Abu Dhabi owners weighing long-term lease vs short-term rental should compare three things: gross yield, net yield after costs, and effort.
Gross yield
Short-term rentals typically generate 1.4×–2× the gross income of a long lease in tourist-heavy areas like Yas Island and Al Maryah, especially for studios and 1-bedroom apartments.
Net yield
Short-term has higher operating costs — cleaning, supplies, channel fees, management. Net yield is usually still meaningfully higher than a long lease for the right apartment, but the gap depends on management quality.
Effort and risk
Long-term is hands-off but locks you in. Short-term is operationally intensive — unless you partner with an operator like Central Stay, in which case it becomes hands-off with higher returns.
When long-term wins
Apartments far from tourist demand or with weak amenities sometimes earn more on a long lease. We're happy to model both scenarios for your specific unit.