---
title: "Price per square foot"
canonical: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/price-per-square-foot
markdown: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/md/glossary/price-per-square-foot.md
type: glossary-term
description: "Price per square foot is a property's price divided by its area in square feet, the standard measure for comparing values across the UAE market."
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."
---

# Price per square foot

> Price per square foot is a property's price divided by its area in square feet, the standard measure for comparing values across the UAE market.

Also known as: Price per sq ft, PSF, AED per sq ft, Rate per square foot.

## What Price per square foot means for a buyer

The UAE property market quotes areas in square feet and compares prices in dirhams per square foot. The calculation is simple: a flat priced at AED 1,800,000 with an area of 900 sq ft costs AED 2,000 per sq ft. For readers used to metric, one square metre is 10.764 square feet, so AED 2,000 per sq ft is about AED 21,500 per square metre.

Its use is comparison. It lets you set one unit against others in the same building, one development against its neighbours, and an off-plan launch against completed homes nearby. Registered transaction data is also reported this way.

Its weakness is that the answer depends on which area is used.

- **Apartments** are usually priced on total area, meaning the internal area plus the balcony or terrace. A flat with a very large terrace looks cheap per square foot without offering more living space.
- **Villas and townhouses** are usually priced on [built-up area](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/built-up-area), with the plot size given separately. A large plot adds value that the figure does not show.
- **Averages** for a district blend studios with penthouses, old stock with new, and sea views with car park views.

Smaller units nearly always cost more per square foot than larger ones in the same building, so compare like with like.

When assessing an off-plan price, compare it with recent sales of completed property of similar quality nearby. A substantial premium for off-plan needs a reason you can identify. A bank's [valuation](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/valuation) will make the same comparison.

## Related terms

- [BUA (built-up area) vs plot](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/built-up-area): Built-up area is the total floor space of the building itself across all levels; plot area is the size of the land it stands on.
- [Valuation](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/valuation): A valuation is a professional assessment of a property's market value, most often commissioned by a bank to decide how much it will lend.
- [Gross yield](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/gross-yield): Gross yield is a property's annual rent divided by its price, shown as a percentage, before any costs, taxes or empty periods are deducted.
- [ROI](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/roi): Return on investment is the total gain from a property, rental income plus any change in value, measured against the money the buyer actually put in.
- [Capital growth](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/capital-growth): Capital growth is the rise in a property's value over time, as distinct from the rent it earns; with yield, it makes up the total return.

## In depth

- [Is Dubai property a good investment in 2026? An honest assessment](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/guides/is-dubai-property-a-good-investment)


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Source page: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/price-per-square-foot. 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.