SKID Dubai Hills Estate Benchmark (October 2026): Off-Plan vs Ready Price per Sq Ft
Oct 28, 2026
Short answer: In Dubai Hills Estate, SKID's DLD-based area sale price is AED 2,376.8 per sq ft, just 3.0% above the AED 2,307.0 per sq ft median paid for ready apartments across 276 closed sales. Gross rental yield is 5.87%, and 14 off-plan launches are on the SKID board (data as of 28 October 2026). The area gap is small, but most launch pages checked ask AED 2,500 to 2,800 per sq ft, so the real question is how far a specific quote sits above that ready median.
SKID Dubai Hills Estate Benchmark. Data as of 28 October 2026.
What is the price per sq ft in Dubai Hills Estate in 2026?
| Measure (SKID, 28 Oct 2026) | Dubai Hills Estate |
|---|---|
| SKID area sale price per sq ft (DLD-based) | AED 2,376.8 |
| Ready apartment closed-sale median | AED 2,307.0 / sq ft |
| Ready sample size (n) | 276 sales |
| Gap, area sale price vs ready median | +3.0% |
| Gross rental yield (DLD sale + Ejari rent) | 5.87% |
| Off-plan launches on the SKID board | 14 |
Source: SKID area data and DLD closed-sales comparison, 28 Oct 2026. Gap = area sale price ÷ ready median − 1.
Dubai Hills Estate is a large, mostly Emaar master community where finished apartment buildings already trade on the secondary market. That is why the area sale price and the ready median sit only 3.0% apart. If you are quoted for a new launch here, AED 2,307.0 per sq ft is the number to test it against: it is the median actually paid for finished apartments in the same community. On an 800 sq ft apartment, that median works out to roughly AED 1.85 million before fees.
Is Dubai Hills off-plan more expensive than ready property?
At the area level, only slightly. At the project level, usually yes, by around 6% to 18% on SKID's own launch pages, with one exception.
SKID's comparison tool shows how quickly the premium grows with the quoted price per sq ft. Two hypothetical quotes, run on 28 October 2026:
| Hypothetical Dubai Hills quote | Price per sq ft | Premium vs Dubai Hills ready median |
|---|---|---|
| AED 2,000,000 for 800 sq ft | AED 2,500.0 | +8.4% |
| AED 4,200,000 for 1,400 sq ft | AED 3,000.0 | +30.0% |
Both quotes are made-up examples. The premium figures are SKID's comparison output against a ready median of AED 2,307.0/sq ft (n=276).
SKID's live project pages for seven Dubai Hills launches showed these figures on 28 October 2026:
| Launch (SKID project page) | SKID score (label) | Asking AED/sq ft | Page premium vs AED 2,377 | Vs ready median AED 2,307 (our calc) | Payment plan | Handover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rosehill | 7.1 (worth comparing) | ~2,143 | −9.9% | −7.1% | 10/70/20 | Jun 2029 |
| Vida Residences Hillside | 6.9 (worth comparing) | ~2,518 | +5.9% | +9.1% | 10/70/20 | May 2029 |
| Palace Residences Hillside A | 6.8 (worth comparing) | ~2,529 | +6.4% | +9.6% | 10/70/20 | Jun 2029 |
| Lime Gardens | 6.7 (worth comparing) | ~2,698 | +13.5% | +16.9% | 20/0/80 | Completed (2025) |
| Parkside Views | 6.7 (worth comparing) | ~2,807 | +18.1% | +21.7% | 20/20/60 | Jan 2027 |
| Hyde Residences | 6.6 (worth comparing) | ~2,680 | +12.8% | +16.2% | 20/10/70 | Jun 2027 |
| Palace Residences Hillside B | 6.4 (proceed with caution) | ~2,685 | +13.0% | +16.4% | 10/70/20 | Nov 2030 |
Source: SKID project pages, last evaluated 26–28 Oct 2026. The pages compare each asking price with a Dubai Hills figure of AED 2,377/sq ft; the last premium column is our own arithmetic against the AED 2,307.0 ready-apartment median from SKID's DLD comparison. Asking prices are the published starting unit. Scores are re-evaluated and can change, so open each page for the current figure. This table is not a recommendation to buy or avoid any project.
