Are Dubai rents falling in 2026?

Rent growth has slowed sharply and some segments are dipping. UAE average rents reportedly fell around 5% between January and April 2026, and year-on-year rent growth cooled to about 4-6% from the double digits of 2023-24. Apartments are softening while villas hold firmer. Analysts frame this as healthy normalisation, giving tenants more negotiating room rather than a collapse.