Property developers compared · Dubai

Nakheel vs Meraas

Nakheel is a government-backed master developer of luxury and waterfront homes, mainly in Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali and Dubai Islands, while Meraas is a government-backed master developer of luxury and waterfront homes, mainly in City Walk, Bluewaters Island and La Mer.

Data updated 30 September 2026

#4 Nakheel AED 11.8bn DLD sales value, 1 Jan–25 Sep 2026, from 1,171 sales View profile → #10 Meraas AED 8.5bn DLD sales value, 1 Jan–25 Sep 2026, from 1,292 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	Nakheel	Meraas
2026 rank	#4 of 92 By DLD sales value, 1 Jan–25 Sep 2026	#10 of 92 By DLD sales value, 1 Jan–25 Sep 2026
2026 sales value (DLD)	AED 11.8bn 1 Jan–25 Sep 2026	AED 8.5bn 1 Jan–25 Sep 2026
Number of sales	1,171 1 Jan–25 Sep 2026	1,292 1 Jan–25 Sep 2026
Year on year (value)	−44% on the same period of 2025	+62% on the same period of 2025
Off-plan share	23% of value; 34% of sales	60% of value; 67% of sales
Median price per sq ft	AED 3,345	AED 3,302
Top project by 2026 sales	Palm Jebel Ali - The Beach and Coral Collection - Frond D (AED 1.5bn, 41 sales)	Nad Al Sheba Gardens Phase 11 (AED 2.2bn, 198 sales)
Founded	–	2007
Ownership	Dubai government-owned. Part of Dubai Holding	Owned by Dubai Holding (Dubai government-linked)
Headquarters	Dubai, UAE	Dubai, UAE
Segments	Master developer, Waterfront, Government-backed, Luxury	Master developer, Luxury, Waterfront, Government-backed
Property types	Apartments, Villas, Townhouses, Retail	Apartments, Villas, Retail, Hospitality
Main Dubai areas	Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali, Dubai Islands, Jumeirah Islands, International City	City Walk, Bluewaters Island, La Mer, Dubai Harbour, Port de La Mer
Flagship projects	Palm Jumeirah (Completed) Palm Jebel Ali (Under construction)	City Walk (Al Wasl, Completed 2013) Bluewaters Island (Jumeirah, Completed) La Mer (Jumeirah, Completed 2017)
Recent launches	222 beachfront residences, Palm Jebel Ali (Palm Jebel Ali, 2026)	City Walk Crestlane (City Walk, 2026)
Payment plan style	–	–
Branded partnerships	–	–
Units delivered	12,097 (as of 2026)	7,605 (as of 2026)
Website	nakheel.com	meraas.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. Nakheel's DLD-registered sales value was about 1.4× Meraas' in 1 Jan–25 Sep 2026 (AED 11.8bn vs AED 8.5bn). Meraas recorded more individual sales (1,292 vs 1,171), so its average sale was smaller: about AED 6.6m vs AED 10.1m.
Off-plan and prices. Off-plan homes made up 23% of Nakheel's 2026 sales value and 60% of Meraas'. Median price per sq ft: AED 3,345 for Nakheel, AED 3,302 for Meraas.
Areas. Our data shows no Dubai area where both have main projects. Nakheel builds mainly in Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali, Dubai Islands, Jumeirah Islands and International City; Meraas in City Walk, Bluewaters Island, La Mer, Dubai Harbour and Port de La Mer.
Ownership. Both are part of Dubai Holding.
Property types. Only Nakheel lists townhouses; only Meraas lists hospitality.

Which might suit you

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

Both developers build master-planned communities, luxury homes, villa and townhouse projects and waterfront homes, 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.

Nakheel

Palm Jumeirah Palm Jebel Ali Dubai Islands Jumeirah Islands International City

Meraas

City Walk Bluewaters Island La Mer Dubai Harbour Port de La Mer

Frequently asked questions

Which sold more in 2026, Nakheel or Meraas?

By the value of sales registered with the Dubai Land Department between 1 January and 25 September 2026, Nakheel sold more: AED 11.8bn (#4 of 92) against AED 8.5bn for Meraas (#10). Meraas recorded more individual sales in the same period, though: 1,292 against 1,171. Year-on-year change in sales value: Nakheel −44% on the same period of 2025; Meraas +62% on the same period of 2025.

Do Nakheel and Meraas build in the same Dubai areas?

Not in our data. Nakheel builds mainly in Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali, Dubai Islands, Jumeirah Islands and International City, and Meraas mainly in City Walk, Bluewaters Island, La Mer, Dubai Harbour and Port de La Mer.

Who owns Nakheel and Meraas?

Nakheel: Dubai government-owned, part of Dubai Holding. Meraas: Owned by Dubai Holding (Dubai government-linked), founded in 2007.

Developer profiles

Nakheel: projects, areas and sources
Meraas: projects, areas and sources
Top 102 property developers in Dubai (how the ranking works)

More comparisons

Emaar Properties vs Nakheel

Buying from Nakheel or Meraas?

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

Off-plan specialists Browse all brokers

Sources

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