According to a Deutsche Bank analysis, due to soaring demand, Dubai has seen the most increase in city center real estate prices per square meter worldwide during the last five years.
It costs $7,602 per square metre to buy an apartment in the city centre in Dubai, a growth of “122 per cent” in the past five years, the Mapping the World’s Prices – 2025 report said. It added that the emirate has been the biggest climber over the five-year period, “up 15 places to 37th globally”.
“Hong Kong prices have fallen by circa 20 per cent in five years but still top the list at $25,946, followed by Zurich, Singapore, Seoul and Geneva,” the report said.
According to the survey, which looked at 69 cities worldwide, the price of an apartment in the heart of Abu Dhabi is $5,977 per square meter (up 64% since 2020), $4,944 in Doha, $2,664 in Riyadh, and $3,036 in Istanbul. These prices are still significantly lower than those of other big cities.
Government programs including the extension of the 10-year golden visa program, residency permits for remote workers and retirees, and the general expansion of the UAE economy through diversification efforts have all benefited Dubai’s real estate market.
According to a report released last month by New York-based Fitch Ratings, as a record number of projects begin construction, Dubai’s real estate market is expected to see a “moderate correction” in the second half of 2025. Additionally, according to the ratings agency, there might be a 15% decline in home prices this year.
Nonetheless, because of Dubai’s record population growth, ongoing housing demand, and mature real estate sector, industry experts are optimistic about the market’s future and believe any correction would be mild.
According to a Deutsche Bank analysis, renting a three-bedroom property in the city center of Dubai is the tenth most expensive place in the world. A three-bedroom flat in the center of Dubai now costs $4,589 per month, which is 49% more than it was a few years ago.
According to the report, the most expensive city was New York, where renting a comparable property costs $8,388 a month. Singapore ($6,216), Boston ($6,091), London ($5,560), and San Francisco ($5,424) were next in line.
Renting a three-bedroom apartment in the heart of Abu Dhabi ($3,052), Doha ($2,946), or Riyadh ($2,047) is much less expensive.
“Dubai also ranked eighth globally for most expensive rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre at $2,401 per month,” Deutsche Bank said.
In terms of home affordability as measured by mortgages as a percentage of income, Riyadh, Doha, and Dubai were also listed in the top 10 cities worldwide. According to the research, this indicates a “strong purchasing power to property price ratio” throughout the Gulf.
Chicago, Riyadh, Johannesburg, Brussels, and Birmingham are the top five cities in the world for housing affordability.
Abu Dhabi, meanwhile, came in at number eighteen in the world for quality of life in terms of commuting time, safety, purchasing power, and health care. Due to its high purchasing power and safety, Dubai came in at number 19, while Doha and Riyadh came in at number 23 and 31 respectively.
With an average monthly pay of $4,064, Dubai led the area and came in at number 15 internationally in terms of net salaries, with a gain of 35.7% over five years. Abu Dhabi came in second with $3,308, Doha third with $3,062, and Riyadh third with $2,442, according to the survey.
“To maximise net income, head to Geneva [net monthly salary of $7,984], Zurich, San Francisco, Luxembourg, Boston, Chicago and New York. Switzerland and the US continue to be magnets for high earners,” the report said.
In other findings, the survey found that Abu Dhabi, along with Singapore and Copenhagen, which discourage automobile ownership by high taxes and policies, was one of the top five most costly places in the world to purchase a car.
However, when it came to gas prices, Riyadh, Doha, and Dubai were some of the most affordable cities in the world. According to the research, fuel taxes in Istanbul have made gasoline much more expensive.
Doha, on the other hand, was listed as one of the top five most costly cities in the world for a monthly gym membership. A gym membership costs $119 in Doha, $106 in Riyadh, $86 in Dubai, and $66 in Abu Dhabi per month.
The US is still one of the cheapest locations for Apple products, second only to South Korea, where “fierce competition with Samsung requires a more aggressive pricing structure,” according to the study, while Istanbul has the highest iPhone prices.
iPhones in Riyadh and Dubai are priced in the mid- to high range, however they are less expensive than those in Europe and more expensive than those in the US and South Korea.
Abu Dhabi is also thought to have some of the highest internet costs in the world. According to the research, the US and the Middle East rank among the top regions most expensive broadband and mobile services.
