Abu Dhabi Real Estate & the Iran Conflict
How Abu Dhabi property prices and transaction activity have developed through 2026 — shown with real registered sale data, updated monthly.
- Prices have levelled off at a higher level: like-for-like (same-project) prices changed by less than 1% between Apr '26–Jun '26 and Jul '26–Sep '26, and month-to-month moves have stayed within ±1.4% since March 2026.
- That is 11% above Jul '25–Sep '25 on a same-project basis — a higher plateau than a year ago.
- Registered sales Jan–Sep 2026 are 42% above the same months of 2025.
- This is live official ADREC data, updated monthly — not an estimate, not a prediction.
Why We Looked
Regional developments in 2026 — including the conflict involving Iran that began on 28 February — prompted a fair question from buyers, owners and investors: has it changed what Abu Dhabi property sells for? This page answers with registered sale prices from ADREC rather than sentiment, and it is updated as new records are published. We report what has been registered; we do not forecast.
What Abu Dhabi's Transaction Data Shows
All figures below are official registered sale transactions from ADREC (Abu Dhabi's real estate regulator) — not asking prices, not estimates. The tables show each month against the January 2026 baseline.
Abu Dhabi — Citywide
| Month | Transactions | Avg. AED/sqft (vs Jan '26) |
|---|---|---|
| Nov '25 | 1,624 | 1,831 AED/sqft |
| Dec '25 | 1,996 | 1,730 AED/sqft |
| Jan '26 | 2,283 | 1,967 AED/sqft baseline |
| Feb '26 | 2,452 | 2,106 AED/sqft ▲ +7.1% |
| Mar '26 | 2,213 | 2,270 AED/sqft ▲ +15.4% |
| Apr '26 | 2,836 | 2,016 AED/sqft ▲ +2.5% |
| May '26 | 1,774 | 2,023 AED/sqft ▲ +2.8% |
| Jun '26 | 1,840 | 1,921 AED/sqft ▼ -2.3% |
| Jul '26 | 1,340 | 2,025 AED/sqft ▲ +2.9% |
| Aug '26 | 1,866 | 1,985 AED/sqft ▲ +0.9% |
| Sep '26 | 1,639 | 2,118 AED/sqft ▲ +7.7% |
| Oct '26 | 561 | 2,078 AED/sqft ▲ +5.6% |
Yas Island
| Month | Transactions | Avg. AED/sqft (vs Jan '26) |
|---|---|---|
| Nov '25 | 310 | 2,096 AED/sqft |
| Dec '25 | 385 | 1,972 AED/sqft |
| Jan '26 | 611 | 2,321 AED/sqft baseline |
| Feb '26 | 454 | 2,276 AED/sqft ▼ -1.9% |
| Mar '26 | 544 | 2,177 AED/sqft ▼ -6.2% |
| Apr '26 | 471 | 2,037 AED/sqft ▼ -12.2% |
| May '26 | 544 | 2,353 AED/sqft ▲ +1.4% |
| Jun '26 | 317 | 2,315 AED/sqft ▼ -0.3% |
| Jul '26 | 379 | 2,314 AED/sqft ▼ -0.3% |
| Aug '26 | 180 | 1,952 AED/sqft ▼ -15.9% |
| Sep '26 | 398 | 2,731 AED/sqft ▲ +17.7% |
| Oct '26 | 60 | 1,980 AED/sqft ▼ -14.7% |
Al Reem Island
| Month | Transactions | Avg. AED/sqft (vs Jan '26) |
|---|---|---|
| Nov '25 | 515 | 1,567 AED/sqft |
| Dec '25 | 549 | 1,652 AED/sqft |
| Jan '26 | 754 | 1,624 AED/sqft baseline |
| Feb '26 | 636 | 1,633 AED/sqft ▲ +0.6% |
| Mar '26 | 589 | 1,689 AED/sqft ▲ +4.0% |
| Apr '26 | 893 | 1,705 AED/sqft ▲ +5.0% |
| May '26 | 595 | 1,774 AED/sqft ▲ +9.2% |
| Jun '26 | 956 | 1,808 AED/sqft ▲ +11.3% |
| Jul '26 | 445 | 1,629 AED/sqft ▲ +0.3% |
| Aug '26 | 344 | 1,702 AED/sqft ▲ +4.8% |
| Sep '26 | 373 | 1,687 AED/sqft ▲ +3.9% |
| Oct '26 | 130 | 1,736 AED/sqft ▲ +6.9% |
Al Saadiyat Island
| Month | Transactions | Avg. AED/sqft (vs Jan '26) |
|---|---|---|
| Nov '25 | 70 | 2,543 AED/sqft |
| Dec '25 | 111 | 2,896 AED/sqft |
| Jan '26 | 138 | 3,147 AED/sqft baseline |
| Feb '26 | 227 | 3,435 AED/sqft ▲ +9.2% |
| Mar '26 | 325 | 3,352 AED/sqft ▲ +6.5% |
| Apr '26 | 300 | 2,887 AED/sqft ▼ -8.3% |
| May '26 | 108 | 2,943 AED/sqft ▼ -6.5% |
| Jun '26 | 119 | 2,592 AED/sqft ▼ -17.6% |
| Jul '26 | 165 | 2,676 AED/sqft ▼ -15.0% |
| Aug '26 | 224 | 2,566 AED/sqft ▼ -18.5% |
| Sep '26 | 79 | 2,436 AED/sqft ▼ -22.6% |
| Oct '26 | 67 | 2,422 AED/sqft ▼ -23.0% |
Excludes records with implausible AED/sqft values (below 200 or above 5,000) as likely data-entry errors. October 2026 is a partial month (through 12 October 2026) — its transaction count is not directly comparable to full months.
