East & Deira side
Dubai Islands
Nakheel's man-made islands off the Deira coast, first launched as Palm Deira, rebranded Deira Islands in 2013 and Dubai Islands in 2022. Today it is mostly an off-plan market: a few beach hotels, Souk Al Marfa, a marina and a Blue Flag beach are open, with a large pipeline of freehold apartments and villas.
- 1-bed rent
- AED 159,000per year
- Apartment price
- AED 2,733per sq ft
- Villa price
- AED 1,801per sq ft
- 1-bed apartment
- AED 2.34Maverage asking
- 3-bed villa
- AED 6Maverage asking
Averages published by Property Finder Area Insights, September 2026. How they are measured.
Living in Dubai Islands
Why people choose it
- Beachfront living a short drive from Deira and the airport
- Blue Flag beach, marina and resort hotels already open
- Freehold for all nationalities
Worth knowing
- Years of construction ahead across the islands
- Thin rental market: few completed homes to lease yet
- Character
- New island waterfront, largely off-plan
- Master developer
- Nakheel
- Since
- 2004
- Freehold
- Yes, freehold for foreign buyers
- Homes
- Apartments, Townhouses, Villas
- Metro
- None in the district
- Getting around
- Road bridge from the Deira mainland (opened 2016); no metro or tram
- Beach
- Blue Flag public beach on the islands
- Schools
- —
Rent or buy
Dubai Islands in numbers
Renting
Few finished homes to rent so far, and asking rents for one-beds are high; best for renters who want a beach address and accept building sites nearby.
| 1 bedroom | AED 159,000 |
|---|
Buying
One of the busiest off-plan markets in the city by DLD volume, with branded and beachfront launches; buyers should weigh handover dates and future supply.
| Apartments, per sq ft | AED 2,733 |
|---|---|
| Villas, per sq ft | AED 1,801 |
| 1-bed apartment | AED 2,335,643 |
| 3-bed villa | AED 6,001,767 |
How these figures are measured
- Rents: Property Finder Area Insights (Dubai Islands), average asking (advertised) yearly rent; only a one-bed figure is published, retrieved 29 Sep 2026 source
- Prices: Property Finder Sale Transactions (DLD records, mostly off-plan), 12 months to 28 Sep 2026 (4,676 apartment sales incl. 2,119 one-bed; 106 villa sales incl. 30 three-bed) 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 Dubai Islands
Three beach hotels (RIU, Centara Mirage, Park Regis) plus the beach and Souk Al Marfa make it a growing resort area close to the airport.
- Souk Al Marfamarket
Waterfront night market with shops and restaurants
- Dubai Islands Beachbeach
Blue Flag-certified public beach
- Nakheel Marinas Dubai Islandsmarina
Berths for yachts including superyachts
- Centara Mirage Beach Resortresort
Family beach resort opened in 2021
- Hotel RIU Dubairesort
Large beach hotel (800 rooms), open since 2020
Visiting, or just moved in? We can arrange a short stay or a tour around Dubai Islands.
Addresses people ask about
Notable buildings & projects
- Bay Grove Residences
- Bay Villas
- Rixos Hotel & Residences
Names only, for orientation: not an offer. Ask us for what is available in each.
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- Hours
- Sun–Fri, 9:00–19:00 (UAE)
- Languages
- English, French, Arabic, Russian
FAQ
Dubai Islands: common questions
Average asking rents per year in Dubai Islands: one-bedroom AED 159,000 (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.
No metro station inside the district. Road bridge from the Deira mainland (opened 2016); no metro or tram
Beachfront living a short drive from Deira and the airport. Blue Flag beach, marina and resort hotels already open. Freehold for all nationalities. On the other hand: years of construction ahead across the islands. thin rental market: few completed homes to lease yet.
Souk Al Marfa (waterfront night market with shops and restaurants); Dubai Islands Beach (blue flag-certified public beach); Nakheel Marinas Dubai Islands (berths for yachts including superyachts); Centara Mirage Beach Resort (family beach resort opened in 2021).