Dubai And Beyond: Why Indian Couples Are Choosing Overseas Homes Over Indian Addresses

For a growing number of Indian couples, the dream home no longer requires an Indian postal code. What began as a few ambitious investors buying Dubai apartments has evolved into a broader financial shift; a growing class of salaried professionals and entrepreneurs is looking beyond Indian metros and channelling their savings into global real estate markets.

Once fixated on owning two-bedroom apartments in cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, or Delhi, Indian couples are now increasingly turning to overseas property markets to park their savings and diversify their wealth. The shift comes at a time when home prices in India’s top cities have risen 25–30 per cent in two years, while rental yields remain stuck between 3 and 5 per cent, barely offsetting borrowing costs that hover around 8 per cent. For a growing number of property buyers, those numbers simply don’t add up anymore.

Dubai leads this new wealth play. Over the past year, it has become the preferred investment destination for Indian buyers priced out of domestic metros. Properties in areas like Jumeirah Village Circle, Business Bay, and Dubai Marina are offering 7–9 per cent rental yields, almost double what investors typically earn in Mumbai, Delhi or Bengaluru (3–4 per cent). With no property tax, transparent developer norms, and steady capital appreciation, the city’s property market has turned into a serious alternative to Indian residential assets.

“Indians are realising that the domestic real estate equation no longer adds up,” says Alok Priyadarshi, Founder of Homely Yours, a proptech firm that enables Indians to buy and manage properties overseas. “Home loan rates in India hover around 8-9 per cent, while property prices have surged 25–30 per cent in metros without matching rental growth. In comparison, Dubai and a few other markets offer both stronger yields and the satisfaction of global ownership,” he adds.

Who’s Buying And Why

The profile of these investors is surprisingly consistent, where dual-income Indian couples in their 30s and early 40s, working in technology, consulting, or finance, are increasingly buying properties outside India. They are financially literate, exposed to global markets, and driven less by emotion and more by arithmetic.

A two-bedroom apartment in Mumbai’s western suburbs now costs around Rs 2.5–3 crore and fetches Rs 5–6 lakh in annual rent. For the same amount, investors can purchase a freehold apartment in Dubai’s Business Bay or Jumeirah Village, which could earn Rs 9–11 lakh. 

But Dubai isn’t the only market attracting Indian capital. According to Homely Yours, Thailand, Portugal, the UK, and parts of Eastern Europe are also seeing steady Indian interest. In Thailand, Indians rank among the top five foreign condo owners, while Portugal’s “Golden Visa” has seen a steady uptick in Indian participation since 2022.

In Bangkok and Phuket, Indians are investing in mid-segment apartments for short-term rental income from tourism. In Athens, real estate linked to residency-by-investment schemes is drawing professionals seeking long-term global mobility. London continues to be the choice for HNIs, though new buyers are opting for smaller, investment-grade units instead of luxury homes.

“Today’s Indian buyer is data-driven and return-conscious. Buying a home abroad used to be seen as a statement of wealth. Today, it is increasingly seen as a statement of smartness. For couples, it is no longer about owning a property with an Indian address. It is about owning a property at an address that appreciates, earns, and opens new global possibilities. It is as much a spreadsheet decision as it is an emotional one,” says Priyadarshi.