Dubai Airbnb Investment in 2026: Where Short-Term Rentals Actually Earn, by Neighborhood
Data by Brixfox ·
Dubai has the highest short-term-rental occupancy of any market Brixfox tracks — performing (actively-rented) listings run about 71% average and 88% median occupancy — and it pairs that with 0% income tax on rental earnings. But the citywide number hides big differences between neighborhoods.
Below is what Dubai’s Airbnb stock actually earns, area by area, from our daily Airbnb and Booking.com calendar data.
Dubai Airbnb performance by neighborhood
Observed medians across tracked listings, June 2026. ADR = median nightly rate; revenue = average monthly gross, USD.
| Neighborhood | Occupancy | Median ADR | Avg monthly revenue | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emaar Beachfront | 49% | $428 | $3,320 | 49 |
| Palm Jumeirah | 27% | $854 | $2,802 | 312 |
| Downtown | 39% | $299 | $2,381 | 918 |
| Al Sufouh | 38% | $277 | $2,238 | 284 |
| Business Bay | 38% | $180 | $2,079 | 375 |
| JBR | 35% | $239 | $1,995 | 395 |
| Dubai Marina | 33% | $224 | $1,739 | 382 |
| Dubai Hills | 48% | $263 | $1,713 | 84 |
| DIFC | 54% | $370 | $1,543 | 60 |
| JVC | 29% | $136 | $1,234 | 226 |
What the data says
- Beachfront commands the top nightly rates but not the top occupancy. Palm Jumeirah averages a remarkable $854/night, but its 27% occupancy means Emaar Beachfront — at $428 and 49% — actually out-earns it per month.
- Downtown is the liquidity king. 918 tracked listings, the deepest market, 39% occupancy and a $299 rate — the most accessible high-volume play for new investors.
- DIFC and Dubai Hills punch above their size on occupancy (54% and 48%), useful for investors prioritizing steady bookings over headline nightly rates.
- Tax advantage compounds everything. Because Dubai charges 0% income tax on rental income, the net an owner keeps is closer to the gross than in almost any comparable market.
How this is measured
Brixfox tracks 351,000+ short-term-rental listings across 20 countries by diffing daily Airbnb and Booking.com calendars — observed occupancy and realized rates, not host estimates. Figures here are June 2026 medians across tracked Dubai listings. Informational, not investment advice.
See also
Bali
Bali Villa Investment in 2026
Real 2026 Airbnb occupancy and revenue for Bali by area — Seminyak, Canggu, Ubud and more — from daily calendar data.
Algarve
Algarve Airbnb Investment in 2026
Real 2026 Airbnb occupancy and revenue for the Algarve by town — Albufeira, Lagos, Vilamoura and more — from daily calendar data.