Population growth in Abu Dhabi is currently exceeding that of Dubai, both in terms of speed and absolute numbers. According to the 2024 census, Abu Dhabi’s population grew to 4.1 million residents, an increase of 290,000 people, or 7.5% in a single year.
For comparison, Dubai grew to 3.8 million residents, an increase of 169,000 people, or 4.5%.
It is notable that in both emirates, only about a third of the population is female and approximately half of the residents are married. This influences, among other things, the demand for housing types, with villas and townhouses still considered popular choices.
Significant Differences in Off-Plan Supply
While Abu Dhabi’s population growth is higher, the supply of new off-plan homes is much smaller than in Dubai. In 2024, 10,600 off-plan homes were sold in Abu Dhabi, and so far in 2025, 3,600 have been sold, amounting to 14,200 units in total. In Dubai, however, a substantial 110,000 off-plan homes were sold in 2024 and 59,000 already in 2025, together accounting for 169,000 units.
This means that in a year and a half, Dubai sold 11.8 times more off-plan homes, while Abu Dhabi’s population growth was 1.7 times higher. Converted, Abu Dhabi’s population grew by 27 new residents per off-plan unit sold, while Dubai added only 1.5 new residents per unit.
Furthermore, in Dubai, 95,000 of the off-plan sales in 2024 were for apartments, accounting for 70% of all sales. This shows that the Dubai market is significantly more focused on high-rise projects and large-scale development, while Abu Dhabi has a much more limited supply.
What This Means for the Market
The figures show that Abu Dhabi currently has a stronger ratio between population growth and housing supply, which could be favourable for capital appreciation in the long term. In Dubai, however, supply appears to be increasing faster than demand, which could influence future price developments.