Should you buy on Hudayriyat Island?

The island everyone's buying on in 2026: beaches, sports and big new villa communities, most of them years from handover.

The short answer

Hudayriyat was Abu Dhabi's busiest island for home sales in the first half of 2026, with Dh19 billion of deals, 27% of the total. [1] Almost everything for sale is off-plan from one developer, Modon, with handovers running to 2029. [2]

Updated November 2026 2 min read
Dh19bnHome sales, first half of 2026ADREC, H1 2026
27%Of all Abu Dhabi home sales by valueADREC, H1 2026
16km+Of beaches and waterfrontSotheby's Realty, April 2026
01

What is Hudayriyat Island like?

A waterfront island being built by Modon, a government-backed developer, with more than 16 km of beaches and waterfront, sports villages and cycling tracks. [2] It's a designated investment zone under Executive Council Decision No. 31 of 2024, so foreigners can buy freehold. [2]

Nawayef

Apartments, homes and mansions. [2]

Al Naseem

Four to six-bedroom beachfront villas. [2]

Bashayer

Villas and apartments, sold out within 24 hours. [2]

Wadeem

More than 1,700 residential plots. [2]

02

What does it cost to buy?

There aren't reliable price-per-sq-ft averages yet, because so little has been built. Launch prices give a guide: [2][3]

Project Homes Price Handover
Nawayef Park Views 1 to 4-bedroom apartments From about Dh2m Q1 2028
Al Naseem 4 to 6-bedroom villas Average about Dh8.8m Q4 2026 to Q3 2027
Bashayer Villas and apartments Sold out 2029
How do yields compare?Gross rental yield on apartments, before costs. Bayut, H1 2026. Hover or tap for asking prices.
  1. Al Reef8.92%Dh895,000 average asking, one-bedroom
  2. Masdar City7.63%Dh979,000 average asking, one-bedroom
  3. Al Reem Island6.34%Dh1,690 per sq ft, average asking, apartments
  4. Yas Island5.94%Dh2,393 per sq ft, average asking, apartments
  5. Al Raha Beach5.72%Dh1,859 per sq ft, average asking, apartments
  6. Saadiyat Island3.51%Dh3,893 per sq ft, average asking, apartments

Hudayriyat is too new for a yield figure: almost everything for sale is still being built.

03

Who is Hudayriyat for?

Buyers who can wait

Off-plan homes on payment plans, with handovers from late 2026 to 2029.

Families who want space and the beach

Large villas in a sports and leisure setting.

Golden Visa buyers

Many homes here cost more than Dh2 million, but off-plan only counts once you have paid Dh2 million yourself. See the Golden Visa guide.

What's the catch?

Read these before you sign anything.

1

It's mostly a building site.

You're buying a plan, so check the developer's track record and the escrow account. See off-plan or ready.

2

Few sales to compare.

With little resale history, it's hard to know what homes are really worth.

3

Check each plot.

Confirm the exact unit is inside the investment zone before you pay anything.

4

A rush of handovers.

Several big projects complete between 2026 and 2029, which can hold back rents and resale prices.

Sources

  1. GDN: Abu Dhabi residential sales hit $19.2bn in H1 on strong off-plan demand (August 2026)
  2. Sotheby's International Realty: Hudayriyat Island investment guide 2026 (April 2026)
  3. Bayut: Abu Dhabi sales market report H1 2026

Three guides that follow on from this one.

See all guides
Buying guideShould you buy off-plan or ready? Area guideShould you buy on Saadiyat Island? Buying guideCan buying property get you a Golden Visa?

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