Affordable Abu Dhabi apartments from Aldar: Manarat Living 2 and Reeman Living 2, the 2024 launches revisited
In January 2024 Aldar opened two mid-market schemes: Manarat Living 2 on Saadiyat (232 homes, from about AED 730k) and Reeman Living 2 in Al Shamkha (from about AED 420k). Reeman Living 2 was scheduled for Q1 2026 and Manarat Living 2 for 2027.
Early in 2024 Aldar opened sales at two projects priced well below its branded launches: Manarat Living 2 on Saadiyat Island and Reeman Living 2 in suburban Al Shamkha. They show how the capital's largest developer handles the middle of the market — and what those purchases look like two and a half years later.
Manarat Living 2: Saadiyat at a suburban price
A 13-storey building with 232 homes — studios, one- to three-bedroom apartments and some two-bedrooms with a maid's room — plus a fourth-floor pool with sea views, gym and kids' club. Entry was about USD 200,000, roughly AED 730,000, with one-bedroom price per square metre well below the island average. It sold out, and in January 2025 Aldar released the third and final phase, Manarat Living III, which the developer says sold out in 24 hours for about AED 940m. Handover of phase two is expected in 2027; portals differ on the quarter.
Reeman Living 2: the entry ticket
A family-oriented scheme in Al Shamkha, about 10–15 minutes from the airport, selling studios to three-bedroom apartments from about USD 115,000 (roughly AED 420,000), with part of the price deferred past handover. The developer's schedule was Q1 2026. As of September 2026 we have not found public confirmation that handovers are complete, so check the building's status with Aldar before buying a resale unit.
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| Manarat Living 2 | Reeman Living 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Saadiyat | Al Shamkha |
| Launch | Jan 2024 | Jan 2024 |
| Launch entry | ≈ AED 730k | ≈ AED 420k |
| Handover | 2027 (portals) | scheduled Q1 2026 |
What the two schemes taught
First, Aldar's mid-market product sells as fast as its premium one; demand forms before launch. Second, address matters more than price: a Saadiyat apartment at a suburban price was rare and became rarer, so appreciation there has been stronger. Al Shamkha is a rental market for families working in the capital — its value is steady income, not resale. The Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre's H1 2026 data supports both points: residential sales nearly tripled to AED 70.4bn, 89% of it off-plan, and there are 233,000 active residential leases. Abu Dhabi has also opened its transaction data, so you can now check achieved prices — see our note on that.
Who should look now
- Manarat Living 2 — buyers who want Saadiyat for under a million dirhams, accepting a premium on resale contracts.
- Reeman Living 2 — income buyers wanting the smallest ticket. Note that rent increases in Abu Dhabi are currently frozen at 0% on renewal; see what that changes for owners.
Prices and listings: Saadiyat and Al Shamkha.
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