Off-planTalay at Marsa Al Saadiyat
Price on requestby Aldar Properties
Off-planView details
Area guide
Living and investing in Abu Dhabi
The UAE capital allows non-UAE nationals to buy in designated investment zones, including the island communities of Saadiyat, Yas, Al Reem and Al Maryah and the waterfront at Al Raha Beach.
Area overview
About Abu Dhabi
Foreign ownership in Abu Dhabi is concentrated in designated investment zones. An April 2019 amendment to the emirate's real estate law (Law No. 19 of 2005) allowed non-UAE nationals to own property in these zones, which include Saadiyat Island, Yas Island, Al Reem Island, Al Maryah Island, Al Raha Beach, Lulu Island, Al Reef, Masdar City and others. The government's u.ae portal also lists musataha (up to 50 years, renewable), usufruct (up to 99 years) and long-term lease arrangements, and buyers should confirm the tenure that applies to a specific plot.
Each zone has a distinct character. Saadiyat Island combines beachfront villas with the Saadiyat Cultural District, where Louvre Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum, the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi and teamLab Phenomena are open and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is due to open on 11 December 2026. Yas Island is the emirate's entertainment hub with theme parks, Yas Marina Circuit and Etihad Arena, while Al Reem and Al Maryah islands form a high-rise residential and financial district alongside Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM).
Activity has picked up sharply. The Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC) recorded AED117 billion of real estate transactions in H1 2026, with investment zones attracting AED75 billion, and master developers such as Aldar continue to launch new off-plan communities on Saadiyat and Yas.
- Location
- Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Homes
- Apartments, Villas, Townhouses, Penthouses
- Known for
- Louvre Abu Dhabi, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum and teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi
- Getting around
- Zayed International Airport, Etihad Rail – Abu Dhabi station (Mohammed Bin Zayed City)
Lifestyle
Life in Abu Dhabi
Life in Abu Dhabi's investment zones is island-based and largely car-oriented. Saadiyat offers beaches, museums and international schools; Yas combines family villa communities with theme parks, Yas Mall and Yas Bay's waterfront dining; and Al Reem and Al Maryah suit residents who want apartment living close to the city's financial district, The Galleria and Reem Mall, which houses Snow Abu Dhabi.
Abu Dhabi has no metro. Public transport relies on buses regulated by the Integrated Transport Centre (now branded Abu Dhabi Mobility), and Etihad Rail passenger trains have run from Mohammed Bin Zayed City station since 30 June 2026, with a Dubai service added on 30 September 2026. Zayed International Airport, renamed from Abu Dhabi International Airport in February 2024, handles international flights.
Louvre Abu Dhabi
A universal museum on Saadiyat Island born of a UAE–France cultural partnership agreed in 2007.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi
Frank Gehry-designed museum in the Saadiyat Cultural District, scheduled to open on 11 December 2026.
Zayed National Museum and teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi
Two of the cultural venues already operating in the Saadiyat Cultural District alongside the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi.
Yas Island theme parks
Ferrari World, Yas Waterworld, Warner Bros. World and SeaWorld are all on Yas Island.
Yas Marina Circuit and Etihad Arena
Yas Island's motorsport circuit and indoor events venue, near the Yas Bay waterfront.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Abu Dhabi's landmark mosque; visitors pre-book an online access pass and guided cultural tours are complimentary.
The Galleria Al Maryah Island
Waterfront mall combining luxury and high-street retail, dining and an IMAX cinema.
Where to live
Popular communities and developments in Abu Dhabi
Saadiyat Island
Investment zone of beachfront villas and low-rise apartments around the Saadiyat Cultural District; Aldar's Marsa Al Saadiyat masterplan (about 6.4 million sq m) is the island's latest phase.
Yas Island
Entertainment island with family villa and townhouse communities such as Yas Acres and Yas Riva, plus apartments near Yas Bay; Aldar's Yas Riva Reserve launched in 2026.
Al Reem Island
High-rise island district of apartments and penthouses next to the city centre, with Reem Mall and part of ADGM's footprint.
Al Raha Beach
Waterfront district on the mainland between the city and Yas Island, offering apartments and villas.
Al Maryah Island
Abu Dhabi's financial district, home to ADGM, The Galleria and Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, with apartment towers.
Masdar City
A designated investment area developed by Masdar, offering mainly apartments in a low-rise, sustainability-led district.
Property types
Homes in Abu Dhabi
Apartments
Dominant on Al Reem, Al Maryah, Al Raha Beach and around Yas Bay, from studios to large family units.
Villas
Concentrated on Saadiyat and Yas islands and at Al Raha Beach, including new off-plan waterfront villa communities by Aldar.
Townhouses
Found in several Yas Island communities and in other investment zones such as Al Reef.
Penthouses
Available in high-rise towers on Al Reem and Al Maryah islands.
Highlights
Amenities and location
- Non-UAE nationals can buy in designated investment zones
- Saadiyat Cultural District with Louvre Abu Dhabi and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi due December 2026
- Yas Island theme parks, Yas Marina Circuit and Etihad Arena
- ADGM financial centre on Al Maryah and Al Reem islands
- Zayed International Airport
- Etihad Rail passenger services to Dubai and Fujairah from 2026
- British, American and IB schools across the island communities
- Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi on Al Maryah Island
For sale
Properties for sale in Abu Dhabi
Off-plan and ready homes we market here. Prices, payment plans and handover dates are shown only where the developer publishes them.
