Dubai vs Barcelona — property investment comparison
Side by side on the data Arkon holds: live listing prices, price per m², inventory depth and acquisition costs. No forecasts and no modelled returns.
Which is stronger for…
- Lowest entry ticket
- Barcelona opens at €140,931 at the 25th percentile of its live sample, versus €400,000 in Dubai.
- Cheapest floor space
- Barcelona trades 38% below Dubai per m² across the live sample (€2,595/m² vs €4,193/m²).
- Past capital growth (2018–2024)
- Dubai appreciated 68% versus 58% in Barcelona. Historic research series, not a live index, and not a forecast.
- Depth of live inventory
- Dubai currently has 107 active tracked listings against 40 in Barcelona.
Market metrics
| Metric | Dubai | Barcelona |
|---|---|---|
| Typical entry price (25th percentile of live sample) | €400,000 | €140,931 |
| Median asking price | €950,000 | €166,000 |
| Median price per m² | €4,193/m² | €2,595/m² |
| Active tracked listings | 107 | 40 |
| Arkon-verified listings | 107 | 39 |
| Price growth 2018–2024 (historic research series) | +68% | +58% |
Dubai acquisition costs
- DLD Transfer Fee: 4%
- DLD Admin Fee: AED 580 (~$160)
- Agent Commission: 2%
- Mortgage Registration (if applicable): 0.25%
Figures are medians and percentiles of the listings Arkon currently tracks, converted to EUR — not a market index. Rental yields are omitted because rent comparables are not yet held for these markets. Read the methodology.