As of September 2026, we compare Meydan (Al Merkadh) and Business Bay on Dubai Land Department apartment sales over the last 12 complete months. Ready stock in Meydan (Al Merkadh) averaged AED 1,958 per sq ft across 2,024 sales at about 7.0% gross yield; Business Bay averaged AED 1,992 per sq ft across 2,791 sales at about 6.6% gross yield. Off-plan was 24% of apartment sales in Meydan (Al Merkadh) and 58% in Business Bay.
Liquidity sits in different bedrooms. Ready demand in Meydan (Al Merkadh) is led by 1 Bedroom (813), Studio (656); in Business Bay it is 1 Bedroom (1,094), Studio (827). By bedroom, ready yield in Meydan (Al Merkadh) is led by Studio 7.8%, 1 Bedroom 6.9%, 2 Bedroom 6.2%; in Business Bay it is Studio 8.0%, 1 Bedroom 6.8%, 2 Bedroom 5.5%.
Off-plan added 639 apartment sales in Meydan (Al Merkadh) and 3,898 in Business Bay — no current rental yield. Off-plan PSF sat +12% above ready in Meydan (Al Merkadh) and +54% in Business Bay. In the same window DLD recorded 1,410 mortgage registrations in Meydan (Al Merkadh) and 2,044 in Business Bay (new charge plus refinance, not the financed share of those sales). An illustrative 80% / 25-year file on the average ready 1-bedroom is about AED 5,608 a month in Meydan (Al Merkadh) (AED 1,294,000) and AED 6,527 in Business Bay (AED 1,506,000) — not a quote.
Who it fits: two buyer files, not a winner. A ready-home file that wants current rent looks at Meydan (Al Merkadh) (7.0% overall; Studio 7.8%, 1 Bedroom 6.9%, 2 Bedroom 6.2%) versus Business Bay (6.6%; Studio 8.0%, 1 Bedroom 6.8%, 2 Bedroom 5.5%). An off-plan / handover file is heavier in Business Bay (58% of apartment sales) than in Meydan (Al Merkadh) (24%); that buyer is paying the PSF premium (+12% in Meydan (Al Merkadh), +54% in Business Bay) without today's rent.
Side by side
| Meydan (Al Merkadh) | Business Bay | |
|---|---|---|
| Ready apartments (12m) | 2,024 | 2,791 |
| Average ready price | AED 1,478,000 | AED 1,993,000 |
| Ready PSF | AED 1,958 | AED 1,992 |
| Gross yield (ready) | 7.0% | 6.6% |
| Off-plan apartments | 639 | 3,898 |
| Off-plan share | 24% | 58% |
| Average off-plan price | AED 2,028,000 | AED 3,277,000 |
| Off-plan PSF | AED 2,195 | AED 3,065 |
| Off-plan PSF vs ready | +12% | +54% |
| Mortgage registrations | 1,410 | 2,044 |
Apartment sales (studio–6 bedroom and penthouse) from Dubai Land Department · 12 complete months to September 2026. PSF is sale price ÷ internal area. Mortgage registrations are a separate DLD series (new charge plus refinance), not the cash-versus-loan share of the sales above. Yield is indicative gross rent ÷ ready price.
Ready sales by bedroom
| Meydan (Al Merkadh) | Business Bay | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit type | Sales | Avg price | Avg PSF | Sales | Avg price | Avg PSF |
| Studio | 656 | AED 712,000 | AED 1,935 | 827 | AED 944,000 | AED 2,109 |
| 1 Bedroom | 813 | AED 1,294,000 | AED 1,922 | 1,094 | AED 1,506,000 | AED 1,829 |
| 2 Bedroom | 423 | AED 2,261,000 | AED 1,964 | 647 | AED 2,511,000 | AED 1,906 |
| 3 Bedroom | 107 | AED 3,550,000 | AED 2,022 | 179 | AED 5,094,000 | AED 2,225 |
| 4 Bedroom | 25 | AED 5,467,000 | AED 2,134 | 36 | AED 9,009,000 | AED 1,960 |
| 5 Bedroom | — | — | — | 5 | AED 42,978,000 | AED 3,034 |
| 6 Bedroom | — | — | — | 2 | AED 27,049,000 | AED 2,763 |
| Penthouse | — | — | — | 1 | AED 2,500,000 | AED 1,573 |
Ready gross yield by bedroom
| Unit type | Meydan (Al Merkadh) | Business Bay |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | 7.8% | 8.0% |
| 1 Bedroom | 6.9% | 6.8% |
| 2 Bedroom | 6.2% | 5.5% |
| 3 Bedroom | 5.5% | 3.9% |
| 4 Bedroom | — | 3.9% |
Indicative gross yield: 12-month average annual rent ÷ ready sale price. Bedrooms with fewer than 20 ready sales on both sides are omitted. Outside the 2–12% quality band we show —. Off-plan has no current rental yield.
