Neighbourhood guide
Downtown Dubai
A mixed-use district of residences, culture and retail set around Burj Khalifa and Burj Lake.
Photograph: David Rodrigo, Unsplash
Downtown Dubai is a mixed-use district of about 500 acres developed by Emaar around Burj Khalifa and Burj Lake. It brings together residences, Dubai Mall, Dubai Opera and the Dubai Fountain along Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard.
- Master developer
- Emaar Properties
- Area
- About 500 acres
- Anchor
- Burj Khalifa, opened in 2010
- Setting
- Burj Lake and the Boulevard
Landmarks and lifestyle
Around Downtown Dubai
Four landmarks, all within the district.
Burj Khalifa
At 828 metres the world’s tallest building, opened on 4 January 2010.
Photograph: Laika ac, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Dubai Mall
Opened in November 2008, with more than 1,200 shops and the Dubai Aquarium.
Photograph: EditQ, Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
Dubai Opera
A 2,000-seat performance venue whose form recalls a traditional dhow, opened in August 2016.
Photograph: Max Bovkun, Unsplash
The Dubai Fountain
The choreographed fountain on Burj Lake, in place since 2009 and renovated in phases since 2025.
Photograph: Nealt, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)Market at a glance
Downtown Dubai in figures
Registered home sales from October 2025 to September 2026, Dubai Land Department.
2,476Registered home sales in the last 12 months
AED 2.9mTypical apartment sale, the median of 2,476 sales
AED 3,029Median price per sq ft, all homes
+11.5%Change in median price per sq ft over 12 months
Available properties
Interested in Downtown Dubai?
We have no listings in Downtown Dubai at present. Tell us what you are looking for and our team will discuss your requirements and the opportunities that may suit them.
Speak to our teamRedwood scorecard
Downtown Dubai against 16 Dubai communities
Six measures, calculated the same way for every community we cover. Five dots means the strongest reading among them.
Liquidity●●●●○2,476 salesHome sales, last 12 months · Rank 5 of 16
Sales each month, October 2023 to September 2026April to September 2026: 132 a month, against 298 over the previous 30 months.
Price momentum●●●●○+11.5%Change in median AED per sq ft over 12 months · Rank 3 of 14
Median AED per sq ft by yearAED 2,908 in 2025, AED 2,733 in 2026 to September.
Five-year growth●●○○○+79.0%Change in median AED per sq ft over 5 years · Rank 9 of 13
Then and now2021AED 1,8332026AED 2,733Median price per sq ft, all homes.
Activity against its own history●●●●○98% of its averageLast 12 months against its 10-year average · Rank 5 of 14
Home sales by yearPeak of 4,455 in 2022. 2026 shows January to September.
Prime demand●●●●●17 salesSales of AED 36.7m (USD 10m) or more · Rank 2 of 16
What buyers spentUnder AED 2mUSD 10m and above71.4% of sales at AED 2m or more, the Golden Visa level.
Ready-home market●●●○○58.4% of salesShare of sales in completed homes · Rank 9 of 16
Off-plan against completed, per sq ftOff-planAED 3,843CompletedAED 2,5091,029 off-plan and 1,447 completed sales.
What homes sold for
Registered sales, last 12 months
| Home | Sales | Entry | Typical | Top | Per sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apartments | 2,476 | AED 1.7m | AED 2.9m | AED 7.2m | AED 3,029 |
| By bedroom, all homes | |||||
| Studio | 471 | AED 1.8m | AED 3,843 | ||
| 1 bed | 780 | AED 2.3m | AED 2,621 | ||
| 2 bed | 873 | AED 3.8m | AED 2,792 | ||
| 3 bed | 280 | AED 7.0m | AED 3,336 | ||
| 4 bed | 61 | AED 27.9m | AED 5,047 | ||
Entry is the 10th percentile, typical the median and top the 90th percentile of registered sale prices. Bedroom rows show the median and include villas; sizes with fewer than ten sales are left out.
