Medini Homes manages 110+ short-term rental units in Dubai, including 10 units in Downtown Dubai and Business Bay. Over the last 12 months, a 2-bedroom there generated between AED 176,000 and 254,000 in gross revenue, and 1-bedrooms ran at 80% occupancy. This page publishes the real ranges from our portfolio — not marketing projections.
The numbers, type by type
| Unit type | Annual range | Median | Occupancy | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | AED 92,000–118,000 | AED 102,000 | 69% | 3 |
| 1 bedroom | AED 117,000–135,000 | AED 129,000 | 80% | 4 |
| 2 bedrooms | AED 176,000–254,000 | AED 221,000 | 76% | 3 |
What these numbers tell you
Downtown is Dubai's tourist heart — Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, the fountains, the Opera — and Business Bay its immediate extension along the canal, more corporate, with purchase prices a notch below. It is where the most expensive nights in our portfolio are sold: guests come for the address, are willing to pay for it, and stay short.
The area's sweet spot, in our data, is the 1-bedroom: 80% occupancy, the best in the district, at a median of AED 129,000. City-break couples and business travellers compete for it all year. Studios, on the other hand, cap at 69%: in this format, Downtown competes head-on with the hotel supply, and only flawless studios — view, floor, furniture, photos — stand out.
The 2-bedrooms show the widest range in our entire portfolio: AED 176,000 to 254,000, a +44% gap from bottom to top. No surprise: in Downtown, a Burj Khalifa or fountain view, a high floor and an iconic building radically change the nightly rate at equal size. This is where the choice of unit at purchase weighs most heavily on final income.
A word on transparency: our sample in the area counts 10 units, versus 35 in JVC / Studio City. The ranges are therefore more sensitive to individual units. We publish them anyway because they are real, confirmed numbers — and we refine them unit by unit in an individual projection.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an apartment earn on Airbnb in Downtown Dubai?
Across our portfolio, over 12 months: studio AED 92,000–118,000 gross (median 102,000), 1-bedroom AED 117,000–135,000 (median 129,000), 2-bedroom AED 176,000–254,000 (median 221,000). Gross revenue, cleaning fees included, before management commission and charges.
Why is the 2-bedroom range so wide?
+44% from bottom to top: in Downtown, the view (Burj Khalifa, fountains, canal), the floor and the building's standing create huge nightly-rate gaps between two units of the same size. The choice of unit at purchase is decisive.
What occupancy in Downtown and Business Bay?
Across our portfolio: 69% for studios, 80% for 1-bedrooms — the area's sweet spot — and 76% for 2-bedrooms, over the trailing 12 months.
Is a Downtown studio worth it versus JVC?
Median AED 102,000 in Downtown versus AED 86,000 in JVC / Studio City, but a much higher purchase price and lower occupancy (69% versus 78%). On return on capital, JVC often wins; on absolute income and capital appreciation potential, Downtown keeps the edge.
Do these figures include expenses?
No. These are gross revenues, cleaning fees included, before management commission, platform commissions, DEWA, cooling, service charge and tourist dirham. Expect an owner net of roughly 45–50% of gross — the line-by-line breakdown is in our article on Dubai short-let apartment returns.