Buying property in Dubai from France: what you get, what it pays, what you pay at home
A typical 1-bedroom flat in Dubai costs €256,812 (AED 1,050,000). It earns 6.3% a year in rent before costs and 3.8% after them. Under the France–UAE treaty, French income tax does not apply to that rent, but France taxes the gain when you sell.
This guide follows the four decisions a French buyer makes, in order: Dubai or France, which area, which building, and who you buy with. Each step ends with the questions that settle it. Dubai prices are Dubai Land Department sale records and Ejari rent contracts. French prices are DVF sale records for 2-room flats (1 bedroom). None of it is from adverts.
The four steps: 1. Dubai or France · 2. Which area · 3. Which building · 4. Who you buy with.
This page is information. It is not tax, legal or financial advice. Two points below are not settled in French law: check them with an avocat fiscaliste before you buy.
Step 1. A 1-bed in Dubai against a 1-bed in Paris, Lyon or Nice
A Dubai 1-bed costs less than a Paris 1-bed, is nearly twice the size, and earns more after costs: 3.8% net against 2.6% in Paris.
| In Dubai | In France (DVF, 2-room flats) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Dubai | JVC | Business Bay | Dubai Marina | Paris | Lyon | Nice | France average | |
| Typical price, 1-bed | €256,812 | €242,137 | €354,645 | €420,682 | €345,000 | €215,000 | €220,900 | €151,000 |
| Buying costs (tax and fees) | €16,835 | €15,939 | €22,802 | €26,831 | €27,128 | €17,538 | €16,842 | €12,816 |
| Cash in on the day | €273,646 | €258,076 | €377,447 | €447,513 | €372,128 | €232,538 | €237,742 | €163,816 |
| Rent a year | €16,142 | €17,610 | €22,012 | €23,235 | €15,480 | €11,016 | €12,828 | €9,108 |
| Service charge a year | €2,931 | €2,964 | €2,979 | €3,027 | €2,956 | €2,198 | €2,441 | €1,869 |
| Gross yield (rent ÷ price) | 6.3% | 7.3% | 6.2% | 5.5% | 4.5% | 5.1% | 5.8% | 6.0% |
| Net yield before tax | 3.8% | 4.5% | 4.1% | 3.6% | 2.6% | 2.9% | 3.4% | 3.4% |
| Price change, last 10 years | +36% | +57% | +29% | +52% | +18% | +27% | +30% | +25% |
How to read it. Gross yield is the rent divided by the price, the number most agents quote. Net yield is what is left after running costs, divided by all the cash you put in on the day. It is the honest number.
Dubai costs: service charge AED 15 per sq ft a year (Land Department index samples run AED 12 to 25), property management 6% of rent, one month empty a year, repairs 3% of rent. Buying costs are the Land Department fee (4% plus AED 580), the trustee office and an agent at 2% plus VAT. French costs: letting agent 8.0% of rent, one month empty a year, repairs 3% of rent, copropriété charges from the Foncia observatoire (Paris €2,251, rest of France €1,488 a year per lot) and taxe foncière (owner pays). French buying costs are the notary fees on a resale flat (transfer duties at 5.0% or 4.5% by département, notary emoluments and disbursements), without an agency fee.
A typical Dubai 1-bed is about 74 m². A 2-room flat sold in Paris in the last year was 38 m², in Lyon 48 m². French rents are advertised rents with charges included, so the French net yields are a little high.
Sources: Dubai Land Department sale records and Ejari new leases, completed 1-bed flats, last 12 months, BUY DUBAI warehouse (28 October 2026); DVF (DGFiP), single-flat sales with 2 main rooms, July 2025 to June 2026; ANIL/DHUP Carte des loyers 2025 (flats of 1 to 2 rooms); INSEE-Notaires index of resale flat prices; Foncia observatoire 2026 (copropriété charges); Meilleurtaux/UNPI (taxe foncière). Exchange: ECB reference rates, 28 October 2026, at the fixed rate of AED 3.6725 per US dollar.
