Who bought off-plan property in Dubai in 2025: India, the UK, China, Saudi Arabia

Here is how foreign demand for off-plan housing in Dubai broke down in 2025.

• India — the largest group of foreign off-plan buyers.
• United Kingdom — a growing flow: wealthy Britons are increasingly buying and relocating.
• China — demand from East Asia that recovered quickly.
• Saudi Arabia — notable participation by Gulf states in new projects.
• Russia — high activity, concentrated in the premium and luxury segments.

Why the buyer mix matters more than the headcount

Different groups behave differently, and that feeds directly into the liquidity of a given segment.

• Indian demand has historically been steady and spread across budgets — it supports the mid-market and districts such as JVC, Arjan and Dubai South.
• The British flow strengthened on the back of changes to the UK tax regime, which have led some wealthy residents to reconsider where they are based. This buyer comes for the long term and more often buys to live in.
• Buyers from the Gulf take large units and often buy in bulk.
• Russian demand has shifted to the top end — exactly the part of the market with the least supply.

What this means for an owner

When you sell an apartment, you are not selling it to “the market” but to a specific group of buyers. A studio in JVC and a three-bedroom on the Palm compete for different wallets, with decisions made in different currencies. Knowing who your likely buyer is shapes the price, where you list and the language of the listing.

Based on data on the nationality mix of foreign buyers of off-plan property in Dubai for 2025.