Dubai apartment sizes: sqft, m² and comparable unit prices

When comparing Dubai apartments, converting sqft, or square feet, is only part of the task: the figures must cover the same components. One square foot is exactly 0.09290304 m², so 900 sqft is approximately 83.61 m². Divide the asking price by that area only after establishing which indoor, balcony or other areas the figure includes.

The advert, floor plan, contract and registry record may use different labels. The original comparison method below helps organise those figures; it does not establish a universal net-versus-gross measurement rule for Dubai property. The apartments and prices in the illustration are invented.

Square metres = square feet × 0.09290304. In reverse: square feet ≈ square metres × 10.7639104. NIST defines the international foot as exactly 0.3048 metres; squaring that length gives the square-foot conversion factor. Dubai Land Department’s FAQ also gives the 10.7639104 conversion factor and identifies the square metre as the adopted area unit in the emirate.

For example, 800 sqft = 74.322432 m², or 74.32 m² rounded. Retain full precision during calculations and round the final result. Extra decimal places do not make the original measurement more accurate: a rounded advertised area still produces an approximate converted figure.

DLD’s real estate data page lists separate unit fields including Property Size (sq.m), Balcony Area and Common Area. This supports keeping the labels separate in your own worksheet. The field names alone do not establish exactly what an offer’s total includes or which figures can be added together.

Obtain the floor plan for the specific unit identifier and the source of the area figure. Clarify in writing whether the stated total includes the balcony, what the indoor figure means, and how walls, terraces, storage and any common-area shares are treated. Square feet are a unit of measurement, not a synonym for net or gross area.

For illustration only, both apartments cost AED 1,500,000. Apartment A has a total of 900 sqft: 800 sqft indoors and a 100 sqft balcony. Apartment B totals 880 sqft: 840 sqft indoors and a 40 sqft balcony. The example expressly assumes that the documents define these components consistently and that the total is their sum. This is not a general Dubai measurement rule.

Using total area, A is 1,500,000 ÷ 900 = AED 1,666.67/sqft; B is 1,500,000 ÷ 880 = AED 1,704.55/sqft. A appears cheaper on that basis. Dividing the same full purchase price by indoor area only gives AED 1,875.00/sqft for A and AED 1,785.71/sqft for B. B therefore comes out cheaper in the indoor-area comparison.

This does not mean the balcony has no value or that B is a better investment. The two metrics answer different questions. Assess layout usability, views, condition and running costs separately; any price shown per m² should use the same area basis as the AED/sqft figure.

Record the same six rows for every offer: (1) project, building and unit identifier; (2) asking price in AED and offer date; (3) original area value, unit and exact label; (4) indoor, balcony and other breakdowns, avoiding double counting; (5) document name, version or date; (6) outstanding question and written response.

Then calculate using one unit and a confirmed common area basis. If indoor area is unknown for an offer, mark it as unverified rather than estimating it from another apartment’s proportions. Alongside purchase-price-per-area comparisons, budget acquisition and operating costs separately.

For area discrepancies, DLD’s FAQ points to comparison of the contract, registry record and available engineering drawings, with referral to the relevant DLD or legal service where necessary. The practical implication for a buyer is to document the reason for the discrepancy before making a like-for-like price comparison.

Prepare a discrepancy log showing each document’s figure, measurement unit and whether it refers to the same unit. Separate conversion or rounding differences from differences in what the area includes. A disputed area does not establish an automatic discount or compensation; the particular contract and circumstances need review.

Is the balcony always included? Do not assume a universal yes or no: obtain the definition used in the specific document. Are two AED/sqft prices comparable? They are comparable when both the price basis and the area denominator are consistent. Is a floor-plan image enough? Also verify the unit identifier, data source and agreement between documents.

Start your shortlist by completing the worksheet, then use verified areas in the wider price and cost assessment. The related price guide covers other price drivers, while the title-deed verification article helps reconcile unit and ownership details.