From about 7-8% gross in Georgia to 3-4% in Germany: one page with the yield figures from our country guides, what they leave out, and why gross rankings mislead.
Where is rental yield highest in 2026, and does the number mean what it seems to? This page collects the yield figures from our own country guides in one place. It contains no new research: every figure comes from one of the linked articles, which say where it came from and how reliable it is. Treat all of it as indicative, not as a promise.
How to read this list
Three things change what a yield number means.
- Gross or net. Gross yield is annual rent divided by purchase price. Net is what remains after service charges, management, vacancy, tax and repairs. In our guides net is typically 1.5 to 2 points below gross, and often more for holiday lets.
- Who published it. Official statistics, aggregators such as Global Property Guide, and agent or developer brochures are different things. Where a figure is an agent claim, our guides say so.
- Which currency the rent is in. A 7% yield in a currency that loses value every year is not a 7% yield in euro.
The list below is ordered by the typical headline gross yield. It is not a ranking of where to buy.
Higher headline yield, higher risk
- Georgia: about 7-8% gross in 2026, but Batumi is drifting toward 7% gross and 2-4% net. Short-term demand and guaranteed-rent schemes drive the headline.
- Turkey: roughly 6-8% gross in lira terms, but the lira loses value every year, so the euro result is the one that matters.
- Saudi Arabia: headline gross of 6-9%, net usually 3-5%, and Riyadh rents are frozen until 2030.
- Armenia: gross around 6-8%, from agent and law-firm estimates rather than official data.
- Thailand: about 6.5% national average gross (Global Property Guide); agencies quote 8-10% for Phuket, which is a holiday-let figure with its own licensing risk.
- Bali: seller brochures promise 10-15%, while platform data point to roughly 5-7.5% gross on a mid-priced villa and lower net.
The middle of the range
- Dubai: prime apartments about 5-6% gross, mid-market 7-9%, net roughly 2 points lower. Prices and rents fell in the second quarter of 2026.
- Spain: about 6.5% average gross, with Madrid near 4.7% and Alicante near 7.8%; a net 2-4% is the realistic range.
- Italy: aggregators put the average near 6.6% gross; Milan sits around 3.5-5% and Palermo or Bari above 6.5%. A net 3-4% is a realistic planning figure.
- Cyprus: about 4.5-5.9% gross depending on city and flat size, net 1.5-2 points lower.
- Greece: average about 4.4% gross, small Athens flats near 6-8%, big or island units far lower.
- Portugal: about 4-5% gross in the big cities and 5-8% inland, but a Lisbon flat nets nearer 2-3%.
- Montenegro: about 4-5% gross and a realistic net of 3-4%.
Capital-preservation markets
- Austria: published gross yields run from about 3% to nearly 5%, and a typical apartment nets around 2%.
- Germany: gross about 3-4%, net lower. You buy it for stability, not income.
- France: the big cities (Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux) about 3.8-4.0% gross; Marseille, Montpellier and Grenoble reach roughly 5.2-5.7%.
Why a gross ranking misleads
- Net narrows the gap. A 7% gross market with high vacancy, taxes and a falling currency can end up near a 4% gross market with stable tenants.
- Averages hide cities. Spain's national figure is about 6.5%, but Madrid is near 4.7%. Italy's is 6.6%, but Milan is 3.5-5%.
- Short-term yield is not long-term yield. Holiday-let figures depend on licences that can change; see short-term vs long-term rental.
- Guaranteed rent has a price. See guaranteed rental schemes: the catch.
- Costs differ by country. Buying costs, annual taxes and management eat into every figure above; see total cost of ownership abroad.
What to do with this list
Pick two or three markets that fit your goal, then read each country article in full: they separate gross from net, name the cities, and list what we could not confirm. For Europe-only context see our European rental yield overview, and for the price side of the same markets see property prices per m² by country.
FAQ
Which country has the highest rental yield? On headline gross figures, Georgia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and some Asian markets lead, but each carries a currency, regulatory or licensing risk that lowers the real result. Which has the lowest? Germany, Austria and big French cities, bought for stability. Is net 3-4% good? In stable EU markets it is a normal outcome; in higher-risk markets you should expect more. Can I compare these numbers directly? Only roughly: sources, dates and definitions differ, as each article explains.
How we help
We shortlist markets to your goal, model net numbers on your own assumptions and coordinate local lawyers and managers. This page summarises our published articles; it is informational only, not legal, tax or investment advice, and figures are indicative and change.