubai Marina is the address most people picture when they think of buying here: a three-kilometre waterway ringed by towers, walkable, tram-connected, and never short of tenants.
It does not pay the highest yield in Dubai. What it pays instead is liquidity — the near-certainty that you can let it this month and sell it this year.
Key Takeaways
- Price: about AED 2,058 per sq ft on average, above the city's AED 1,720-1,770.
- Yield: 6-6.8% gross, roughly 5-5.5% net — steady rather than spectacular.
- Service charge: AED 18-25 per sq ft a year, higher than mid-market towers because of the podium, pools and marina frontage.
- Entry: from about AED 1.2 million for a small unit in a newer tower.
- Short lets work here — one of the few Dubai districts with genuine holiday-home demand all year.
- The catch: a lot of the stock is 15-20 years old, and buildings differ enormously in upkeep.
Why the Marina holds its value
Three things: it is finished, it is walkable, and it is where people actually want to live. The Walk at JBR, the tram, two metro stations within reach, restaurants at street level and the beach ten minutes away — none of that is being replicated in a new master plan.
That maturity is the investment case. In a market absorbing 70,537 scheduled units in 2027, a district that cannot add much more supply is structurally better protected than one that can.
What it costs
| Unit | Typical price | Typical size | Gross yield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | AED 850,000-1,300,000 | 400-550 sq ft | 6.5-7% |
| 1 bedroom | AED 1,300,000-2,200,000 | 700-950 sq ft | 6-6.8% |
| 2 bedroom | AED 2,200,000-4,000,000 | 1,200-1,600 sq ft | 6% |
| Branded and penthouse | AED 5 million upwards | Varies | 4-5% |
On our Dubai list, Pelagos by IGO starts around AED 1.2 million, Cavalli Tower around AED 2.9 million, and LIV LUX at the top of the market around AED 26 million.
What tenants pay
| Unit | Long let, per year | Who rents it |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | AED 60,000-85,000 | Single professionals, short-stay corporates |
| 1 bedroom | AED 85,000-130,000 | Couples, relocating executives |
| 2 bedroom | AED 130,000-200,000 | Families and sharers wanting the location |
Marina rents softened with the rest of the market in 2026 — average Dubai rents fell 6.2% between the first and second quarters — but void periods here stay short. A well-presented unit at market rent does not sit empty for long.
The short-let question
The Marina is one of the few districts where a holiday-home licence genuinely changes the maths. Nightly rates through the winter season can lift gross returns above a long let, and demand is not confined to a few weeks.
It is not free money. You need a Department of Economy and Tourism permit — around AED 1,520 a year to self-manage — plus the Tourism Dirham of AED 10-20 a night, a 7% municipality fee and 5% VAT on operator services. Add cleaning, linen, management at 15-25% of revenue, and summer voids. The rules are in our guide to renting out a Dubai property.
What to watch before you buy
- Building age and upkeep. Much of the Marina completed between 2007 and 2012. Ask when the lifts, chillers and facade were last serviced — a deferred-maintenance building becomes a special assessment later.
- The service charge. AED 18-25 per sq ft is normal here; some towers run higher. On 1,000 sq ft that is AED 18,000-25,000 a year off your rent.
- Which way it faces. Marina view, sea view, or the back of the next tower — within one building that can be a 25-30% difference in both rent and price.
- Chiller charges. Some buildings bill cooling separately, which changes what a tenant will pay in rent.
- Parking. One space is standard; two is rare and valuable.
Marina against the alternatives
| Dubai Marina | JLT | Business Bay | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per sq ft | About 2,058 | 1,960-2,643 | About 2,547 |
| Gross yield | 6-6.8% | 7-9% | 6-8% |
| Service charge | 18-25 | 13-18 | 13-18 |
| Short lets | Strong | Moderate | Moderate |
| Best for | Liquidity and lifestyle | Yield with metro access | Central, corporate tenants |
JLT sits across the road and pays more, with less polish. The Marina charges a premium for the waterfront and the walkability, and in a soft market that premium is what keeps the unit sellable. Compare across the city in our area guide.
Who it suits
Buyers who want a property they can also use, owners who want a short-let option, and anyone whose first priority is being able to exit. It suits you less if you are chasing the highest yield per dirham — JVC, Al Furjan and Dubai South all pay more.
Run it on your own numbers. Set the price, the rent and the service charge and the calculator gives you the fees, the cash you need on day one and what the rent leaves after costs — in your own currency.
Dubai property calculator — costs, cash needed and net rent
Works from any country: pick your currency, or type your own rate. Fees follow the DLD schedule; rent figures are yours to set.
| Charge | AED | Your currency |
|---|
Fee basis: DLD transfer 4% of price, plus a DLD admin fee of AED 580 on a ready unit and AED 40 at Oqood on an off-plan one; registration trustee AED 4,000 below AED 500,000 and AED 4,200 above, plus 5% VAT; title deed and map about AED 500; agency 2% plus 5% VAT where used; mortgage registration 0.25% of the loan plus AED 290. Rates shown are indicative, read on 9 September 2026, and the pegged ones (USD and the GCC currencies) do not move — edit the rate box for anything else. This is an estimate to plan with, not a quotation, and it does not cover tax in your own country.
The five-year view
The Marina's supply story is close to finished. The waterfront is built, the plots are taken, and what completes now is infill rather than expansion — a tower here, a branded residence there. Compare that with the districts absorbing the bulk of the 70,537 units scheduled across Dubai for 2027, and the difference in rental pressure is obvious.
What changes instead is the age profile. A large share of Marina stock is now 15 to 20 years old, and buildings are separating into two groups: those whose owners associations have funded chiller replacements, facade work and lift upgrades, and those that have deferred them. Over five years that gap widens into a real difference in rent, service charge and resale price. When you compare two units at the same price per square foot, you are usually comparing two maintenance histories.
The costs that do not appear in the asking price
Budget for more than the 6-8% of purchase costs. In a Marina tower the annual line items add up: the service charge at AED 18-25 per sq ft, cooling billed separately in some buildings, and the periodic special assessment when an association funds major work. On a 1,000 sq ft apartment that is AED 18,000-25,000 a year before anything goes wrong, against AED 10,000-13,000 for the same size in JVC.
None of that makes the Marina a bad buy. It makes it a different one: you are paying a higher holding cost for an asset that lets quickly, sells quickly and can be used yourself. Just put the real numbers into the yield before you decide, rather than the community average from a listing portal.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an apartment in Dubai Marina cost?
At roughly AED 2,058 per sq ft, studios run about AED 850,000-1.3 million, one-bedrooms AED 1.3-2.2 million and two-bedrooms AED 2.2-4 million, depending on the tower, floor and view.
What is the rental yield in Dubai Marina?
About 6-6.8% gross, landing near 5-5.5% net after a service charge of AED 18-25 per sq ft and an allowance for voids. It is lower than JVC or JLT and steadier than both.
Is Dubai Marina good for short-term rentals?
It is one of the strongest districts for it, with year-round visitor demand. You need a DET holiday-home permit, around AED 1,520 a year to self-manage, plus the Tourism Dirham, a 7% municipality fee and VAT on operator services.
Can foreigners buy in Dubai Marina?
Yes, it is a designated freehold area open to any nationality, resident or not, with the title registered at the Dubai Land Department.
Is Dubai Marina a good investment in 2026?
For liquidity and a usable asset, yes. Supply is effectively capped because the district is built out, which protects it as 70,537 units are scheduled elsewhere in 2027. For maximum yield, the value communities pay two points more.
Send us the tower and the floor you are considering and we will check its service charge, its recent sales and what the same line is renting for today.
