Airbnb vs Long-Term Rental
Should you rent short-term or long-term? Compare STR and LTR yields across all 12 Dubai markets where Airbnb is legal.
Dubai STR Regulations
DET License
Dubai Economy & Tourism (DET) requires a short-term rental license (General Authority License for Hotel Apartments). Applied through your property management company or directly.
DTCM Compliance
Dubai Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DTCM) oversees property-by-property registration and classification. Non-compliance risks property impounding and fines up to 500K AED.
Tourism Dirham Fee
AED 20 per night per guest (included in your guest-facing total). Collected and remitted by the platform or your property manager. Built into all yield calculations below.
Yield Comparison Table 1BR Apartments
| Community | Nightly Rate | Occupancy | STR Gross | STR Fees | STR Net | STR Yield | LTR Net | LTR Yield | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jumeirah Beach Residence | AED 380 | 81% | AED 112K | 58% | AED 47K | 5.0% | AED 51K | 5.4% | LTR |
| Dubai Marina | AED 450 | 78% | AED 128K | 57% | AED 56K | 4.6% | AED 55K | 4.6% | STR |
| DIFC | AED 520 | 74% | AED 140K | 55% | AED 63K | 4.4% | AED 64K | 4.4% | LTR |
| Downtown Dubai | AED 500 | 75% | AED 137K | 57% | AED 59K | 4.2% | AED 61K | 4.4% | LTR |
| Business Bay | AED 380 | 76% | AED 105K | 57% | AED 46K | 4.2% | AED 47K | 4.3% | LTR |
| Bluewaters Island | AED 420 | 73% | AED 112K | 57% | AED 48K | 4.1% | AED 49K | 4.3% | LTR |
| City Walk | AED 380 | 72% | AED 100K | 57% | AED 43K | 4.1% | AED 46K | 4.4% | LTR |
| Jumeirah Lake Towers | AED 340 | 70% | AED 87K | 58% | AED 36K | 4.0% | AED 43K | 4.7% | LTR |
| Dubai Creek Harbour | AED 350 | 70% | AED 89K | 58% | AED 38K | 4.0% | AED 44K | 4.7% | LTR |
| Jumeirah Village Circle | AED 300 | 65% | AED 71K | 58% | AED 30K | 4.0% | AED 36K | 4.8% | LTR |
| The Greens | AED 320 | 68% | AED 79K | 58% | AED 34K | 4.0% | AED 41K | 4.8% | LTR |
| Palm Jumeirah | AED 550 | 72% | AED 145K | 57% | AED 61K | 3.8% | AED 66K | 4.1% | LTR |
Key Insights
STR Winners
Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai Marina, DIFC lead on STR yield, driven by premium nightly rates and strong occupancy.
High-touch management required. DET licensing, DTCM registration, tourism Dirham collection, cleaning coordination, guest communication.
Break-Even Occupancy
Most communities need 55-65% occupancy to match LTR net yield. Premium markets (Marina, Downtown, Palm) require lower occupancy to win.
Lower upside but more stable. Less management friction. Void periods rare. Tenant quality predictable.
Explore Each Community
Click into each community to see detailed fee breakdowns, guest experience metrics, regulatory compliance checklist and a comparison calculator for your specific property.