How long to get your money back: Dubai against France, after costs and tax
In JVC, the rent pays back your cash in 22 years after costs. A Paris 1-bed takes 39 years before tax and 73 years for a buyer in the 30% band.
| Years to get your cash back from rent | In Dubai | In France (DVF, 2-room flats) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Dubai | JVC | Business Bay | Dubai Marina | Paris | Lyon | Nice | France average | |
| What agents quote (price ÷ rent) | 16 years | 14 years | 16 years | 18 years | 22 years | 20 years | 17 years | 17 years |
| After running costs, before tax | 26 years | 22 years | 25 years | 27 years | 39 years | 34 years | 30 years | 30 years |
| French resident, 30% income tax band: Dubai rent under the treaty credit, French rent at 30% + 17.2% social charges | 26 years | 22 years | 25 years | 27 years | 73 years | 65 years | 56 years | 56 years |
| The same, if the 17.2% social charges did apply to Dubai rent (not settled) | 31 years | 27 years | 30 years | 33 years | 73 years | 65 years | 56 years | 56 years |
| You live in the UAE (not French-domiciled): French rent at the 20% minimum rate + 17.2% | 26 years | 22 years | 25 years | 27 years | 62 years | 55 years | 47 years | 47 years |
The sum: cash in on the day, divided by the rent left each year after running costs and tax. It leaves out any change in the price. Over the last ten years, resale flat prices in Paris rose about 18%; over five years they fell about 10%. Prices of completed 1-beds in Dubai rose 36% per sq ft in ten years.
Why Dubai rent is not taxed in France. The France–UAE treaty (article 19) gives a French resident a tax credit equal to the French income tax on Dubai rent. The rent is still declared, and it raises the rate on your other income. The Conseil d'État ruled in 2023 that the credit applies even though the UAE charges no tax. Whether the 17.2% social charges are also cancelled is not settled: tax guidance points to yes, so the table shows both cases.
What does €100,000 buy in Dubai? And €250,000 or €500,000?
€100,000 buys a studio in International City. €250,000 buys a 1-bed in JVC. €500,000 buys a 1-bed in Business Bay or Dubai Marina, or a 2-bed in JVC.
€100,000 = AED 408,860 all in
Price limit after buying costs: AED 382,828. Completed flats sold at or under that price in the last 12 months:
| Size | Sales | Typical size | Where most were |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | 780 | 471 sq ft | International City, Dubai Production City |
| 1-bed | 157 | 594 sq ft | International City, Liwan |
In France, €100,000 is below the median 2-room flat sold in the last year (€151,000, DVF).
€250,000 = AED 1,022,150 all in
Price limit after buying costs: AED 958,878. Completed flats sold at or under that price in the last 12 months:
| Size | Sales | Typical size | Where most were |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | 6,254 | 434 sq ft | JVC, International City, Discovery Gardens |
| 1-bed | 5,172 | 761 sq ft | JVC, International City, Discovery Gardens |
| 2-bed | 619 | 1,094 sq ft | Dubailand Residence Complex, Dubai South, Dubai Sports City |
In France, €250,000 buys the median 2-room flat in Lyon (€215,000) or Nice (€220,900), not in Paris (€345,000) (DVF, July 2025 to June 2026).
€500,000 = AED 2,044,300 all in
Price limit after buying costs: AED 1,922,262. Completed flats sold at or under that price in the last 12 months:
| Size | Sales | Typical size | Where most were |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | 6,893 | 440 sq ft | JVC, Business Bay, International City |
| 1-bed | 10,616 | 784 sq ft | JVC, Business Bay, International City |
| 2-bed | 3,641 | 1,202 sq ft | JVC, Dubai South, Business Bay |
| 3-bed | 306 | 1,575 sq ft | International City, Town Square, JVC |
In Paris, €500,000 buys the median 2-room flat (€345,000) with room to spare (DVF).
The budget is all in: price, Land Department fee, trustee office and agent. Sales are completed flats registered with the Land Department in the last 12 months, at prices at or under the limit. Off-plan flats cost more per sq ft and are paid in instalments.
Search sold prices for any budget on the tower list and the data page.
