Dubai vs Istanbul — 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…

Past capital growth (2018–2024)
Istanbul appreciated 95% versus 68% in Dubai. Historic research series, not a live index, and not a forecast.

Market metrics

MetricDubaiIstanbul
Typical entry price (25th percentile of live sample)€400,000not tracked
Median asking price€950,000not tracked
Median price per m²€4,193/m²not tracked
Active tracked listings1070
Arkon-verified listings1070
Price growth 2018–2024 (historic research series)+68%+95%

Dubai acquisition costs

  • DLD Transfer Fee: 4%
  • DLD Admin Fee: AED 580 (~$160)
  • Agent Commission: 2%
  • Mortgage Registration (if applicable): 0.25%

Dubai market page

Istanbul acquisition costs

  • Title Deed Transfer Tax: 4%
  • VAT (KDV): 1–18%
  • Notary Fees: 0.5–1%
  • Agent Commission: 2–3%

Istanbul market page

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.