Price per Square Foot in Dubai: How to Compare Properties Properly

A cheaper price per square foot can look attractive until the area measurements turn out to describe different things. PSF is useful when you can explain the numerator, the denominator and why the selected properties belong in the same comparison.

What you will learn: Calculate an area-based comparison and identify when its label or measurement basis makes it misleading.

How is PSF calculated?

Divide the property’s price by its area in square feet. The price and area must refer to the same property and the same agreed measurement basis.

If an area is supplied in square metres, convert it consistently before comparing it with square-foot figures. Keep the original area record so someone reviewing the analysis can check the calculation. Do not alternate between plot area, built-up area and unit area without explaining the difference.

Which properties should be compared?

Start with similar property types in the same building or a closely comparable development. Match bedroom count, size range, condition and relevant features as far as the available evidence allows.

For a resale, prioritise recent completed transactions. Asking prices indicate seller expectations; they do not establish that a buyer paid those amounts. For off-plan comparisons, also examine delivery timing and payment obligations rather than comparing launch prices alone.

What can distort the comparison?

Large terraces, inefficient internal layouts, premium views, furnishings and differing maintenance conditions can affect what a buyer receives for the stated area. A building’s amenities or recurring charges can also affect the overall proposition.

Transaction records may not describe every feature that matters. Treat a PSF range as a starting point for questions, then verify the details of the subject property. Do not invent a precise adjustment for a view or floor when there is no supporting evidence.

A calculation using published Dubai property data

ENBD REIT’s Al Thuraya Tower 1 page reports a market value of USD 79 million and a leasable area of 204,082 square feet, as at 30 June 2026.

USD 79,000,000 ÷ 204,082 = approximately USD 387.10 per leasable square foot.

This is a value-to-leasable-area calculation for a commercial asset. It is not a recorded sale PSF or an apartment benchmark. The arithmetic works; the metric’s name and comparison still need care.

Build a fair comparison sheet

Field	Record this for every property
Evidence	Source, date and whether it is a sale, asking price or valuation
Amount	Currency and the value being compared
Area	Measurement, unit and exact area basis
Similarity	Type, location, condition, layout and relevant features
Result	Calculated PSF and the main limits of the comparison

Practise the method

First reproduce the published calculation above. Then select recorded transactions appropriate to a real property brief. Keep the measurement basis consistent, calculate PSF and write a short reason for including each comparable. If you lack sufficiently similar evidence, state the limitation before reaching a pricing conclusion.

Key takeaway

Calculate PSF consistently and compare like with like. The value of the analysis lies in the quality of the selected evidence, not the number of decimal places in the result.