This page separates three different measures that are often collapsed into one claim: resident and peak-hour population, completed buildings, and permit activity. The quarterly completion figures below cover Q1-Q3 2025 because that is the period available in the cited Dubai in Figures 2025 release.
Population and peak-hour activity
| Measure | Q1 2025 | Q2 2025 | Q3 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,320 | 4,395 | 4,471 |
| Male population | 2,961 | 3,012 | 3,064 |
| Female population | 1,359 | 1,383 | 1,407 |
| Active individuals during peak hours | 6,030 | 6,126 | 6,217 |
Reading note: DDSE’s “active individuals during peak hours” is not a second population estimate and should not be added to the resident total. It reflects the larger number of people active in Dubai during peak hours.
Completed buildings by category
| Building category | Q1 2025 | Q2 2025 | Q3 2025 | Q1-Q3 total* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All categories | 1,038 | 631 | 1,086 | 2,755 |
| Private villas | 833 | 463 | 498 | 1,794 |
| Investment villas | 105 | 83 | 464 | 652 |
| Industrial buildings | 28 | 32 | 43 | 103 |
| Public buildings | 30 | 21 | 43 | 94 |
| Multi-storey buildings | 42 | 32 | 38 | 112 |
*Q1-Q3 totals are calculated from the three published quarterly values.
Value of completed buildings
| Building category | Q1 2025 | Q2 2025 | Q3 2025 | Q1-Q3 total* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All categories | 3,248 | 2,920 | 3,505 | 9,673 |
| Private villas | 1,446 | 833 | 926 | 3,205 |
| Investment villas | 177 | 103 | 524 | 804 |
| Industrial buildings | 105 | 96 | 120 | 321 |
| Public buildings | 176 | 230 | 469 | 875 |
| Multi-storey buildings | 1,344 | 1,658 | 1,466 | 4,468 |
*Calculated sums. DDSE notes that small differences can occur because source values are rounded.
What the category mix shows
| Category | Completed buildings | Share of count | Completed value | Share of value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private villas | 1,794 | 65.12% | AED 3,205m | 33.13% |
| Investment villas | 652 | 23.67% | AED 804m | 8.31% |
| Industrial buildings | 103 | 3.74% | AED 321m | 3.32% |
| Public buildings | 94 | 3.41% | AED 875m | 9.05% |
| Multi-storey buildings | 112 | 4.07% | AED 4,468m | 46.19% |
Private villas accounted for 65.12% of completed-building count but 33.13% of reported value. Multi-storey buildings represented only 4.07% of count and 46.19% of value. Those proportions describe the reported completion mix; they do not imply an interior-design fee or profitability level.
The calculated portfolio average was AED 3.51 million per completed building. Because this divides rounded aggregate values across very different building types, it is not a construction-cost or fit-out-price benchmark.
The separate permit pipeline
Dubai Municipality reported processing more than 30,000 building-permit applications in H1 2025, more than 20% above the comparable period, covering more than 5.5 million m² of newly licensed built-up area. Multi-storey commercial and investment projects represented 45% of that area, villas 40%, and industrial and public buildings the calculated remaining 15%.
Do not add permits to completions. Permit applications are a pipeline/workload indicator. A permit application can precede construction by a substantial period and is not evidence that the associated building or interior project has been delivered.
Buyer implications
- For a villa brief, the high villa share supports asking firms for comparable live or completed villa experience, but it does not validate a portfolio claim.
- For a multi-storey or commercial brief, project value concentration makes coordination, approvals and programme evidence especially relevant.
- Use the figures to frame market scale, then verify the designer’s exact licence activity, named technical team, insurance, scope exclusions and delivery references.
Continue with the property and leasing data or return to the Dubai interior-design statistics hub.
Sources
- Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment: Dubai in Figures 2025 (2025 Q1-Q3)
- Government of Dubai Media Office: Dubai Municipality construction sector records 20% growth with over 30000 building permit applications (2025 H1)
Last data review: 3 August 2026. Reported figures retain the source’s period and unit. Calculated figures are labelled as such. See the data methodology and company-verification protocol.