French tax on Dubai property: rent, the gain, IFI and inheritance
For a French resident, Dubai rent bears no French income tax, but the gain on a sale is taxed in full, and the flat counts for IFI.
| Tax | You live in France | You live in the UAE (not French tax resident) |
|---|---|---|
| Rent from the Dubai flat | Declared (form 2047, line 8TK on the 2042), with a tax credit equal to the French tax: no French income tax on it, but it raises the rate on your other income. Social charges (17.2% unfurnished, 18.6% furnished in 2026): probably cancelled by the same credit, not settled. | No French tax on Dubai rent. |
| Gain when you sell | Taxed in France: 19% income tax + 17.2% social charges, plus 2% to 6% above €50,000 of gain, less the allowances for years held (free of income tax after 22 years, of social charges after 30). The treaty credit is the UAE tax paid, which is nil. Declare on form 2048-IMM within one month of the sale. | No French tax on the Dubai gain. |
| IFI (property wealth tax) | The Dubai flat counts in full if your net property is above €1.3 million on 1 January. Rates 0.5% to 1.5%. Unchanged by the 2026 finance law. | Only French property counts. |
| UAE bank account | Declare it each year on form 3916, even if closed. Penalty €1,500 per account per year. | Not relevant. |
| Inheritance tax | A Dubai flat you own in your own name is outside French inheritance tax under the treaty, but it sets the rate on the rest of the estate. A gift in your lifetime is not covered. A flat held through a company is taxed in France. | Depends on where your heirs live. |
French domicile is wide. You stay taxable in France if your home, your main work or the centre of your economic interests is in France, even if you live in Dubai (treaty article 19(2)).
A Dubai or DIFC will decides who inherits a Dubai flat. French law protects children's shares (réserve héréditaire): since 2021, a child left out abroad can take the difference from French assets. Align the two.
Sources: France–UAE tax treaty of 19 July 1989, consolidated text on impots.gouv.fr (articles 5, 11, 16 A, 17, 19); Conseil d'État, 20 March 2023, n° 452718; BOFiP BOI-INT-DG-20-20-100 and BOI-IR-PAS-40; form 2047 (2026); impots.gouv, Déclaration en cas de vente d'un bien immobilier à l'étranger (21 August 2026); service-public F10864 (plus-values) and F563 (IFI); loi n° 2026-103 du 19 février 2026 (finances 2026); LFSS 2026 art. 12 (social charges); notice 3916. Read 28 October 2026. The 2027 finance bill is still in debate: check for changes.
The euro against the dirham: the risk you cannot see in the price
€1 buys AED 4.09 today.
The dirham has been fixed at AED 3.6725 to the US dollar since 1997. So a Dubai flat is, for you, a dollar asset: when the dollar falls against the euro, your flat and your rent are worth fewer euros, with no change in the dirham price. France has no exchange controls. Your bank will ask where the money came from for a large transfer.
Is Dubai property a bubble? Read this before you decide
The number of sales fell by about a third from March 2026. Prices have held so far. About 206,000 new homes are due in 2027 and 2028.
Prices of completed 1-beds fell 35% from 2014 to 2020, over six years. A buyer who had to sell in that time took the loss. A buyer who held and let the flat was paid rent through it. Read is Dubai property going to crash for the numbers to watch each month, and is Dubai a good investment for Dubai against 19 other markets.
Your decision, step 1: Dubai or France?
Dubai is the better choice for you if all of these are true:
- — you want rent that French income tax does not reach, and you accept that the gain is taxed in France when you sell;
- — you can hold for five years or more, through a fall of 30% or more;
- — you accept that a sale can take longer when buyers are few, as in 2026;
- — you are happy to own a dollar asset: the euro can move 10% or more against it in a year;
- — you can pay cash, or borrow against French property: French banks do not take a mortgage on a Dubai flat.
Next: choose the area.
Step 2. Which area of Dubai? Every area with enough sales, in euros
Cheap areas pay the most rent but have grown least. Central areas cost more and pay less rent, but held their value better.
