02/08/2026
Why some of Dubai’s smartest investors are quietly moving out of residential apartments and into commercial office space
Everyone talks about the “7% rental yield” on Dubai apartments. Almost nobody talks about what’s left after you factor in tenant turnover every year, repainting between leases, vacancy periods, and steadily rising service charges.
Once you account for all of that, the real number is usually closer to 5.5%.
Now compare that to Grade-A commercial office space in Dubai’s growing business districts:
→ Corporate tenants typically sign 3–5 year leases, so your income is far more predictable than annual residential turnover
→ Tenants usually cover their own fit-out costs, meaning less capital out of your pocket
→ Net rental yields commonly run between 8.5% and 11%
→ Businesses are generally more reliable tenants, since maintaining their office space matters directly to running their operations
The bigger picture is supply and demand. Dubai has delivered thousands of new residential units in recent years, but premium office space hasn’t kept pace with the number of new businesses setting up in the city. That imbalance is pushing occupancy and rental growth higher for well-located commercial assets.
I’ve put together a short briefing covering three commercial investment opportunities in Dubai currently targeting yields above 9%.
Comment “OFFICE” below and I’ll send it over to you.
(This is general market commentary, not financial advice — always do your own due diligence before investing.)
