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Method: a monthly Dubai rent index from signed Ejari leases
rentdubai.io's index uses DLD's published Ejari rent-contract records: actual registered leases, not asking prices. Each record gives the registration, start and end dates, contract and annual amounts, new or renewal status, area, project, property type and sub-type, rooms, size and usage. Dubai Pulse lists the dataset as updated daily.
Sources checked 20 Oct 2026 · official sources first · Sources
“Signed leases, not adverts. That is the only honest way to say what Dubai rent is.”
Method
rentdubai.io's index uses DLD's published Ejari rent-contract records: actual registered leases, not asking prices.
Step by step
- Source: DLD Real Estate Data, Rents (searchable by registration, start or end date; CSV download) and the Dubai Pulse dld_rent_contracts-open dataset (40 columns, CSV, daily).
- Use annual_amount as the rent measure; contract_amount covers the whole contract term.
- Date each lease by its registration date (or start date) and bucket it by calendar month.
- Split new leases from renewals (DLD 'Version': New / Renew; Pulse contract_reg_type). Renewals are capped by Decree 43/2013, so they lag the market.
- Filter to residential usage. Stratify by area, property type and sub-type, and rooms. Report medians, not means, with lease counts.
- Describe it as an index of rents agreed in registered Ejari contracts, which is DLD data but not a DLD index. Note that DLD's official average comes from its Smart Rental Index.
How long it takes: Daily source updates (Dubai Pulse); the DLD Real Estate Data page states no frequency.
The numbers behind Dubai renting: 480,371 residential Ejari leases started in Dubai between 1 Jan and 15 Oct 2026: 187,978 new market leases (39%) and 286,377 renewals (60%). Source: Dubai Land Department Ejari open data.
Where the sources disagree
- Dubai Pulse metadata shows 'last updated 15 May 2024' while also stating daily update frequency. Verify freshness before relying on Pulse; the DLD Real Estate Data page is the live alternative.
- Dubai Pulse's description says leases renew annually 'with no more than 20% increment', which simplifies the Decree 43/2013 bands.
We quote the official figure where there is one. Check the official page before you pay.
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Questions
Which fields are published?
Dubai Pulse: contract_id, contract_reg_type, contract_start_date, contract_end_date, contract_amount, annual_amount, no_of_prop, is_free_hold, ejari_bus_property_type, ejari_property_type, ejari_property_sub_type, property_usage, project_number/name, master_project, area_id/name, actual_area, nearest_landmark/metro/mall, tenant_type (EN/AR). DLD web results add Number of Rooms, Parking and No of Units.
Is it complete?
It covers Ejari-registered contracts, which are mandatory for Dubai leases (Law 26/2007 Art. 4). DLD reported more than 900,000 contracts registered in 2024.
Where is older data?
DLD's Real Estate Data page refers users to data.dubai (Digital Dubai) for previous years.
Sources (checked 20 Oct 2026)
More guides: Register Ejari · Ejari online · Renew Ejari · Ejari certificate · Tenancy contract · DEWA move-in · Security deposit · Rent cheques · Eviction notice · Rental disputes
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Sale prices, resale and off-plan, tower facts and developer photos: BUY DUBAI, our sister site for buyers. Rents: Dubai Land Department Ejari leases.