| Area | 1-bed price | Sq ft | Rent a month | Gross yield | Net yield | 10-year price change | Sales in 12 months |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| International City | €117,400 | 729 | €876 | 9.0% | 4.8% | −4% | 268 |
| Dubai Production City (IMPZ) | €147,972 | 654 | €1,284 | 10.4% | 6.6% | +1% | 273 |
| Dubailand Residence Complex | €152,919 | 843 | €1,141 | 9.0% | 5.1% | +8% | 220 |
| DAMAC Lagoons and Remraam | €164,482 | 689 | €1,182 | 8.6% | 5.3% | +6% | 106 |
| International City Phase 3 | €167,539 | 772 | €1,148 | 8.2% | 4.8% | +22% | 93 |
| Dubai Sports City | €171,208 | 810 | €1,223 | 8.6% | 5.1% | −13% | 379 |
| Dubai South | €177,873 | 684 | €1,162 | 7.8% | 4.8% | — | 160 |
| Al Furjan and Discovery Gardens | €197,011 | 862 | €1,385 | 8.4% | 5.1% | −18% | 546 |
| Town Square | €205,449 | 631 | €1,284 | 7.5% | 4.8% | — | 162 |
| Majan | €207,828 | 839 | €1,325 | 7.6% | 4.6% | −1% | 448 |
| Motor City | €229,908 | 990 | €1,488 | 7.8% | 4.6% | +12% | 344 |
| Arjan | €237,245 | 766 | €1,427 | 7.2% | 4.5% | +68% | 381 |
| DAMAC Hills | €238,468 | 730 | €1,427 | 7.2% | 4.5% | — | 191 |
| Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC) | €242,137 | 808 | €1,467 | 7.3% | 4.5% | +57% | 2,127 |
| Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) | €281,270 | 834 | €1,684 | 7.2% | 4.6% | +15% | 397 |
| Al Jaddaf | €281,270 | 720 | €1,480 | 6.3% | 4.0% | −1% | 139 |
| Meydan and Sobha Hartland | €322,115 | 692 | €1,651 | 6.2% | 4.1% | — | 545 |
| Business Bay | €354,645 | 812 | €1,834 | 6.2% | 4.1% | +29% | 907 |
| The Greens | €366,874 | 791 | €1,875 | 6.1% | 4.0% | +33% | 203 |
| Dubai Hills Estate | €366,874 | 668 | €1,834 | 6.0% | 4.1% | — | 346 |
| Dubai Creek Harbour | €419,459 | 722 | €2,038 | 5.8% | 4.0% | — | 355 |
| Dubai Marina and Dubai Harbour | €420,682 | 825 | €1,936 | 5.5% | 3.6% | +52% | 883 |
| Downtown Dubai | €507,509 | 887 | €2,324 | 5.5% | 3.7% | +38% | 597 |
| City Walk | €640,889 | 957 | €2,752 | 5.2% | 3.5% | +97% | 98 |
| Palm Jumeirah | €686,665 | 1,142 | €3,057 | 5.3% | 3.6% | +53% | 160 |
Net yield uses the same costs as the table above. The 10-year change is the price per sq ft of completed 1-beds now against the 12 months ending 10 years ago; a dash means the area had too few sales then. Areas need 90 or more 1-bed sales in the last 12 months to be in the table.
Three ways to choose:
- — Income first: the cheaper areas at the top of the table pay the most rent. Most grew least in ten years, and many buildings are older.
- — Growth first: look at the 10-year change (JVC, Arjan, Dubai Marina, City Walk), and at the new homes due in the area.
- — Easy exit: more sales a year means more buyers when you sell. JVC, Business Bay and Dubai Marina have the most.
What each area is like to live in, for your tenant: every community guide. What is selling now: what's hot and the RealEstateRanking. On a map: the Dubai map.
Your decision, step 2: which area?
Shortlist two or three areas. For each one, check:
- — the net yield after your French tax and social charges;
- — the 10-year price change, and the new homes due nearby (market data);
- — how many sales a year, so you can sell when you want;
- — the service charge in the buildings you like. It can be AED 12 or AED 25 per sq ft a year.
Next: choose the building.
Step 3. Which building: completed or off-plan, when you live in France
A completed flat can earn rent from the month you buy it. An off-plan flat costs more per sq ft, earns nothing until handover, and is often late.
| Completed (ready) | Off-plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical 1-bed price, 2026 | AED 1,050,000 (AED 1,350 per sq ft) | AED 1,287,500 (AED 1,704 per sq ft) |
| Rent | From the first month, if let | None until handover |
| How you pay | All at transfer (cash or a UAE loan) | In stages, often 10% to 20% at the start |
| Main risk from France | Paying too much for an old or badly run building | Late handover; you must pay each stage even if you cannot sell |
| What to check | Sold prices in the building, service charge, the tenancy | The developer's record on time, the build stage, the escrow account |
For each building, read its BUY DUBAI page: every Land Department sale, the price per sq ft, rents, the developer and the agent's view. Start from the tower list. Before you pay a deposit, use the six checks. To see which developers are selling homes they are not building, read the selling but not building tracker.
Your decision, step 3: which building?
