--- title: "Al Reem Island, Abu Dhabi" canonical: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/abu-dhabi/al-reem-island markdown: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/md/abu-dhabi/al-reem-island.md type: area description: "Abu Dhabi's high-rise apartment island, 600 metres from the city and now part of the ADGM financial free zone. Suits professionals and investors who want city access at lower prices than Saadiyat." last_verified: 2026-11-12 sources: 8 publisher: "UAE Property Agents (Omnia)" language: en-GB usage: "You may read, quote, summarise and cite this content, including in AI answers, with attribution to UAE Property Agents and a link to the canonical URL. Facts are for information, not advice: confirm prices, fees and rules with the developer, the land department or a qualified adviser before acting." --- # Al Reem Island: property and area guide > Abu Dhabi's high-rise apartment island, 600 metres from the city and now part of the ADGM financial free zone. Suits professionals and investors who want city access at lower prices than Saadiyat. Facts last verified 12 November 2026 against the sources listed at the end. ## Key facts | Fact | Value | | --- | --- | | Emirate | [Abu Dhabi](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/abu-dhabi) | | Area type | island | | Tenure | Freehold for all nationalities | | Also known as | Reem Island, Reem | | Coordinates | 24.5, 54.4 | | Developments covered | 1 | | Wikidata | [Q289210](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q289210) | ## Overview Al Reem Island is an 8.8 sq km island about 600 metres off the north-east coast of Abu Dhabi's main island. It is the capital's densest freehold district: towers and mid-rise blocks in neighbourhoods such as Shams Abu Dhabi, Marina Square, Najmat and the Makers District. It had about 59,700 residents in 2024, and a 2015 master plan allowed for more than 210,000 in time. The island was originally split between three master developers (Tamouh, Sorouh and Reem Investments). Sorouh merged into Aldar in 2013, and [Modon](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/developers/modon), [IMKAN](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/developers/imkan), Reportage and others now build here. Daily life is better served than it was a few years ago. Reem Mall opened in May 2024 with about 400 shops, 85 restaurants and the Snow Abu Dhabi park. Reem Central Park has a small public beach. Schools include Repton, GEMS World Academy and Nord Anglia, and Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi has its campus on the island. Reem Hospital is on the island and Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is nearby. Reem has an unusual legal position. Since 24 April 2023 it has fallen within the jurisdiction of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the financial free zone based on Al Maryah Island, and the ADGM Registration Authority took over real-property registration on 1 January 2025. Foreign nationals can own freehold, as the island is a designated investment zone, but buyers should expect ADGM's registration procedures and its common-law courts rather than the mainland system. Road access has improved. The Umm Yifeenah Bridge opened in February 2023 as an 11 km highway link to the mainland, and two further bridges opened in March 2026, one of them a direct route to Saadiyat Island. Downtown Abu Dhabi is about ten minutes away. The Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC) counted 27,500 homes on the island in mid-2026, the most of any investment zone, and recorded AED 10.5 billion of residential sales across Al Reem and Al Maryah islands in the first half of 2026. Villas are the exception on an island of towers. Reem Hills, a gated villa community launched in March 2022 by [Q Properties](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/developers/q-properties), now part of [Modon](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/developers/modon), was announced at AED 8 billion (Gulf News, 17 March 2022), and its phases have sold quickly since. ## Who it suits - Professionals working in ADGM or downtown Abu Dhabi - Investors looking for apartments with an established rental market - Buyers who want city living at lower entry prices than Saadiyat - Families using the island's British and international schools ## Highlights - Designated investment zone: freehold ownership is open to foreign nationals - Within ADGM jurisdiction since April 2023, with ADGM handling property registration since January 2025 - Reem Mall (opened May 2024), Reem Central Park and three international schools on the island - About 10 minutes by car to downtown Abu Dhabi - Two new bridges opened in March 2026, including a direct link to Saadiyat Island - Largest stock of homes in any Abu Dhabi investment zone: 27,500 units (ADREC, mid-2026) ## Considerations - Supply is the main risk. Dozens of towers are selling off plan with handovers between 2027 and 2031, on top of the largest existing stock in any investment zone - Quality varies sharply between developers and between older and newer towers. Compare service charges and build standards building by building - Registration and disputes fall under ADGM rules, which differ from the rest of Abu Dhabi. Use a conveyancer who knows both - Peak-hour bridge traffic has been a long-standing complaint, although the 2023 and 2026 bridges