Six of the seven launches ask more per sq ft than finished Dubai Hills apartments have sold for. Only Rosehill's published starting price sits below the benchmark. A smaller gap than in Business Bay still adds up: at +16%, a AED 2 million apartment costs about AED 275,000 more than the same floor area at the ready median, before the 4% DLD fee.
How does Dubai Hills compare with Downtown, Creek Harbour, Business Bay and the Marina?
| Area | SKID area sale price (AED/sq ft) | Ready median (AED/sq ft) | Ready n | Gap | Gross yield | Launches on SKID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai Hills Estate | 2,376.8 | 2,307.0 | 276 | +3.0% | 5.87% | 14 |
| Downtown Dubai | 2,651.8 | 2,410.8 | 427 | +10.0% | 5.02% | 9 |
| Dubai Creek Harbour | 2,347.9 | 2,301.8 | 629 | +2.0% | 5.38% | 18 |
| Business Bay | 2,239.8 | 1,806.4 | 692 | +24.0% | 4.88% | 47 |
| Dubai Marina | 1,904.1 | 1,828.8 | 591 | +4.1% | 5.53% | 10 |
Source: SKID, 28 Oct 2026. Gap = area sale price ÷ ready median − 1.
Ready apartments in Dubai Hills (AED 2,307.0) and Dubai Creek Harbour (AED 2,301.8) now trade at almost the same median, and both areas show small gaps. Downtown is the dearer prime option at AED 2,410.8 ready. Among these five areas, Dubai Hills has the highest gross yield (5.87%). Business Bay shows the widest gap between area price and ready median. For the full reads, see the Dubai Marina benchmark and the Business Bay benchmark.
What rental yield can you expect in Dubai Hills Estate?
SKID reports a gross yield of 5.87% for Dubai Hills Estate, based on DLD sale prices and Ejari-registered rents. That is the highest of the five prime and central areas compared above, and below mid-market areas such as JVC (see Dubai rental yields by area in 2026).
The figure is gross. Service charges, vacancy, furnishing and agency fees come off before you see a net return. SKID's exact yield method is being documented on its methodology page. Buying a launch at 16% above the ready median for the same rent will also pull your own yield below the area figure. If a sales deck promises much more than the area yield, ask which rents it assumes and whether they are Ejari-registered.
What payment plans do Dubai Hills off-plan launches offer?
This is where the launches differ most. Of the seven pages checked:
- 10/70/20 (Rosehill, Vida Residences Hillside, Palace Residences Hillside A and B): 10% down, 70% during construction, 20% on handover. Rosehill's page notes that this means about 80% of the price is paid before completion.
- 20/10/70 (Hyde Residences): 20% down, 10% during construction, 70% on handover.
- 20/20/60 (Parkside Views) and 20/0/80 (Lime Gardens).
A plan that leaves most of the price until handover keeps more of your money out of the developer's hands until the building is finished. A plan that front-loads 80% means more capital is tied up through construction, even when the down payment is only 10%. Compare the plan and the price per sq ft together, not one or the other. Before paying anything, run the checks in Before You Pay an Off-Plan Deposit in Dubai.
How much off-plan supply is coming in Dubai Hills Estate?
SKID tracks 14 launches in Dubai Hills Estate, 13 of them by Emaar. By stated handover year:
| Stated handover year | Launches on SKID board |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 | 1 |
| 2027 | 5 |
| 2028 | 0 |
| 2029 | 5 |
| 2030 | 1 |
| Other or not stated | 1 |
Source: SKID, 28 Oct 2026, n=14 launches. These are counts of launches on the SKID board, not unit counts or a DLD supply pipeline.
Two waves stand out: five launches due in 2027 and five in 2029. Projects that hand over in the same year compete for the same tenants and resale buyers, which can slow leasing and soften resale prices at handover. SKID's project pages flag this as a "busy pipeline" risk for Dubai Hills.
How do SKID's scores look for Dubai Hills launches?