Compare three buildings on:
- — the sold price per sq ft against the asking price;
- — the rent in that building, not in the area;
- — the service charge and what it pays for;
- — for off-plan: the developer's delays, the build stage today, and whether you can pay every stage without selling.
Next: choose who you buy with.
Step 4. Buying a Dubai property from France: who you need and what you sign
You can buy without living in Dubai. There is no notary as in France: the Land Department registers the sale, and your agent and your own checks do the rest.
| Who | What they do | How to check them |
|---|---|---|
| Agent (broker) | Finds the flat, drafts the sale contract (Form F), holds the deposit cheque | The broker card number (BRN) in the Dubai REST app; their sales on the agent league |
| Trustee office | Registers the transfer for the Land Department | Land Department-approved list |
| Lawyer (optional) | Checks the contract and the title; often needed for a power of attorney | UAE licence |
| Lender | A UAE bank (non-residents can usually borrow 50% to 60%), or a loan in France secured on French property or on assurance-vie | See home loans |
| Property manager | Finds tenants, collects rent, pays bills | A licensed company; fees are often 5% to 8% of rent |
| French tax adviser | Forms 2047, 2048-IMM, 3916, IFI, domicile | An avocat fiscaliste |
No cooling-off period. Once you sign the sale contract and pay the deposit, there is no 10-day withdrawal right as in France. Check before you sign, not after.
Signing from France. You can fly out for the transfer, or give a power of attorney to someone in Dubai. The Land Department asks for a power of attorney made abroad to be notarised in France, legalised by the French foreign ministry, the UAE Embassy in Paris and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then translated into Arabic. Allow 2 to 4 weeks or more.
Paying for it. French banks cannot take a mortgage on a Dubai property. French buyers pay cash, borrow against a French property (often 50% to 70% of its value) or against investments, or take a UAE loan. French lending rules (35% debt ratio, 25 years) apply to any French loan.
Who to talk to first. Ask Dalia, the BUY DUBAI agent, on WhatsApp. She knows every sale, earns no commission and does not sell a listing. Send her your shortlist and your budget in euros. A licensed broker then does the transfer.
Sources: Dubai Land Department FAQ on power of attorney (read 11 October 2026); BUY DUBAI guides (foreign ownership, home loans, agents); investissement-locatif.com (June 2026) and Meilleurtaux (June 2026) on French lending rules.
Your decision, step 4: who do you buy with?
Before you pay anything, you should have:
- — an agent whose broker number you checked, and whose past sales you can see;
- — the money ready: cash, a French loan offer, or a UAE bank pre-approval;
- — a plan to sign: a flight, or a power of attorney ready in time;
- — a property manager's fee and a tenant plan;
- — a word with an avocat fiscaliste about the rent credit, social charges, IFI and your will.
Next: ask Dalia to check your shortlist against the sales records.
Questions French buyers ask about Dubai property
Can a French citizen buy property in Dubai?
Yes. A French citizen can own freehold property in Dubai's designated areas, which include Dubai Marina, Downtown, Business Bay, JVC and most areas foreign buyers use. You do not need to live in the UAE. See foreign ownership.
Do I pay French tax on rent from Dubai?
Not French income tax: the France–UAE treaty gives a credit equal to the French tax, and the Conseil d'État confirmed in 2023 that it applies even though the UAE charges no tax. You still declare the rent, and it raises the rate on your other income. Whether social charges are also cancelled is not settled.
Is the gain on a Dubai flat taxed in France?
Yes, if you are French resident: 19% income tax plus 17.2% social charges, with the usual allowances for years held, declared on form 2048-IMM within one month of the sale.
Does a Dubai flat count for IFI?
Yes. For a French resident, it counts in full towards the €1.3 million threshold.
How much does an apartment cost in Dubai in euros?
A typical completed 1-bed sold for €256,812 (AED 1,050,000) in the last 12 months. In JVC it was €242,137. Buying costs for a cash buyer are about 6.5% of the price.
Can I buy in Dubai without a deposit (sans apport)?
Not with a UAE loan: non-residents usually need 40% to 50% of the price. Off-plan projects ask for a first payment of 10% to 20%, then pay as built.
Is Dubai a good investment for a French buyer?
On rent, often yes: a JVC 1-bed nets about 4.5% a year after costs, with no French income tax on it. On the price, it depends: completed 1-bed prices rose 36% per sq ft in ten years, but fell 35% from 2014 to 2020. See is Dubai going to crash.