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Yas Bay is Yas Island's premium waterfront entertainment and residential district by Miral. 1BR from AED 1M at 6.5% gross yield, 2BR from AED 1.7M at 5.9%. Service charges AED 16/sqft — above Yas Island average. Year-on-year price growth 8.5 to 9%. Strong short-term rental potential from Etihad Arena events.
Yas Bay is the flagship waterfront destination on Yas Island, developed by Miral, comprising the Etihad Arena, a 200-berth marina, a waterfront promenade, and residential towers. It is a freehold zone open to all nationalities and commands a premium over broader Yas Island pricing due to its completed entertainment infrastructure.
Based on DRE market tracking through Q1-Q2 2026, 1BR apartments trade at AED 750,000 to AED 1.35M (avg AED 1.0M) and 2BRs at AED 1.25M to AED 2.3M (avg AED 1.7M). Annual rents are AED 65,000 and AED 100,000 respectively. Gross yields are 6.5% and 5.9%. Year-on-year price growth is 8.5 to 9.0% — ahead of the broader Yas Island average.
Service charges run at AED 16.00 per sqft annually — higher than the Yas Island average of approximately AED 13/sqft. On a 900 sqft 1BR, annual service charges are approximately AED 14,400. Net yield after service charge and vacancy typically runs at 4.5 to 5.2%.
The short-term rental case is compelling — Etihad Arena hosts major concerts, UFC events, and Formula 1 ancillary events, creating predictable demand spikes for bay-facing furnished apartments. Abu Dhabi DET licensing is required for STR. All purchases above AED 2M qualify for the UAE Golden Visa. District Real Estate covers Yas Bay with active secondary and off-plan inventory.
Location and lifestyle
Yas Bay is the entertainment-led waterfront on Yas Island, home to Etihad Arena, the Yas Bay Waterfront dining and nightlife strip, and a 200-berth marina, with Ferrari World, Yas Mall, and Yas Beach minutes away and the airport around ten minutes by car. It is one of the few Abu Dhabi addresses where residential living sits on top of genuine, completed leisure infrastructure.
Who should consider this area?
Yas Bay suits short-term-rental investors who can harness event-driven demand, lifestyle buyers wanting a vibrant waterfront base, and Golden Visa purchasers above AED 2M.
What to watch out for
The service charge is high at AED 16/sqft — above the Yas Island average — which trims net yield to roughly 4.5 to 5.2%. Short-term letting requires an Abu Dhabi DET licence and furnishing capex, and arena-driven demand is seasonal and event-dependent, so model occupancy conservatively rather than assuming peak rates year-round.
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