Two Markets · One Decision
Dubai or Marbella? Let the numbers argue.
Same capital, two very different machines. Most of our clients end up owning both, but everyone starts somewhere. This page decides where.
Two Markets · One Decision
Same capital, two very different machines. Most of our clients end up owning both, but everyone starts somewhere. This page decides where.
Side by Side
These are the figures we use in client models: costs, yields, growth and the practical details that decide how your money behaves in each market. Read the row that matters most to you first.
| Factor | Dubai | Marbella |
|---|---|---|
| Acquisition costs | ~6.5% all-in: 4% DLD transfer + ~2% agency + AED 4,200 trustee and admin | 10 to 13% total: 7% ITP resale, or 10% VAT + 1.2% AJD on new build, plus ~3% fees |
| Tax on the income | 0% personal income tax, 0% capital gains, no annual property tax | Spanish income tax rates apply once you become tax resident |
| Long-term gross yield | City average ~7% · JVC 9 to 10% | 4 to 6% |
| Short-term profile | ADR AED 450 to 1,200 by area · 70 to 85% occupancy in prime zones, year-round demand | 8 to 10% gross in peak zones · season concentrated May to October |
| Growth since 2021 | Prime villas up 60%+ · population adding ~100,000 residents a year | ~7% per year on the Costa del Sol prime segment |
| Residency route | Golden Visa from AED 2M property (about €510,000) · 10-year renewable, family included | Non-lucrative visa or digital nomad visa · no golden visa, that scheme ended April 2025 |
| Leverage | Off-plan payment plans of 60/40 or 70/30, direct from developers | Non-resident mortgages up to 70% LTV at EUR rates |
| Entry ticket | From ~€160K | From ~€450K |
| Flight time from Europe | About 6h from most capitals | 3h from most of Europe |
| Currency | AED, pegged to the USD | EUR, no exchange risk for eurozone investors |
The Quiz
Five questions. Tap what is true for you and the verdict updates as you answer. No forms, no email, just a starting point.
How Our Clients Split It
Across 2,400+ investors the same three patterns keep repeating. None of them is wrong. One of them is yours.
Dubai apartments fund the portfolio. City average ~7% gross, JVC at 9 to 10%, rent paid yearly upfront in 1 to 4 cheques, and 0% income tax on all of it.
See the Dubai playbook → 02 · MarbellaA Marbella villa holds and compounds: ~7% a year on the prime segment since 2021, 320 days of sun, three hours from home. The asset your family actually uses.
See the Marbella playbook → 03 · BothYield in Dubai pays for the Marbella lifestyle. Many of our clients start with a Dubai apartment and buy the coast roughly 24 months later, on income the first asset produced.
Map your sequence with us →
The Stack
Dubai and Marbella are not rivals in a portfolio. One produces income, the other stores wealth where you want to spend your summers. Held together, each covers the other's weakness.
Client Words
One call. Three days later I had a shortlist with rental history, service charges and exit scenarios.
James · UKThe Marbella villa was never advertised. That is the entire point of working with them.
Elena · BelgiumPrivate Consultation
One senior advisor, both markets on the table, and a personal shortlist within 72 hours. No cost, no obligation.