Dubai Property Types Compared: Apartments, Villas, Plots and Where the Data Points
The real transaction mix
Across the full real DLD dataset behind Keyva, property types split out as follows:
| Property type | Transactions | Median AED/sqft |
|---|---|---|
| Apartment | 957,790 | AED 1,386 |
| Villa | 107,459 | AED 1,003 |
| Plot | 92,367 | AED 1,117 |
| Commercial | 84,502 | AED 1,200 |
Figures from Dubai Land Department records as at August 2026.
Apartments dominate by volume, not necessarily by price
Apartments account for roughly 72% of all real transactions in this dataset — by far the most liquid, most frequently traded property type in Dubai. That liquidity matters beyond just "more options": it means more comparable sales to price against and, generally, an easier resale process than a less-traded type.
Apartments trade at a markedly higher median AED/sqft (AED 1,386) than villas (AED 1,003), despite villas carrying a far higher total price tag due to size — a reminder that price-per-square-foot and total price tell different stories, and villa buyers are largely paying for land and space rather than a premium rate per square foot.
Plots: the outlier
Plots trade at a lower median AED/sqft (AED 1,117) than apartments — expected, since a plot's value doesn't include a finished structure. Plot transactions represent land purchases for future development, a fundamentally different investment thesis (and risk profile) than buying a completed or off-plan unit.
Commercial property
Commercial transactions trade at the highest median AED/sqft (AED 1,818) of the four types shown, reflecting a different tenant base, lease structure, and yield dynamic than residential — worth treating as its own category with its own research rather than assuming residential logic applies.
The practical takeaway
If liquidity and ease of comparison matter to your decision, apartments have by far the deepest real transaction history to draw on in this market. That doesn't make villas or plots worse investments — it means you should expect fewer close comparables and be more conservative about how confidently you can price them, especially for a less commonly traded type in your specific area of interest. Filter by property type on any area page to see this play out locally.