Yas Living by Aldar: Prices, Payment Plan, Handover and Resale Guide (2026)

What is Yas Living and why did it sell out so fast?

Yas Living is an Aldar apartment community of 678 homes in three buildings on a canal on the north-east side of Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. It launched in October 2025 with studios, one, two and three bedroom apartments, and Aldar reported it sold out within days with more than AED 1.3 billion in sales. Around 65% of buyers were expatriates or international investors, led by buyers from the UAE, China, Jordan, India and the UK.

Two things drove the rush. First, the entry price: studios started at AED 980,000, the lowest Aldar launch price on Yas Island in 2025. Second, the location. Yas Island already has the schools, malls, theme parks and the F1 circuit, so a new home there does not depend on infrastructure that has yet to be built. See our Yas Island area guide for the full picture of the island.

What did Yas Living cost at launch?

Launch prices, as listed by Aldar's sales partners in October 2025, were:

That works out at roughly AED 2,100 to 2,750 per sq ft, which was below the asking prices of completed waterfront towers on the island at the time. Sizes are indicative; Aldar's floor plans are the final reference.

How does the payment plan work?

Yas Living was sold on a 5/60/35 plan: 5% at booking, 60% in instalments during construction, and 35% on handover. Construction started in December 2025 and the expected completion is October 2028, so buyers who reserved at launch will have paid most of the construction instalments by mid-2028 and will settle the final 35% when they collect the keys.

For a studio at AED 980,000 that means about AED 49,000 at booking, roughly AED 588,000 spread over the build, and AED 343,000 at handover. Add the 2% Abu Dhabi transfer fee and, if you buy on the resale market, the agency fee.

When is handover?

Aldar's expected completion date is October 2028. Some listing portals show Q2 2028 or Q4 2028; the date in the sales contract is the one that counts, and Aldar has a strong record of delivering Yas Island projects on or close to schedule. Plan for late 2028 and treat anything earlier as a bonus.

Can I still buy? What resale buyers should know

Yes, but only on the resale market. By October 2026 Property Finder listed well over a hundred Yas Living units offered by early buyers. Typical asking prices we see are AED 1.75 million for a one bedroom and AED 2.5 million for a 1,186 sq ft two bedroom, which is a premium of roughly 3% to 6% over the launch price after one year.

Before you pay a premium, check these five points:

• Paid-up amount. You take over the seller's payment schedule. Ask exactly how much has been paid to Aldar and how much is still due before handover. The premium is paid on top of that.
• Transfer approval. Off-plan transfers go through Aldar's resale process. Aldar sets a minimum paid percentage before a unit can change hands and charges an administration fee; your agent confirms the current rule for your unit.
• Madhmoun permit. Every Abu Dhabi listing must carry an ADREC advertising permit. If the agent cannot show one, walk away.
• Unit specifics. Floor, canal view, balcony size and whether a maid's room is included move the price more than the building name. Compare like with like.
• Exit plan. If you intend to sell before handover, remember the next buyer will apply the same checks to you. Units with the lowest premium and a canal view are the easiest to resell.

Our current Yas Island listings are on the apartments for sale in Yas Island page, and we hold off-market Yas Living units that are not advertised; the form on this page gets you the list.

Yas Living versus Yas Riva and Yas Golf Collection

Buyers usually compare three Aldar apartment projects on the island. Yas Golf Collection is completed and overlooks the golf course, so you can rent out from day one, but you pay completed-property prices. Yas Riva is a later waterfront launch with larger, pricier units aimed at end users. Yas Living sits in the middle: the lowest entry price of the three, a canal setting, and a 2028 handover that suits investors who can wait for a rental yield. Our comparison of Aldar apartments on Yas Island goes through the numbers.

What rental income can an owner expect?

Nothing is leased before handover, so any yield is a 2028 question. Today, completed one bedroom apartments on Yas Island let for roughly AED 70,000 to 95,000 a year depending on the building and view. Applied to a Yas Living one bedroom bought at launch, that would be a gross yield of about 4.5% to 5.5%, before service charges. Rents on the island have risen for three consecutive years, but do not underwrite a purchase on the assumption that they keep rising at the same pace.

What this means for buyers

If you missed the launch, Yas Living is still one of the few ways to own a new-build Aldar apartment on Yas Island below AED 2 million, but the resale premium and the two-year wait to handover are the price of that. It suits investors with a three to five year horizon and end users who want a canal address on the island without paying completed-tower prices. It suits less well anyone who needs rental income in 2026 or 2027.

Tell us your budget and preferred unit type through the form on this page and a VIP Properties advisor will send the current Yas Living resale options, including units not listed online. Full project details are on our Yas Living project page.