What off-plan property can I buy in Dubai for under AED 1 million?
Under AED 1 million, most Dubai off-plan options are studios and one-bedroom apartments in mid-market and emerging communities, plus resales from original buyers before handover. Pick the unit by comparing its price per sq ft with DLD closed sales for similar units nearby, then add up every instalment, the handover payment and the 4% DLD fee against the cash you actually have. If the numbers only work with no handover delay, the unit is a stretch.
Current SKID analysis
- ENAAM "Elyra Residences" NEW LAUNCH
Dubai Silicon Oasis · Enaam Properties Development · 0–2 bed · from AED 695,000 · handover 2028
- SAEED TARRAD "Lunara Tower" NEW LAUNCH
Majan · Saeed Tarrad Real Estate Development · 1–2 bed · from AED 850,000 · handover 2029
- IMTIAZ "KORE by IMTIAZ" NEW LAUNCH
Dubailand Residence Complex · Imtiaz Developments · 0–2 bed · from AED 679,000 · handover 2028
- GREEN HORIZON DEVELOPMENTS "Meriden Gate" NEW LAUNCH
Jebel Ali · Green Horizon Developments · 0–2 bed · from AED 570,000 · handover 2029
- GALAXY REALTY "Elyra" NEW LAUNCH
Liwan · Galaxy Realty · 0–3 bed · from AED 757,000 · handover 2029
- MIRA DEVELOPMENTS "Mira Coral Bay - Richmond Residences Building 2" NEW LAUNCH
Al Mairid · Mira Developments · 0–3 bed · from AED 550,000 · handover 2029
Decision factors
- Payment plan
Turn the plan into dates and amounts: what is due before handover, the handover payment, and any post-handover instalments. Add the 4% DLD fee, which is usually paid in full at Oqood registration when you buy from a developer. Off-plan mortgages are capped at 50% loan-to-value, so most of the pre-handover money is usually cash. At this budget, a low-deposit plan with a large handover payment is the most common trap; check that you can fund it in cash or with a 50% LTV mortgage.
- Handover
Treat the handover date in the SPA as a target, not a promise. Check the project's completion percentage in the Dubai REST app and stress-test your cash and rent costs for a 6 to 12 month delay.
- Developer
Look at the developer's completed projects: how close past handovers came to the promised date, build quality and snagging, and the service charges residents actually pay. Confirm the project and its escrow account are registered with DLD/RERA.
- Community
Compare the launch price per sq ft with DLD closed sales for similar units in the same or nearest completed community, not portal asking prices. Check how much new supply hands over in the same area and year, because that sets your resale and rental competition. Entry-level communities often have the most new supply, so resale competition at handover can be heavy.
- Objective
Decide first whether this is a home or an investment. End users should add rent paid until handover to the cost; investors should judge net yield after service charges and vacancy, and how easily the unit will resell. Studios often show higher gross yields but more tenant turnover and a thinner resale market than one-bedrooms.
Methodology
SKID screens live Dubai off-plan launches from its off-plan catalog. For each launch it compares the asking price per sq ft with Dubai Land Department (DLD) closed sales for like-for-like units nearby (same size band, unit type and comparable floor and view), maps the payment plan into the total cash a buyer needs up to handover (instalments, the handover payment and the 4% DLD fee), and weighs handover timing, the developer's delivery record and upcoming supply in the community. The result is one of four calls: Reserve, Negotiate, Wait or Walk Away. Projects shown on this page come from that live screen, not from a static list, so prices and availability change as the catalog updates. Rules and fees quoted here are general; confirm anything material with DLD before you sign.
Data updated 21 Oct 2026