DAMAC Hills vs DAMAC Hills 2: The Real Difference for Families
The names are almost the same. The communities are not. DAMAC Hills is a golf community with good schools close by. DAMAC Hills 2 is much cheaper and much further out, with no KHDA school within 5 km. Here is what that means for a family.
By Umer Shauket, Founder and CEO, Cresco Real Estate. RERA ORN 34288. Updated 17 October 2026. Schools from the KHDA directory. Rents and sales from Dubai Land Department registers.
The short answer
- DAMAC Hills 2 costs far less. Average villa rent is AED 100,264 a year against AED 246,453 in DAMAC Hills. That is 59 percent lower. Gross yield is higher at 5.8 percent.
- DAMAC Hills wins on schools and distance. It has 7 Outstanding or Very good schools within 5 km. DAMAC Hills 2 has none. The nearest school is about 9 km away.
- Hospital access is the biggest gap. Mediclinic Parkview is 12 km by road from DAMAC Hills and 28 km from DAMAC Hills 2.
DAMAC Hills and DAMAC Hills 2 side by side
| DAMAC Hills | DAMAC Hills 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | DAMAC Properties | DAMAC Properties |
| Former name | None | Akoya Oxygen, renamed in June 2021 |
| Average villa rent a year | AED 246,453 | AED 100,264 |
| Rent change, 12 months | -0.4% | +3.7% |
| Gross villa yield | 5.0% | 5.8% |
| Villa rent contracts, 12 months | 1,219 | 5,018 |
| KHDA schools within 5 km | 17 | 0 |
| Outstanding or Very good within 5 km | 7 | 0 |
| Nearest Outstanding school | Victory Heights Primary, 3.1 km | Dubai English Speaking College, 13.2 km |
| Nearest major hospital | Mediclinic Parkview, 12 km | Mediclinic Parkview, 28 km |
| To Downtown Dubai | 28 km | 46 km |
| To Dubai Marina | 20 km | 39 km |
| To DXB Airport | 41 km | 48 km |
| Anchor amenity | Trump International Golf Club Dubai | Wave pool, Motor Town karting, equestrian park |
School distance is straight line from the community centre. Hospital and city distances are by road. Rent is the average on DLD registered villa contracts over twelve months.
Schools near DAMAC Hills
17 KHDA schools sit within 5 km of the community centre. 7 are rated Outstanding or Very good. Jebel Ali School is inside DAMAC Hills.
- Jebel Ali School: Very good, UK, 1.9 km
- Ranches Primary School: Very good, UK, 2.0 km
- Royal Grammar School Guildford: Very good, UK, 2.1 km
- Victory Heights Primary School: Outstanding, UK, 3.1 km
- Safa Community School: Outstanding, UK and IB, 3.9 km
- Jumeirah English Speaking School Arabian Ranches: Outstanding, IB and UK, 4.0 km
- Nord Anglia International School: Outstanding, UK and IB, 4.6 km
- Dwight School: Good, IB, 2.5 km
Schools near DAMAC Hills 2
No KHDA school sits within 5 km of the community centre. Cherry Tree Nursery is on site. These are the nearest schools.
- Dubai British School Mira: Not inspected yet, UK, 9.0 km
- The Aquila School: Good, IB and UK, 11.0 km
- GEMS First Point School: Very good, UK, 11.3 km
- GEMS Winchester School: Good, UK, 11.7 km
- GEMS Metropole School Al Waha: Good, UK, 11.8 km
- Dubai English Speaking College: Outstanding, UK, 13.2 km
Hospitals and healthcare
From DAMAC Hills the nearest major hospitals are Mediclinic Parkview at 12 km, Saudi German Hospital at 14 km and NMC Royal Hospital in Dubai Investments Park at 14 km. From DAMAC Hills 2 the nearest are Mediclinic Parkview at 28 km, Fakeeh University Hospital at 29 km and King’s College Hospital at 30 km. DAMAC Hills 2 has a Saudi German clinic on site for routine care.
Commute and location
DAMAC Hills is 28 km from Downtown and 20 km from Dubai Marina by road. DAMAC Hills 2 is 46 km from Downtown and 39 km from the Marina. Both are car dependent with no Metro station. From DAMAC Hills 2 a daily school run plus a city commute adds real hours to the week.
Rent, prices and yield
Over the latest twelve months DLD registered 5,018 villa rent contracts in DAMAC Hills 2 at an average of AED 100,264 a year, up 3.7 percent. DAMAC Hills registered 1,219 contracts at an average of AED 246,453, down 0.4 percent. Gross yield is 5.8 percent in DAMAC Hills 2 and 5.0 percent in DAMAC Hills.
Living there
DAMAC Hills is built around the Trump International Golf Club Dubai. It mixes villa clusters with apartment towers, parks and community retail.
DAMAC Hills 2 launched in 2014 as Akoya Oxygen and was renamed in June 2021. The masterplan covers 55 million square feet off Al Qudra Road. It has the Malibu Beach wave pool, Sports Town, Motor Town with kart tracks, an equestrian park and a floating cinema. Southern clusters are still being delivered.
Which one should your family choose
If your children are at school age, DAMAC Hills is the practical choice. Seven top rated schools are within 5 km and the hospital drive is less than half. If you want the most space for the lowest rent, or you are buying for yield, DAMAC Hills 2 gives you more for the money. Do the school run on a weekday morning before you sign.
Common questions
Is DAMAC Hills 2 the same as DAMAC Hills?
No. They are separate communities by the same developer. DAMAC Hills 2 was called Akoya Oxygen until June 2021. It is about 46 km from Downtown Dubai by road. DAMAC Hills is about 28 km.
Are there schools in DAMAC Hills 2?
There is no KHDA school within 5 km of the community centre. Cherry Tree Nursery is on site. The nearest KHDA listed school is Dubai British School Mira at about 9 km.
How much cheaper is DAMAC Hills 2 than DAMAC Hills?
Average villa rent over twelve months is AED 100,264 a year in DAMAC Hills 2 and AED 246,453 in DAMAC Hills. That is 59 percent lower.
Which school is inside DAMAC Hills?
Jebel Ali School, rated Very good by KHDA, is in DAMAC Hills.
Method and limits
Schools: KHDA education directory, 2025 to 2026 ratings, read 17 October 2026. Hospitals: locations checked on Google Maps. Road distances: OpenStreetMap routing from the community centre, free flowing traffic. Rents and yields: Cresco villa rent tracker from DLD registered contracts over twelve months. Sales: DLD registered villa sales 1 September to 11 October 2026. We do not publish a median from fewer than 10 sales.
Full guides: DAMAC Hills area guide and DAMAC Hills 2 area guide. See all 28 communities in best villa communities in Dubai for families.
Choosing between DAMAC Hills and DAMAC Hills 2? Talk to Cresco. We check every price against Dubai Land Department registered sales before you sign.