Off-plan
Off-planYas Riva Reserve
From AED 7.9Mby Aldar Properties
Off-planView details
Investment & rental demand
Investing in Abu Dhabi
For foreign buyers, Abu Dhabi's opportunity sits within its investment zones, where ownership rights have been widened since 2019 and transaction volumes have grown strongly. The market is more concentrated than Dubai's, with a small number of master developers, notably Aldar, delivering much of the new supply on Saadiyat and Yas, which tends to mean phased, community-led launches rather than a broad spread of independent towers. Buyers should confirm the tenure attached to each property, check registration with the Abu Dhabi authorities, compare off-plan payment plans, and recognise that pricing varies widely between ultra-prime Saadiyat and the mid-market apartment stock on Al Reem.
Rental demand comes from professionals in government, energy, finance (including firms at ADGM on Al Maryah and Al Reem) and healthcare, along with families drawn by the international schools on Saadiyat, Yas and Al Reem. Apartment demand is strongest close to the city centre on Al Reem and Al Maryah, while villa communities on Yas and Saadiyat attract families seeking space, beaches and leisure facilities.
- Total real estate transactions, Abu Dhabi emirate
- AED117 billion
- H1 2026
- Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC), via Abu Dhabi Media Office
- Real estate transactions in investment zones
- AED75 billion
- H1 2026
- Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC), via Abu Dhabi Media Office
- Average advertised price per sq ft, ready apartments – Saadiyat Island
- AED 3,893
- H1 2026
- Bayut, Abu Dhabi Sales Market Report H1 2026
- Average advertised price per sq ft, ready apartments – Yas Island
- AED 2,393
- H1 2026
- Bayut, Abu Dhabi Sales Market Report H1 2026
- Average advertised price per sq ft, ready apartments – Al Reem Island
- AED 1,690
- H1 2026
- Bayut, Abu Dhabi Sales Market Report H1 2026
- Average advertised price per sq ft, ready apartments – Al Raha Beach
- AED 1,859
- H1 2026
- Bayut, Abu Dhabi Sales Market Report H1 2026
- Average advertised price per sq ft, ready villas – Saadiyat Island
- AED 2,250
- H1 2026
- Bayut, Abu Dhabi Sales Market Report H1 2026
- Projected rental ROI, apartments – Al Reem Island
- 6.34%
- H1 2026
- Bayut, Abu Dhabi Sales Market Report H1 2026
- Projected rental ROI, apartments – Yas Island
- 5.94%
- H1 2026
- Bayut, Abu Dhabi Sales Market Report H1 2026
Figures are reproduced as published by the named source for the stated period. Advertised prices are asking prices, not completed sales, and projected yields are gross estimates before service charges and other costs. Prices and rents change, and returns are not guaranteed.
Who buys here
Is Abu Dhabi right for you?
Off-plan villa buyers
Buyers targeting new Aldar villa communities on Saadiyat and Yas, using staged payment plans ahead of handover.
Yield-focused apartment investors
Investors buying apartments on Al Reem Island or around Yas Bay to let to professionals and smaller households.
Relocating families
Households moving to the capital for work who prioritise international schools and beach access.
Dubai-based diversifiers
Investors spreading holdings between emirates, helped by the new Etihad Rail link between Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Location guide
Landmarks, schools, shopping and transport
Names and details are taken from official sources where available; travel times vary with traffic.
Getting around
- Zayed International AirportAbu Dhabi's international airport, renamed from Abu Dhabi International Airport on 9 February 2024, when Terminal A opened.Source
- Etihad Rail – Abu Dhabi station (Mohammed Bin Zayed City)Passenger services began on 30 June 2026 to Fujairah, with Abu Dhabi–Dubai trains from 30 September 2026.Source
- Public buses (Abu Dhabi Mobility / ITC)Abu Dhabi has no metro; bus services, including the Abu Dhabi Express, are regulated by the Integrated Transport Centre of the DMT.Source
- Reem Mall Etihad Rail shuttleReem Mall lists a shuttle bus between the mall and the Mohammed Bin Zayed City rail station.Source
Schools
- Cranleigh Abu DhabiBritish international school on Saadiyat Island for ages 3 to 18, opened in September 2014.Source
- Repton Abu DhabiBritish curriculum with IGCSE and A Level for ages 3 to 18, on Al Reem Island.Source
- Yas American AcademyAldar Academies school in West Yas following an American (Massachusetts) curriculum.Source
Shopping & dining
Leisure & outdoors
- Saadiyat Cultural DistrictHome to Louvre Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum, the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi and teamLab Phenomena, with Guggenheim Abu Dhabi opening in December 2026.Source
Healthcare
- Cleveland Clinic Abu DhabiMulti-specialty hospital on Al Maryah Island with an emergency department.Source
Speak to an adviser
Buying in Abu Dhabi?
Tell us your budget and timing. We shortlist homes, arrange in-person or video viewings, and confirm prices, service charges and availability before you commit.
FAQ
Abu Dhabi questions
Yes, within designated investment zones. Following a 2019 amendment to Law No. 19 of 2005, non-UAE nationals can own property in zones including Saadiyat Island, Yas Island, Al Reem Island, Al Maryah Island, Al Raha Beach and Masdar City.
No. Public transport is bus-based, regulated by the Integrated Transport Centre, and Etihad Rail passenger services now run from Mohammed Bin Zayed City station to Fujairah and Dubai.
Zayed International Airport. Abu Dhabi International Airport took the new name on 9 February 2024.
Families often look at Saadiyat Island and Yas Island for villas, beaches and schools such as Cranleigh Abu Dhabi and Yas American Academy, while Al Reem Island offers apartments close to the city and Repton Abu Dhabi.
The Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC), set up by the Department of Municipalities and Transport in November 2023, covers strategy, regulation and transaction management, and its platform lets buyers check registered projects, ownership records and Madhmoun listing permits. The rules have been reformed in recent years, so confirm current requirements before buying.
