DIFC Offices at 2% Vacancy: What a Square Foot Costs in Dubai’s Tightest District

The perimeter around DIFC and the World Trade Centre is Dubai's tightest office location — vacancy runs at around 2%. Here's what supply looks like in that kind of market.

The offer

Office space in a fully renovated tower next to the World Trade Centre — a landmark building in the district.

• Layout: a full floor of 6,100–6,500 sq ft or half a floor of 2,990–3,500 sq ft.
• Price: AED 4,000–4,500 per sq ft — roughly $11,600–13,100 per square metre.
• Projected yield: 8.75–11.5%, depending on the scenario.
• Payment plan: 5% on booking, 55% during construction, 40% on handover. Completion: Q4 2026.

Stated features include Grade A+ specification with a spa, pool, gym and lounges; large floor plates; and elevator capacity doubled from 9 to 18 cabs.

Why the elevators aren't a minor detail

Doubling the number of elevators is the single most practical detail in the whole listing. In an office building, lift wait times at peak hour directly affect whether a tenant renews. In the district's older towers this is a standard complaint, and fixing it costs more than a spa does.

How to read the price

AED 4,000–4,500 per sq ft sits at the top of the market — but it's still below asking prices for large blocks inside DIFC itself, where numbers run as high as 7,500. The difference is the price of the address: the free zone's own jurisdiction and legal system cost extra.

The 8.75–11.5% yield is again given as a range. Treat the lower end as the base case, and verify it against signed leases in neighbouring towers rather than the district average.

Based on a specific office offering in the DIFC / World Trade Centre area, 2025.