Off-plan sales by bedroom
| Meydan (Al Merkadh) | Business Bay | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit type | Sales | Avg price | Avg PSF | Sales | Avg price | Avg PSF |
| Studio | 160 | AED 1,028,000 | AED 2,296 | 873 | AED 1,246,000 | AED 2,746 |
| 1 Bedroom | 269 | AED 1,707,000 | AED 2,172 | 1,776 | AED 2,301,000 | AED 2,699 |
| 2 Bedroom | 148 | AED 2,798,000 | AED 2,159 | 979 | AED 4,120,000 | AED 2,841 |
| 3 Bedroom | 51 | AED 4,103,000 | AED 2,305 | 223 | AED 8,685,000 | AED 3,566 |
| 4 Bedroom | 11 | AED 4,428,000 | AED 1,972 | 35 | AED 16,271,000 | AED 3,873 |
| 5 Bedroom | — | — | — | 4 | AED 81,877,000 | AED 6,729 |
| 6 Bedroom | — | — | — | 7 | AED 103,870,000 | AED 7,731 |
| Penthouse | — | — | — | 1 | AED 4,000,000 | AED 997 |
Villa sales
| Meydan (Al Merkadh) | Business Bay | |
|---|---|---|
| Villa sales | 25 | 0 |
Shown only where DLD recorded villa sales in the window.
Ready mortgage registrations by bedroom
| Unit type | Meydan (Al Merkadh) | Business Bay |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | 239 | 214 |
| 1 Bedroom | 578 | 672 |
| 2 Bedroom | 311 | 472 |
| 3 Bedroom | 95 | 236 |
| 4 Bedroom | 12 | 37 |
| 5 Bedroom | 1 | 2 |
| 6 Bedroom | 0 | 2 |
| Penthouse | 0 | 1 |
Ready apartment mortgage registrations in the same window. A bedroom can show more registrations than sales (refinance of older stock).
Example: a 1-bedroom on a mortgage
On the average ready 1-bedroom — Meydan (Al Merkadh) AED 1,294,000, Business Bay AED 1,506,000 — a 80% mortgage over 25 years at an illustrative 4.25% rate is about AED 5,608 per month in Meydan (Al Merkadh) and AED 6,527 in Business Bay. This is not a quote. Your rate and instalment depend on your file and lender.
Ready vs off-plan mix
Share of apartment sales · 12 complete months to September 2026. Off-plan has no current rental yield.
Ready sales by bedroom
Ready apartment sales · 12 complete months to September 2026.
Ready gross yield by bedroom
Indicative gross yield (annual rent ÷ ready price) · as of September 2026. Thin bedrooms omitted.
Ready sales vs mortgage registrations
Each point is a bedroom · 12 complete months to September 2026. Registrations are a separate DLD series (new charge plus refinance).
What this means for your mortgage
We would not pick a winner on ready volume. The split that matters is the mix and the off-plan premium: Business Bay is 58% off-plan against 24% in Meydan (Al Merkadh), and buyers pay +12% more per sq ft off-plan in Meydan (Al Merkadh) and +54% in Business Bay. If the brief is current income, we start in the ready bedrooms that still pay (Meydan (Al Merkadh): Studio 7.8%, 1 Bedroom 6.9%, 2 Bedroom 6.2%; Business Bay: Studio 8.0%, 1 Bedroom 6.8%, 2 Bedroom 5.5%). If the brief is a future handover, we size the file on the calculator, not on today's rent. Start with our mortgage eligibility calculator and a TruValue valuation (AED 599; AED 299 with partner coupon).
Weekly price updates on Instagram → @mova.bae