Kuwaitis top GCC real estate holdings across UAE, Bahrain and Saudi

Dubai: Kuwaitis have emerged as the leading Gulf nationals in property ownership across three GCC countries, according to new data from the GCC Statistical Center.

The report, part of the Gulf Common Market assessment, shows that Kuwaitis hold the largest share of Gulf-owned properties in the UAE, 3,545 units, representing 42 percent of all GCC ownership. 

They also top the rankings in Bahrain with 2,600 properties (65 percent) and in Saudi Arabia with 2,536 (71.8 percent).

The report highlights how property ownership by Gulf nationals has surged 162 percent, equivalent to 17,900 properties, across the region. 

Within Kuwait, Saudis remain the largest Gulf property owners with 237 holdings, followed by smaller numbers of Bahrainis, Emiratis, Qataris and Omanis.

Cross-border mobility also continues to expand. The report also shows a sharp rise in regional travel, with 6.6 million Gulf citizens visiting Kuwait in 2024, the highest level recorded. 

Saudis accounted for the vast majority at 5.6 million, followed by 688,400 Bahrainis, 139,900 Emiratis, 122,300 Qataris, and 74,400 Omanis.

Labor movement reflects similar patterns. A total of 2,111 Kuwaitis work elsewhere in the Gulf, including 1,853 in Saudi Arabia, 103 in the UAE, 31 in Bahrain, 30 in Oman, and 94 in Qatar.

Regionwide, 41.4 million Gulf citizens travelled among member states in 2024, nearly triple the level recorded in 2007.

Labor integration is also strengthening. The report notes that Kuwait hosts the largest number of Saudi workers, followed by Omanis, Bahrainis, Emiratis and Qataris. 

More than 11,900 Gulf nationals are enrolled in pension systems across the GCC, alongside 13,800 in social insurance programs, with Kuwait and Saudi Arabia accounting for the largest shares.

Economic ties continue to deepen across sectors. Intra-GCC trade reached $146 billion, and 30 Gulf banks are now licensed to operate within member states. 

Commercial activity has expanded sharply, with 96,300 Gulf-owned business licenses issued region-wide, 11,718 of them held by Kuwaiti nationals, most prominently in the UAE and Bahrain.

Financial market participation reflects similar trends. The number of publicly listed companies open to GCC shareholders has increased by 30 percent, while Kuwaiti investors maintain a strong presence across regional exchanges, particularly in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

In education and health, the report shows that 43,200 Gulf students attend public schools across the GCC, 12,800 study in higher education institutions, and nearly half a million citizens received care through government health services in the past year.