Property developers compared · Dubai

Emaar Properties vs Sobha Realty

Emaar Properties is a master developer of luxury, mid-market and waterfront homes, mainly in Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina and Dubai Hills Estate, while Sobha Realty is a master developer of luxury homes and villa and townhouse communities, mainly in Sobha Hartland, Meydan and Dubai Maritime City.

Data updated 30 September 2026

#1 Emaar Properties AED 38.4bn DLD sales value, 1 Jan–25 Sep 2026, from 9,546 sales View profile → #7 Sobha Realty AED 10.7bn DLD sales value, 1 Jan–25 Sep 2026, from 3,422 sales View profile →

Side by side

Sales figures are from our analysis of Dubai Land Department open data, 1 Jan–25 Sep 2026, measured the same way for every ranked developer. Other facts are from our developer database. A dash means we have no figure for it.

Compared	Emaar Properties	Sobha Realty
2026 rank	#1 of 92 By DLD sales value, 1 Jan–25 Sep 2026	#7 of 92 By DLD sales value, 1 Jan–25 Sep 2026
2026 sales value (DLD)	AED 38.4bn 1 Jan–25 Sep 2026	AED 10.7bn 1 Jan–25 Sep 2026
Number of sales	9,546 1 Jan–25 Sep 2026	3,422 1 Jan–25 Sep 2026
Year on year (value)	−25% on the same period of 2025	−49% on the same period of 2025
Off-plan share	39% of value; 56% of sales	65% of value; 72% of sales
Median price per sq ft	AED 2,417	AED 2,815
Top project by 2026 sales	Salva The Heights (AED 3bn, 360 sales)	Sobha Central (AED 1.7bn, 605 sales)
Founded	1997	–
Ownership	Publicly listed (DFM)	Private. Part of Sobha Group
Headquarters	Dubai, UAE	Dubai, UAE
Segments	Master developer, Luxury, Mid-market, Waterfront	Master developer, Luxury, Villas & townhouses
Property types	Apartments, Villas, Townhouses, Commercial	Apartments, Villas, Townhouses
Main Dubai areas	Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina, Dubai Hills Estate, Dubai Creek Harbour	Sobha Hartland, Meydan, Dubai Maritime City
Flagship projects	Burj Khalifa (Downtown Dubai, Completed 2010) The Dubai Mall (Downtown Dubai, Completed 2008)	Sobha Hartland (Mohammed Bin Rashid City, Under construction)
Recent launches	–	–
Payment plan style	–	–
Branded partnerships	–	–
Units delivered	75,596 (as of 2026)	8,141 (as of 2026)
Website	emaar.com	sobharealty.com

Source: Dubai Land Department open data via Data Dubai (data.dubai). Analysis by Top Realtors; not endorsed by the Dubai Land Department or the Government of Dubai. DLD transactions dataset · How the ranking works

Key differences

Sales. Emaar Properties' DLD-registered sales value was about 3.6× Sobha Realty's in 1 Jan–25 Sep 2026 (AED 38.4bn vs AED 10.7bn). It also recorded more individual sales (9,546 vs 3,422); average value per sale was about AED 4.0m vs AED 3.1m.
Off-plan and prices. Off-plan homes made up 39% of Emaar Properties' 2026 sales value and 65% of Sobha Realty's. Median price per sq ft: AED 2,417 for Emaar Properties, AED 2,815 for Sobha Realty.
Areas. Our data shows no Dubai area where both have main projects. Emaar Properties builds mainly in Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina, Dubai Hills Estate and Dubai Creek Harbour; Sobha Realty in Sobha Hartland, Meydan and Dubai Maritime City.
Focus. Only Emaar Properties lists mid-market homes and waterfront projects; only Sobha Realty lists villas and townhouses. Both list master-planned communities and luxury homes.
Ownership. Emaar Properties: Publicly listed (DFM). Sobha Realty: Private, part of Sobha Group.
Property types. Only Emaar Properties lists commercial.

Which might suit you

Based only on each developer's segments and property types in our data, not on the quality of any project.

If you want a mid-market or lower-priced home, look at Emaar Properties.
If you want a waterfront home, look at Emaar Properties.
Both developers build master-planned communities, luxury homes and villa and townhouse projects, so for these compare specific projects, prices and payment plans.

Whichever you choose, check the project is registered with the Dubai Land Department and ask a RERA-licensed broker to compare units and payment plans.

Areas where both build

Our data shows no Dubai area where both have main projects.

Emaar Properties

Downtown Dubai Dubai Marina Dubai Hills Estate Dubai Creek Harbour

Sobha Realty

Sobha Hartland Meydan Dubai Maritime City

Frequently asked questions

Which sold more in 2026, Emaar Properties or Sobha Realty?

By the value of sales registered with the Dubai Land Department between 1 January and 25 September 2026, Emaar Properties sold more: AED 38.4bn (#1 of 92) against AED 10.7bn for Sobha Realty (#7). It also recorded more individual sales: 9,546 against 3,422. Year-on-year change in sales value: Emaar Properties −25% on the same period of 2025; Sobha Realty −49% on the same period of 2025.

Do Emaar Properties and Sobha Realty build in the same Dubai areas?

Not in our data. Emaar Properties builds mainly in Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina, Dubai Hills Estate and Dubai Creek Harbour, and Sobha Realty mainly in Sobha Hartland, Meydan and Dubai Maritime City.

Who owns Emaar Properties and Sobha Realty?

Emaar Properties: Publicly listed (DFM), founded in 1997. Sobha Realty: Private, part of Sobha Group.

Developer profiles

Emaar Properties: projects, areas and sources
Sobha Realty: projects, areas and sources
Top 102 property developers in Dubai (how the ranking works)

More comparisons

Emaar Properties vs DAMAC Properties Emaar Properties vs Nakheel Emaar Properties vs Dubai Properties Sobha Realty vs Ellington Properties

Buying from Emaar Properties or Sobha Realty?

A RERA-licensed broker can compare launches, units and payment plans across both developers. Browse our directory of verified Dubai brokers.

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Sources

Facts on this page come from these public sources. Spotted an error? Tell us through our contact page.