Average AED/sqft reflects whatever actually sold that month — not a fixed basket of identical properties. If a handful of ultra-luxury villas close in one month, the average rises even if nothing changed for a typical buyer; a run of smaller apartments does the opposite. This is true every month, which is a big part of why averages move around from month to month.
That's why we publish transaction count next to price: a figure backed by hundreds of transactions carries more weight than one backed by a handful (like Al Saadiyat Island's low-volume months). Read the trend across several months rather than any single month.
Check Your Own Area
The four communities above aren't the only ones we track. Pick another Abu Dhabi district below to see the same month-by-month breakdown for it.
What The Numbers Show
Average price per square foot mixes whatever sold in a given month, so on its own it can move for reasons unrelated to the market. To see through that, we also compare each project with itself: across 111 projects with at least five sales in both periods, median price per square foot moved by less than 1% from Apr '26–Jun '26 to Jul '26–Sep '26, and is 11% above Jul '25–Sep '25.
This lines up with independent reporting too: Arab News reported Abu Dhabi's total transaction value up 112% year-on-year in H1 2026.
Al Saadiyat Island shows why mix matters: the ultra-premium off-plan project The Row Saadiyat (~3,900 AED/sqft) made up roughly 200 of the island's ~330 transactions at its Jan–Mar 2026 peak. From April, newer projects at more accessible price points — including Saadiyat Lagoons and Manarat Living, both under 2,000 AED/sqft — took a larger share of sales, which moves the island's average toward those price levels. That is a change in what sold, not a repricing of individual homes.
What This Data Can't Tell You
This is a record of registered sales — not a forecast, a safety assessment, or investment advice. We update these figures monthly as ADREC publishes new transaction records, and we'll revise this page as the picture develops.
Last updated 12 October 2026, using ADREC transaction records through October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has the Iran conflict affected Abu Dhabi property prices?
Based on official ADREC transaction records through October 2026: Same-project prices have levelled off at a higher level: median AED/sqft changed by less than 1% between Apr '26–Jun '26 and Jul '26–Sep '26 and is 11% above Jul '25–Sep '25. Registered sales Jan–Sep 2026 are 42% above the same months of 2025. Average price per square foot depends on the mix of what sold each month, so we compare projects with themselves and publish transaction counts alongside price.
Why does average price per square foot move from month to month?
Average AED/sqft reflects whatever sold that month. A real example: at its early-2026 peak, the ultra-premium off-plan project The Row Saadiyat (~3,900 AED/sqft) made up roughly 200 of Al Saadiyat Island's ~330 transactions; later, newer projects at more accessible price points such as Saadiyat Lagoons and Manarat Living (both under 2,000 AED/sqft) took a larger share, which moves the island's average toward those levels. That is a change in which properties sold, not a repricing of individual homes — and it happens in every community, which is why we publish transaction counts alongside price.
What does the data say about Abu Dhabi property right now?
Same-project prices have levelled off at a higher level: median AED/sqft changed by less than 1% between Apr '26–Jun '26 and Jul '26–Sep '26 and is 11% above Jul '25–Sep '25. Registered sales Jan–Sep 2026 are 42% above the same months of 2025. We don't make investment recommendations; the tables on this page show registered sale prices and transaction counts month by month for Abu Dhabi citywide, Yas Island, Al Reem Island and Al Saadiyat Island (as of 12 October 2026).
How do 2026 transaction numbers compare with 2025?
Registered sales Jan–Sep 2026 are 42% above the same months of 2025. Monthly volumes vary with launch timing and season; the tables show every month, with the latest figures shown through October 2026.
Is this data kept up to date?
Yes — the figures on this page are pulled live from our ADREC transaction database and reflect records through October 2026. We revisit this page as new monthly data becomes available.
Can real estate agents share this with clients?
Yes — this page is free to share, quote, and forward to clients. If you cite specific figures elsewhere, please link back to this page or attribute EstateIQ.
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