In SKID's project search on 28 October 2026, 13 of the 14 Dubai Hills launches were in the "compare" band (worth comparing, with mixed evidence) and 1 was in the "caution" band (Palace Residences Hillside B). None were in the top "strong" band and none were marked "not recommended". On the seven pages checked, SKID names developer as the strongest evidenced factor for five launches (all Emaar). The weakest factor is supply (competing launches) for three, entry price for two, and service charges or delivery risk for one each.
On each scored launch, SKID gives one of four calls: Reserve, Negotiate, Wait or Walk Away. Open the project page for the live call. This post does not recommend specific units.
How much do Dubai Hills off-plan apartments start from?
In SKID's budget search on 28 October 2026, none of the 14 launches matched a budget of AED 1.5 million or less, 8 matched AED 2 million or less, and 13 matched AED 3 million or less. Published starting prices on the seven pages above range from AED 1.72 million (Palace Residences Hillside A) to AED 2.76 million (Parkside Views). Add the 4% DLD fee and other purchase costs on top; see Dubai Off-Plan Fees Explained.
FAQ
What is the average price per sq ft in Dubai Hills Estate? As of 28 October 2026, SKID's DLD-based area sale price for Dubai Hills Estate is AED 2,376.8 per sq ft. Ready apartments have sold at a median of AED 2,307.0 per sq ft across 276 closed sales.
Is Dubai Hills off-plan overpriced compared with ready apartments? At area level the gap is small (+3.0%). Six of the seven launch pages checked on 28 October 2026 ask between AED 2,518 and AED 2,807 per sq ft, which is 9% to 22% above the ready median. Check each quote against AED 2,307 per sq ft.
What is the rental yield in Dubai Hills Estate? SKID reports a 5.87% gross yield, before service charges, vacancy and management costs. That is higher than Downtown Dubai (5.02%), Dubai Creek Harbour (5.38%), Business Bay (4.88%) and Dubai Marina (5.53%).
How many off-plan projects are there in Dubai Hills Estate? 14 launches are on the SKID board as of 28 October 2026, 13 of them by Emaar. Five have a stated handover in 2027 and five in 2029.
Is Dubai Hills cheaper than Downtown Dubai? Yes, for ready apartments: a median of AED 2,307.0 per sq ft in Dubai Hills against AED 2,410.8 in Downtown, with a higher gross yield (5.87% vs 5.02%).
Methodology & sources
- SKID data (28 Oct 2026): for each area, the DLD-based area sale price per sq ft, gross yield (DLD sale price with Ejari rent) and launch count; the median price per sq ft and sample size (n) of ready apartment closed sales; launch counts by score band, stated handover year, developer and budget; hypothetical quote comparisons; and the scores, asking prices, premiums and payment plans shown on each linked project page. Gap = area sale price ÷ ready median − 1. The "vs ready median" column is our own arithmetic: asking price per sq ft ÷ 2,307.0 − 1.
- Definitions: the exact definition and date window of each SKID measure (including whether figures are means or medians, which comparison figure project pages use, and how yield is computed) are being documented on SKID's methodology page. Project pages compare with a Dubai Hills figure of AED 2,377/sq ft and cite 594 closed sales in the last year for exit liquidity; the area ready-apartment median in SKID's DLD comparison is AED 2,307.0 (n=276). Ready medians cover all apartment sizes together. Searches were filtered to emirate = Dubai.
- Changes since our last pull: on 7 October 2026 SKID's Dubai Hills ready sample was n=689 (median AED 2,398.4), with an area sale price of AED 2,390.2 and a 5.83% gross yield. On 28 October the sample is n=276. Project pages mention between 10 and 13 other launches in the area, while the board search counts 14 in total. Project scores were re-evaluated between 26 and 28 October.
- Public reference: DLD Smart Rental Index.
Check a Dubai Hills launch before you reserve
Got a Dubai Hills quote? Divide the price by the size and compare it with the AED 2,307.0 per sq ft ready median, then open the project on SKID's off-plan board. You'll see its premium over closed sales, its payment-plan exposure, what drove its score, and whether the call is Reserve, Negotiate, Wait or Walk Away.