Price per sq ft over time
Median AED per sq ft, all homes
*2026 covers January to September. Medians reflect the mix of homes sold each year as well as prices.
Source: Dubai Land Department transaction register, data.dubai extract of 20 October 2026. Homes are apartments registered for residential use and all villas; sales, pre-registration and delayed sales are counted. Analysis by Redwood Heritage.
The Redwood perspective
The city’s centre stage, with the footfall that comes with it
Character
An urban district arranged around the lake and the Boulevard, with towers alongside lower-rise quarters such as The Old Town.
Who it may suit
Buyers who want culture, dining and retail within walking distance, and a central address.
Ownership
Downtown Dubai appears on a list attributed to the Dubai Land Department and reported by Khaleej Times in 2024, but it is not named in Regulation No. 3 of 2006, so confirm the title of the specific unit with the Dubai Land Department before you commit.
Trade-offs
Visitor footfall around the mall and the fountain is heavy, and buildings differ in age and specification. Service charges vary by building and are published in the RERA Service Charge Index on the Dubai Land Department website.
Compare with
Communities priced closest to Downtown Dubai
The three guides nearest in median price per sq ft over the last 12 months.
Enquire
Considering Downtown Dubai?
Tell us what you are looking for, whether to live, to hold or to sell. Our team will reply to discuss your requirements.
Speak to our team
What the brochures leave out
Honest trade-offs
- Much of the market is off-plan. 41.6% of home sales in the last 12 months were homes not yet completed, so handover dates and the developer record carry real weight.
- Service charges differ by building. The Dubai Land Department publishes them in its Service Charge Index. We obtain the current figure for any home before you make an offer.
Owning from abroad
For the international buyer
- Who can buy. Non-UAE nationals may hold freehold title without time limit in the areas Dubai designates for foreign ownership. We confirm the status of each home on its title deed before you commit.
- Golden Visa. Property worth AED 2m or more can support a UAE Golden Visa. 71.4% of registered home sales here in the last 12 months were at AED 2m or above.
- Purchase and yearly costs. The Dubai Land Department registration fee is 4% of the value, paid by the buyer. Service charges are the main yearly cost.
- Holding structure. Many families hold Dubai property through a company or foundation for succession. Our structuring colleagues at Redwood Heritage can arrange this alongside the purchase.
Questions buyers ask
Downtown Dubai, answered
Each answer with its source. Figures are registered sales from October 2025 to September 2026.
Can foreigners buy property in Downtown Dubai?
Non-UAE nationals may own freehold property without time limit in the areas Dubai designates for foreign ownership. We confirm the status of each home on its title deed before you commit.
Source: Regulation No. 3 of 2006, Government of DubaiDoes a home in Downtown Dubai qualify for a Golden Visa?
A property worth AED 2m or more, wholly owned or financed by a local bank, can support a UAE Golden Visa. In the last 12 months, 71.4% of registered home sales in Downtown Dubai were at AED 2m or above.
Source: Ministry of Economy and Tourism; Dubai Land DepartmentWhat does a home in Downtown Dubai cost?
Typical registered sale prices over the last 12 months: apartments AED 2.9m. The buyer also pays the Dubai Land Department registration fee of 4% of the value.
Source: Dubai Land DepartmentHow have prices moved in Downtown Dubai?
The median price per sq ft changed +11.5% over the last 12 months and +79.0% over five years. The current median is AED 3,029 per sq ft.
Source: Dubai Land DepartmentWhat are service charges in Downtown Dubai?
Service charges are set building by building and published by the Dubai Land Department in its Service Charge Index. We obtain the current figure for any home before you make an offer.
Source: Dubai Land Department, Service Charge IndexSources: Dubai Land Department transaction register, data.dubai extract of 20 October 2026; Regulation No. 3 of 2006; Ministry of Economy and Tourism, Golden Visa for real estate investors; Dubai Land Department, registration fees.
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