Al Kifaf Area Guide 2026
Updated 3 November 2026 · By the Cresco local market team
Al Kifaf is a small central district between Bur Dubai and Zabeel, wrapped around Zabeel Park and the Dubai Frame. Most buyers have never looked at it. That changed on 1 November 2026, when Dubai announced that its new research and innovation campus, Nad Zabeel, will be built inside the park next door.
Where Al Kifaf is
Al Kifaf sits in Bur Dubai, with Al Jafiliya and Al Karama to the north, Zabeel to the south and Oud Metha to the east, per Wasl. Downtown Dubai, DIFC, Business Bay, Sheikh Zayed Road and Dubai World Trade Centre are all close, and BurJuman and Wafi Mall are the nearest large malls. Zabeel Park, one of the largest green spaces in the city, and the Dubai Frame are on its doorstep.
Why Nad Zabeel matters
On Sunday 1 November 2026, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed launched Nad Zabeel, a research, development and innovation campus to be built inside Zabeel Park within five years, in the presence of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, as The National reported. It will hold laboratories, research centres, incubators, start ups and investment companies, and more than 30,000 scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs are expected to take part in its programmes and events every year. The wider programme is overseen by Dubai Future Foundation.
For Al Kifaf this is a demand story, not a price promise. A campus of that size brings people who need to live close to work on long horizons, into a district with very little freehold stock. It will take years to build, so treat it as a reason to look at the area now, not as a reason to pay any price.
Wasl 1, the freehold masterplan
Most of the freehold supply in Al Kifaf sits inside Wasl 1, a park side master community of about 3,000 residential units across 13 towers with retail, cafes and leisure, per Wasl. The projects Wasl lists inside it are:
| Project | What Wasl has published |
|---|---|
| Nine Collective | 215 residences in one tower, 2 to 5 bedrooms including duplex penthouses, freehold, direct park access. Expected completion April 2030 per the DLD project register. |
| Avenue Park Towers | Apartment towers inside Wasl 1 |
| Park Gate Residences | Freehold apartments inside Wasl 1 |
| Park Views Residences | Freehold apartments with Zabeel Park views |
| 1 Residences | 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments and 3 bedroom duplexes |
Getting around
Wasl lists Max Metro Station on the Red Line as minutes away from Nine Collective, with immediate access to Sheikh Zayed Road and a community tunnel gateway, per Wasl. RTA bus routes 12, 15, 93 and F20 link the area to Bur Dubai, Jumeirah and Downtown, and Wasl puts the taxi ride to Dubai International Airport at about 15 to 20 minutes, per Wasl’s area page.
Prices, rents and yield
Al Kifaf’s freehold stock is new, so there is not yet enough registered resale history inside Wasl 1 to publish a reliable price per square foot. The nearest registered benchmarks are its neighbours. These are average annual rents on contracts registered with the Dubai Land Department over the 12 months to September 2026:
| Neighbour | Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedroom | 3 bedroom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al Karama | AED 43,278 | AED 58,482 | AED 74,372 | AED 99,050 |
| Bur Dubai | AED 37,987 | AED 57,609 | AED 80,891 | AED 113,670 |
Source: DLD registered rental contracts via Bayut TruView, rolling 12 months to September 2026. More areas on our Dubai rentals page. New towers beside the park will rent above these older neighbours, but by how much is something only registered contracts will tell us once they exist.
Wasl’s own investor guide estimates Al Kifaf gross yields of about 5.5% to 7.5% depending on unit type. Those are the developer’s estimates, not registered figures. Run any purchase through our yield calculator with real service charges before you rely on them.
The investor view
Al Kifaf is the rare central Dubai address where the infrastructure is already built and the freehold supply is limited. Nad Zabeel adds a long term demand anchor next door. The risks are the usual ones for a new district: prices on launch are set by the developer, not by a resale market, and completion is years away. Buy for the hold, not for a flip, and compare launch prices against registered sales in nearby established areas.
What we could not confirm
Registered sale prices inside Wasl 1, service charges, and the official price list and payment plan for Nine Collective. We will update this guide when Wasl or the Dubai Land Department publish them.
Al Kifaf FAQs
Where is Al Kifaf in Dubai?
Al Kifaf is in Bur Dubai, between Al Jafiliya and Al Karama to the north, Zabeel to the south and Oud Metha to the east, beside Zabeel Park and the Dubai Frame.
What is Nad Zabeel?
Nad Zabeel is a research, development and innovation campus launched on 1 November 2026, to be built inside Zabeel Park within five years. More than 30,000 scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs are expected to take part in its programmes each year.
Can foreigners buy property in Al Kifaf?
Yes, inside the Wasl 1 masterplan. Wasl states that projects such as Nine Collective are freehold and open to UAE nationals and international buyers.
Is there a metro station near Al Kifaf?
Yes. Wasl lists Max Metro Station on the Red Line as minutes away from Nine Collective in Wasl 1.
Sources: Wasl, Al Kifaf investor guide; Wasl, Al Kifaf area page; Wasl, Nine Collective; The National on Nad Zabeel, 1 November 2026; Dubai Land Department project register and registered rental contracts via Bayut TruView. Checked 3 November 2026.