Cosmo Developments launched The Wadi on 18 September 2026: a community of 3,950 homes along Yas Canal on Yas Island, with an estimated investment of AED 6 billion, the Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported. Cosmo Developments is a joint venture between Abu Dhabi's Flag Holding Group and Reportage Group, and Reportage runs the project from development and delivery through to long term management.
Sales opened on launch day and the first release sold quickly. Below is what has been confirmed, what has not, and what it means if you are weighing a new home on Yas Island.
The Wadi at a Glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | Cosmo Developments, a joint venture of Flag Holding Group and Reportage Group |
| Launched | 18 September 2026 |
| Investment | About AED 6 billion |
| Land area | About 140,700 square metres |
| Homes | 3,950 |
| Home types | Studios and 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments, with 4 bedroom layouts on the developer's own page |
| Also planned | Shops, restaurants, sports clubs, a marina and a hotel |
| Starting price | About AED 850,000 for a studio |
| Build time | About 55 to 60 months, in two phases |
The starting price and the build time come from Andrea Nucera, managing director of Cosmo Developments and group managing director of Reportage Group, speaking to Khaleej Times at the launch. The other lines come from WAM and the developer's own project pages.
Where The Wadi Sits on Yas Island
The Wadi runs along Yas Canal, which WAM describes as an emerging waterfront area of luxury developments, national housing projects and landscaped promenades beside the canal. The developer puts the site about five minutes by car from Zayed International Airport, nine minutes from Ferrari World Yas Island and 23 minutes from central Abu Dhabi, and Nucera described it as the entrance to Yas Island.
The launch lands in a busy year for the island. Aldar opened sales at Yas Point and at Yas Riva Reserve this year, and Miral, the developer behind the island's theme parks, has announced a five year plan of more than AED 12 billion for new attractions and hotels, as reported by Gulf News. For buyers, that means more homes to compare and more reasons to live on the island, but also more supply arriving over the same years.
Homes, Prices and the First Release
WAM's launch release lists studios and one, two and three bedroom apartments. The developer's own project pages also show four bedroom layouts, and Nucera told Khaleej Times that prices start at about AED 850,000 for a studio and reach about AED 7.5 million for the larger four bedroom homes, some with terraces of up to about 150 square metres.
Standard features named at the launch include fitted kitchens, fully tiled bathrooms, double glazed windows, central air conditioning and parking, with private balconies or terraces in selected homes.
The first phase released about 700 homes across two buildings. Nucera said about 350 to 360 of them sold within hours, and that the first phase studios had already sold out. He put the whole community at about 55 to 60 months to complete, with the two phases delivered separately.
Two things the developer has not yet published: a payment plan and a handover date. Get both in writing, in the sale and purchase agreement, before you pay a booking amount.
A Valley Without Cars: The Design Idea
A wadi is a desert valley shaped by running water, and the master plan follows that idea with a landscaped central valley through the middle of the community. Cars and parking go underground, which leaves the surface to people on foot, cyclists and a running route of about six kilometres, the developer told Khaleej Times.
Around the valley, the developer lists ponds and water features, native planting such as ghaf and palm trees, green terraces on the facades, a marina and waterfront dining by the canal, a tennis club, gyms, a spa, rooftop pools, children's play areas, shops and cafes, and a hotel within the master plan.
How It Compares With Yas Island Homes We List
New homes on Yas Island start both below and above The Wadi's reported entry price. The prices below are the starting prices on our project pages on 28 September 2026, and developers change them as homes sell.
| Project | Developer | From (AED) | Handover |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Wadi | Cosmo Developments | About 850,000 | Not published |
| Perla 3 by Reportage | Reportage | 700,000 | Not published |
| Selina Bay | Reportage | 1,000,000 | Not published |
| Yas Riva Residences | Aldar | 1,350,000 | Q4 2029 |
| The Canopies at Yas Point | Aldar | 3,400,000 | 2030 |
For every launch on the island in one place, see our list of off-plan projects on Yas Island, and for the group's track record, Reportage's projects in Abu Dhabi.
What It Means for Buyers and Investors
- A long build. At 55 to 60 months from launch, the whole community would be finished in 2031 if the schedule holds, with the first phase possibly earlier. It suits buyers who can wait, not someone who needs to move in or earn rent soon.
- Registration and escrow. Abu Dhabi records every off-plan sale in the Initial Real Estate Register, and buyers' payments go into the project's escrow account. When we checked the public project directory of ADREC, the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre, on 25 September, The Wadi was not yet listed, so ask for the project number and the escrow account before you pay. Our guide to ADREC, DARI, Tawtheeq and Madhmoun shows how to check them.
- Who can buy. Yas Island is one of Abu Dhabi's investment areas, where buyers of any nationality can own property.
- Compare like with like. A studio at about AED 850,000 on a five year build is a different bet from a ready studio you can rent out next month. Compare the price per square foot and the service charge with ready homes on the island before you decide.
Is The Wadi the Same as Wadeem Gardens?
No. The names sound alike, but Wadeem Gardens is Modon's villa community on Hudayriyat Island. The Wadi is Cosmo Developments' apartment community on Yas Canal, Yas Island.
FAQ
What is The Wadi on Yas Island?
The Wadi is a mixed use community by Cosmo Developments along Yas Canal on Yas Island. WAM reported 3,950 homes, shops, sports and leisure facilities, a marina and a planned hotel, with an estimated investment of AED 6 billion.
Who is building The Wadi?
Cosmo Developments, a joint venture between Flag Holding Group and Reportage Group. Reportage Group oversees the development, the delivery and the long term management of the project.
How much are homes at The Wadi?
The developer's managing director told Khaleej Times that prices start at about AED 850,000 for a studio and reach about AED 7.5 million for the larger four bedroom homes. The first phase studios sold out on launch day.
When will The Wadi be finished?
The developer expects about 55 to 60 months for the whole community, built in two phases that are delivered separately. No official handover date has been published yet.
Can foreigners buy a home at The Wadi?
Yes. Yas Island is one of Abu Dhabi's investment areas, where buyers of any nationality can own property.
What should I check before paying a booking amount?
Ask for the project number registered with ADREC, the escrow account details, the payment plan and the handover date, all written into the sale and purchase agreement.
