I hope you’re all doing well.
Our advisory and office has recently placed ever-growing emphasis on Abu Dhabi as an investment destination. We have done this for several reasons, but here are the numbers behind our decision to place a substantial interest in the Abu Dhabi Market.
Before we start, this isn’t a slant on Dubai. Dubai is my family home for a good proportion of the year. It’s where Off Plan Dubai is based, and the market is as strong now as we have ever been. However, we must consider reports like the Fitch report as they stand; you cannot simply overlook the potential negatives and focus solely on the positives.
Below is a tight, practical comparison of Abu Dhabi vs Dubai for H2-2025 and into 2026 (the next 18 months), plus a clear recommendation depending on your risk/timeline.
Quick headline summary
Future Property Supply Vs Population Growth
Abu Dhabi purposely launches fewer projects, whereas Dubai has many private developers, resulting in more frequent launches. A typical off-plan project takes 3-4 years to complete. So let’s look at the Population Growth numbers vs the oncoming supply.
2021-2024
Dubai – 212,000 Units sold
Abu Dhabi – 22,000 Units sold
Dubai sold just over 9 times more properties than Abu Dhabi in the last 3 years, and that number jumps even further when you look at the sales YTD in both locations.
2025 YTD
Dubai – 66,029 Units sold
Abu Dhabi – 4,307 Units sold
In Dubai, there’s now a 15-fold increase in the same period for 2025.
Population Growth (June 2025 We received the census for 2024.)
Dubai – 169,000 increase (+4.5% = 3.86 million added)
Abu Dhabi – 288,840 increase (+7.5% = 4.14 million added)
As of June 2025, the population of the United Arab Emirates stands at 11.35 million. Both the populations in Abu Dhabi and Dubai are very similar, with each having just under 4 million people. The density in Abu Dhabi is much lower.
Measuring the impact of these numbers?
For every off-plan unit sold, we can see how many new residents were added to fulfil that level of demand.
In Dubai: 1.5 new residents per off-plan unit sold.
In contrast;
Abu Dhabi: 27 new residents for every off-plan unit sold.
The numbers show that in Abu Dhabi, you can be fully assured with any off-plan purchase that the increase in population will impact the demand, and ultimately the value and rental yield over the coming years. Tight supply, with increased growth, is the bedrock of any thriving real-estate market. This can be seen as a country as a whole, or in micro-markets across the region.
What does that mean for H2-2025 → 2026 (next 18 months)
Abu Dhabi (lower volatility / steady upside)
Dubai (higher upside, higher risk)
Conclusion:
In Dubai, be picky, vigilant and invest in the best products in the best locations. Use trusted brands/developers who will deliver the strongest options.
Abu Dhabi has its upside. You can live in Hudayriyat Island in a full Sea View villa with a price per sqft of just AED 1600 per sqft. You can comfortably pay that in Dubai to live 20 minutes into the desert.
We will keep you informed of the best options across both regions, and as always, we would only advise what we personally would invest in.
Personally, I am seeing friends and family moving to Abu Dhabi for logistical reasons, such as traffic and a slower pace, as individuals become families. My next personal purchase will be a Villa on Fahid or Hudayriyat Island, as well as the upcoming Trump Tower launch in the Capital.
Please enter your details to register your interest. Our investment expert will contact you to discuss the various opportunities, along with unit pricing and availability.
Off Plan Dubai
Suite: 508, Fairmont,
Sheikh Zayed Road,
P O Box 75671,
Dubai, UAE
Off Plan Dubai 85 Great Portland Street First Floor London W1W 7LT
The floor plans and brochure for this development will be emailed to you once you request further information from us.
property@offplandubai.ae 
+44 7595 715 264