Areas › Compare › Downtown Dubai vs Business Bay
Downtown Dubai vs Business Bay (Dubai)
Downtown Dubai: The city centre around Burj Khalifa and The Dubai Mall: Emaar's high-end apartment towers and Dubai's flagship prime district, with strong tourist and short-let demand.
Business Bay: A mixed commercial and residential district next to Downtown Dubai along the Dubai Water Canal, with dense high-rise apartments and offices and a steady pipeline of off-plan launches.
In short: Business Bay for a lower price per sq ft and yield (as of the data date; individual properties vary widely).
Price level: the three-month median is AED 2,697 per sq ft in Downtown Dubai and AED 2,151 in Business Bay. Downtown Dubai is 25% more expensive.
For studios: AED 3,788 vs 2,503 per sq ft (last 12 months).
Trend: the mix-adjusted price index is -5.2% year on year in Downtown Dubai and -5.1% in Business Bay (-3.3% / -2.7% over three months). Little difference.
Activity: 527 residential sales in Downtown Dubai over three months (-34% y/y) vs 1,291 in Business Bay (-72% y/y); off-plan share 19% vs 36%.
Yield: indicative gross yield 4.6% in Downtown Dubai and 5.0% in Business Bay.
Supply: completions due within 12 months — Downtown Dubai 10,496 units (5.0× annual sales), Business Bay 14,726 units (2.9×).
Market phase: Downtown Dubai correction (stress 43.4), Business Bay correction (stress 42.1).
| Downtown Dubai | Business Bay | |
|---|---|---|
| AED / sq ft (3-month median) | 2,697 | 2,151 |
| Price, year on year | -5.2% | -5.1% |
| Price, 3 months | -3.3% | -2.7% |
| Sales (3 months) | 527 | 1,291 |
| Sales, year on year | -34% | -72% |
| Off-plan share | 19% | 36% |
| Gross yield | 4.6% | 5.0% |
| Phase | correction | correction |
| Stress | 43.4 | 42.1 |
Data as of 2026-10-11. The price index compares like-for-like sales (same project and unit type). Area detail: Downtown Dubai · Business Bay.
More comparisons
Jumeirah Village Circle vs Jumeirah Village Triangle · Jumeirah Village Circle vs Arjan · Dubai Marina vs Jumeirah Lake Towers · Dubai Creek Harbour vs Downtown Dubai · Dubai Hills Estate vs Damac Hills · Dubai Sports City vs Motor City · Dubai South vs Arjan · Al Reem Island vs Yas Island · Saadiyat Island vs Yas Island · Al Reem Island vs Al Raha Beach · Business Bay vs Al Reem Island
Sources: Dubai Land Department (DLD Open Data; Dubai sales before 2026 via the CC BY 4.0 republication by Dubai Real Estate Data, dubairealestatedata.com), Ejari rent contracts, Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC), FRED, New York Fed, US Treasury. Residential (apartment and villa) sales only; cells with fewer than 5 sales are hidden. Information only, not investment advice.