According to recent data, rental rates have increased by an average of 23.6% during the last ten years throughout the United Arab Emirates.
A real estate company called Property Finder found that the average rental price rose 23.6% nationwide between November 2023 and November 2024.
Due to a growth in rental contracts and an influx of expatriates, the average rental price rose by 33.0% over a five-year period (November 2019 to November 2024).
In the UAE, rental properties are still very popular. Renting gives many locals, particularly foreigners, flexibility without the long-term commitment of ownership.
Even though certain places have seen increases in real estate values, renting is still frequently the more cost-effective choice, particularly for people who value location or lifestyle advantages. Many individuals also enjoy the convenience of renting, with upkeep often handled by landlords or property managers. This facilitates day-to-day life management.
However, the demand for rentals varies throughout the United Arab Emirates, with some localities providing these and other advantages.
UAE’s top rental hotspots
As of June 2025, the most searches for rental apartments on Property Finder were made in Dubai. Based on internal data on Property Finder, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi came in second and third place, respectively, in terms of page views.
With 214,607 page views, Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC) has the most page views of any community in Dubai for rental apartments. With 4,910 properties favorited on Property Finder, Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) has more favorites than any other neighborhood in the city.
The tremendous demand for flats for rent in Dubai is demonstrated by the fact that Dubai leads the market in terms of both rental activity and property availability.Â
JVC (9,092), Business Bay (5,631), Downtown Dubai (5,541), and Dubai Marina (4,933) are the neighborhoods in Dubai with the highest concentration of rental properties.
The demand for apartments in Dubai is demonstrated by the fact that, on average, 96% of the available units on Property Finder are apartments in these well-known rental complexes.
In all communities, the average annual rent is about Dh86,222. The most costly community is Palm Jumeirah, where rent is Dh170,000 on average per year.
The community of Al Nahda in Sharjah has the lowest average annual rent, at Dh43,000.
The highest listing price in Dubai was Dh1,500,000 annually, while the lowest was Dh28,000. Rent is Dh90,000 on average.
The highest listed price in Abu Dhabi is Dh350,000 annually, while the lowest is Dh27,000. Rent is Dh82,999 on average.
Rental prices in the UAE have shown considerable rise over the short and long term.