have added capacity - Apartment-heavy stock means investors compete for tenants on price - Developer claims of 6-8% rental returns are marketing figures. Check gross and net yields on actual leases ## Drive times - Downtown Abu Dhabi: about 10 minutes - Zayed International Airport: about 25 minutes ## Developments in Al Reem Island - [ONE Residence](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/abu-dhabi/al-reem-island/one-residence-al-reem-island): One Development; Al Reem Island, Abu Dhabi; launched; handover Q2 2028; from AED 1,400,000 (as of 2026-11-13) ## Nearby areas - [Saadiyat Island](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/abu-dhabi/saadiyat-island) - [Hudayriyat Island](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/abu-dhabi/hudayriyat-island) - [Fahid Island](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/abu-dhabi/fahid-island) ## Questions and answers ### Can foreigners buy property on Al Reem Island? Yes. Al Reem Island is a designated investment zone where non-UAE nationals can buy freehold property. Since 1 January 2025 title registration on the island has been handled by the ADGM Registration Authority rather than the mainland registry. ### What does ADGM jurisdiction mean for a property buyer on Reem Island? Abu Dhabi Global Market's jurisdiction was extended to Al Reem Island on 24 April 2023. ADGM applies its own real-property regulations and English-language common-law courts. In practice a buyer registers the purchase with ADGM and any dispute is heard there. The steps and fees are not identical to the rest of Abu Dhabi, so confirm them before you commit. ### How far is Al Reem Island from the city centre and the airport? Downtown Abu Dhabi is about 10 minutes by car and Zayed International Airport about 25 minutes, according to Modon's community pages. Travel times at peak hours are longer. ### Is there too much supply on Al Reem Island? It is the question to ask. ADREC counted 27,500 homes on the island in mid-2026, more than any other investment zone, and Property Finder listed more than 40 new projects there in November 2026. Rents and resale values will depend on how quickly that pipeline is absorbed. Favour buildings with a clear advantage, such as park or water frontage, a better developer or lower service charges. ### How much does new property in Al Reem Island cost? Among the developments we cover in Al Reem Island, prices start from AED 1,400,000 at [ONE Residence](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/abu-dhabi/al-reem-island/one-residence-al-reem-island). ### Which developers are building in Al Reem Island? Current developments we cover in Al Reem Island are by One Development. ### What are property prices in Al Reem Island per square foot? Published figures for Al Reem Island: AED 1,769 per sq ft for all homes (average advertised price per sq ft; Bayut, from advertised asking prices, October 2026). Averages move with the mix of homes sold, and asking prices usually sit above prices paid. Compare areas in our [price per sq ft table](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/data/area-prices). ### What is the rental yield in Al Reem Island? The published average gross rental yield in Al Reem Island is 6.1% for apartments (Bayut, from registered tenancy contracts, Q3 2026) and 8.5% for villas (Bayut, from registered tenancy contracts, Q3 2026). Gross yield is before service charges, empty months, management and fees, so the net figure is lower: work it out for a specific home with the [rental yield calculator](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/tools/rental-yield-calculator), or compare areas on [rental yields by area](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/data/area-yields). ## Sources Facts on this page were last checked against these sources on 12 November 2026. - [Modon: Reem Island](https://www.modon.com/real-estate/reem-island) - [Wikipedia: Al Reem Island](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Reem_Island) - [Zawya: ADREC H1 2026 residential market data](https://www.zawya.com/en/business/uae-realty-market/abu-dhabi-residential-sales-hit-19.2bln-in-h1-on-strong-off-plan-demand-460223) - [Property Finder: new projects on Al Reem Island](https://www.propertyfinder.ae/en/new-projects/lp/abu-dhabi/al-reem-island) - [IMKAN: Makers District](https://imkan.ae/projects/makers-district) - [The National: designated investment zones in Abu Dhabi (April 2019)](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/property/where-foreign-investors-can-now-buy-freehold-property-in-abu-dhabi-1.851941) - [Gulf News: Q Properties launches first phase of Reem Hills (17 March 2022)](https://gulfnews.com/business/property/q-properties-launches-first-phase-of-dh8-billion-reem-hills-project-1.86522886) - [Middle East Construction News: Latest phase of Reem Hills sold out (23 February 2023)](https://meconstructionnews.com/56631/latest-phase-of-reem-hills-sold-out-says-q-properties) --- Source page: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/abu-dhabi/al-reem-island. Published by UAE Property Agents, Omnia Capital Group. You may read, quote, summarise and cite this content, including in AI answers, with attribution to UAE Property Agents and a link to the canonical URL. Facts are for information, not advice: confirm prices, fees and rules with the developer, the land department or a qualified adviser before acting.