Downtown & central
Business Bay
A skyscraper district south of Downtown, laid out along the Dubai Creek extension and the Dubai Water Canal. It mixes offices, hotels and residential towers, with a canal promenade, rooftop bars and a steady flow of new launches. Rents sit below Downtown for a similar central address.

- Studio rent
- AED 79,000per year
- 1-bed rent
- AED 111,000per year
- 2-bed rent
- AED 153,000per year
- Apartment price
- AED 2,466per sq ft
- 1-bed apartment
- AED 1.73Maverage asking
- Gross yield
- 6.92%published
Averages published by Property Finder area insights, September 2026. How they are measured.
Living in Business Bay
Why people choose it
- Central location next to Downtown and Sheikh Zayed Road
- Canal promenade for walking, running and cycling
- Wide choice of towers, from studios to branded residences
Worth knowing
- Heavy rush-hour traffic on Al Khail and the internal roads
- Ongoing tower construction and cranes across several plots
- Character
- Canal-side high-rise business district
- Master developer
- Dubai Properties
- Since
- 2003
- Freehold
- Yes, freehold for foreign buyers
- Homes
- Apartments
- Metro
- Business Bay
- Getting around
- Red Line at Business Bay station (opened 2010); Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road; water taxi stops on the canal
- Beach
- Not within walking distance
- Schools
- —
Rent or buy
Business Bay in numbers
Renting
A good fit for young professionals who want to be near Downtown and DIFC for less, accepting traffic and construction around many towers.
| Studio | AED 79,000 |
|---|---|
| 1 bedroom | AED 111,000 |
| 2 bedrooms | AED 153,000 |
Buying
The deepest apartment market in central Dubai, with a large off-plan pipeline from many developers, so compare building quality and handover records closely.
| Apartments, per sq ft | AED 2,466 |
|---|---|
| 1-bed apartment | AED 1,725,000 |
| Gross yield | 6.92% |
How these figures are measured
- Rents: Property Finder area insights, average asking rent per year by bedroom (listing data) source
- Prices: Property Finder area insights: 1BR = average asking price (listings); apt_psf = average DLD sale price per sq ft over the past 12 months, all residential sales (district is almost entirely apartments) source
- Yield: Property Finder area insights, rental yield on DLD transactions (past 12 months) source
Asking figures reflect advertised listings, not signed contracts; transaction figures are Dubai Land Department records. Freehold: Yes, freehold for foreign buyers.
Out and about
Things to do in Business Bay
Plenty of hotels within a short ride of Burj Khalifa, plus canal-side dining and the La Perle show.
- Dubai Water Canal promenadepromenade
Waterside path for walks, runs and bike rides
- La Perle by Dragoneshow
Resident aqua-acrobatic show at Al Habtoor City
- Bay Squaredining
Low-rise plaza of cafés, shops and offices
- JW Marriott Marquishotel
Twin hotel towers packed with restaurants and bars
Visiting, or just moved in? We can arrange a short stay or a tour around Business Bay.
Addresses people ask about
Notable buildings & projects
- Executive Towers
- Peninsula
- Damac Towers by Paramount
- Bugatti Residences By Binghatti
- SLS Dubai Hotel & Residences
Names only, for orientation: not an offer. Ask us for what is available in each.
Nearby
Neighbouring districts

Downtown Dubai
tower district around Burj Khalifa

DIFC
compact financial hub, galleries, dining

Al Safa & Al Wasl
central low-rise villas and canal towers

Al Quoz
industrial arts district, budget homes
Ranked in
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District desk
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- Hours
- Sun–Fri, 9:00–19:00 (UAE)
- Languages
- English, French, Arabic, Russian
FAQ
Business Bay: common questions
Average asking rents per year in Business Bay: studio AED 79,000, one-bedroom AED 111,000, two-bedroom AED 153,000 (Property Finder area insights, September 2026). Actual rents depend on the building, view, floor and furnishing.
Yes, freehold for foreign buyers. Foreign buyers can own homes here outright and register them with the Dubai Land Department.
Yes: Business Bay station. Red Line at Business Bay station (opened 2010); Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road; water taxi stops on the canal
Central location next to Downtown and Sheikh Zayed Road. Canal promenade for walking, running and cycling. Wide choice of towers, from studios to branded residences. On the other hand: heavy rush-hour traffic on al khail and the internal roads. ongoing tower construction and cranes across several plots.
Dubai Water Canal promenade (waterside path for walks, runs and bike rides); La Perle by Dragone (resident aqua-acrobatic show at al habtoor city); Bay Square (low-rise plaza of cafés, shops and offices); JW Marriott Marquis (twin hotel towers packed with restaurants and bars).