A foreign buyer currently excluded from most Sydney established homes can consider completed freehold homes in designated Dubai areas; the distinction does not apply equally to Australian citizens.
Compare the life you know with the possibilities in Dubai. Start with your priorities, then build a shortlist around them.
TWO CITIES / A CLEARER PERSPECTIVE
Sydney & Dubai. What changes for your investment.
WHY DUBAI MAY FIT YOUR PLANS
Foreign buyers can access different stock
A foreign buyer currently excluded from most Sydney established homes can consider completed freehold homes in designated Dubai areas; the distinction does not apply equally to Australian citizens.
PERSONAL SAFETY
Feeling safe after dark.
Adults who felt safe walking alone at night in their area.
66%Australia
90%United Arab Emirates
Gallup 2025 report · 2024 survey. Country/territory-level survey, rather than city crime rates. Survey & methodology ↗
Ownership & acquisition
Sydney
Foreign persons are generally barred from buying established Australian dwellings from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2027, with limited exceptions. NSW also has a 9% foreign-purchaser surcharge, subject to exemptions.
Dubai’s Metro Blue Line programme adds 30 km and 14 stations, with completion targeted for 2029. The route will connect Dubai Creek Harbour, Dubai Silicon Oasis and Academic City to the wider network.
Your home-market reference is AUD. Dubai property is priced in AED, which the UAE central bank maintains at a US-dollar peg. This diversifies currency exposure, while movements between AUD and the dollar affect your converted returns.
Dubai recorded 75,347 unit sales and 465,738 registered lease contracts in H1 2025. That provides evidence of both buyer and tenant activity. A well-priced home in a sought-after building can appeal to both markets; actual resale time depends on the unit, competition and market conditions.
Enter researched figures for one property in each city, in its own currency. No market averages or projected appreciation are assumed.
Annual operating costs should include vacancy allowance, service charges, maintenance, insurance and management. Total acquisition cost includes purchase costs. This unlevered yield calculation excludes capital gains, financing, personal taxes and currency movements.
Compare properties with the same holding period and similar use. These notes explain differences; they are not personal tax advice or a promise of superior returns.
From your first search to ownership.
Ownership, cash planning, remote purchase, management and the eventual sale.
