Cresco Real Estate Research · RERA ORN 34288
Last verified 19 August 2026. Every figure on this page states its source and whether it comes from advertised listings or from registered Dubai Land Department transactions. Where a figure could not be verified we say so rather than estimating.

Dubai South Area Guide 2026

Updated 5 August 2026 · By the Cresco local market team

Dubai South is the master-planned city around Al Maktoum International Airport and Expo City, a large, affordable, fast-growing district positioned as the future of ‘new Dubai’. With low entry prices and some of the highest yields in the city (up to ~9%), it is a favourite of value and yield investors betting on long-term growth.

Property type

Apts & townhouses

Apts price / sqft

~AED 950 to 1,600

Gross yield

6 to 9%

Anchor

Al Maktoum + Expo

To Downtown

~35 to 40 min

Best for

Yield · Growth

Registered sale prices

Dubai Land Department registered transactions, not advertised asking prices.

Registered residential sales in the period	3,302
Median registered price	AED 724,000
Middle half of the market	AED 642,050 to AED 1,135,000
Median price per sq ft	AED 1,718
Median unit size	381 sq ft
Share bought off plan	98%
Ready stock, median price per sq ft	AED 1,086 from 74 sales
Off plan stock, median price per sq ft	AED 1,720 from 3,228 sales

By bedroom count

Type	Sales	Median price	Per sq ft	Median size
Studio	2,162	AED 655,000	AED 1,781	366 sq ft
1 B/R	818	AED 1,185,600	AED 1,588	736 sq ft
2 B/R	268	AED 1,825,914	AED 1,505	1,141 sq ft
3 B/R	30	AED 2,089,800	AED 1,232	1,659 sq ft

Source: Dubai Land Department open data. Registered sales of residential units between 30 June 2026 and 18 August 2026. Mortgages and gift transfers are excluded because they are not arms length sales. Sizes are converted from square metres at 10.7639 sq ft per sq m. These are prices buyers actually registered, which is not the same as the asking prices advertised on portals.

Advertised prices in Dubai South
Live Cresco listings	42
Listings showing a price	34
Median entry price advertised	AED 1,850,000

Source: Cresco Real Estate live listings, rebuilt 20 September 2026. These are advertised entry prices, meaning the lowest price currently quoted on each listing. Many off plan listings quote a starting price rather than a price for a specific unit, so we do not publish an advertised price per square foot from this data. For price per square foot use the registered Dubai Land Department figures above, which come from completed sales.

Living in Dubai South

Dubai South is a purpose-built city taking shape around the Al Maktoum Airport and the Expo City legacy site, affordable apartments and family townhouses, parks and growing retail, master-planned from scratch. It is calm, spacious and value-driven. The trade-off is that it is still emerging and sits well outside the established centre, so amenities are maturing and a car is essential.

Getting around

Airports: on the doorstep of Al Maktoum (DWC) and connected to the wider network via Emirates Road and Sheikh Zayed Road.
Metro: served by the Expo/Route 2020 extension; roughly 35 to 40 minutes to Downtown by car.

Schools & families

Family infrastructure is growing with the masterplan, with schools and nurseries arriving across Dubai South and Expo City. Affordable townhouses and parks make it an increasingly popular value choice for families willing to trade central location for space and price.

Shopping, dining & lifestyle

Expo City, retail, dining, events and green space on the legacy Expo 2020 site next door.
Community centres, everyday retail and dining rolling out across the district.
The Outlet Village & Dubai Parks, a short drive along the highway.

The investor view

Dubai South is a value-and-yield play on Dubai’s future hub. Apartments start affordably and yield up to ~9%, with the long-term upside of the Al Maktoum Airport expansion, planned to become the world’s largest, and Expo City on the doorstep.

What it earns, from the tenancy register

These are not estimates. Over the last twelve months 5,845 tenancy contracts were registered with the Dubai Land Department in Dubai South, at an average of AED 59,190 a year, which is AED 78 per square foot. Registered rents moved +7.9% against the twelve months before.

Registered rents in Dubai South, by bedroom count
Unit type	Contracts registered	Average annual rent (AED)	Rent per sqft (AED)	Change vs 12 months earlier
Studio	1,376	40,196	95	+9.2
1 bedroom	2,408	50,388	82	+6.6
2 bedroom	1,768	78,796	66	+11.0
3 bedroom	293	102,421	50	+6.4
All apartments	5,845	59,190	78	+7.9

Check the shorter window before you commit. On the most recent three months of contracts the same community reads +0.0%. Summer seasonality and a smaller sample both sit inside that figure, and we publish it rather than quote only the number that flatters the market.

Data verified 19 September 2026. Dubai Land Department registered transactions via Bayut TruView, rolling 12 months to September 2026.

The honest market read

Dubai South offers some of the highest yields in Dubai, roughly 7.5 to 9% on studios and 7 to 8.5% on 1-beds, tapering to 5.5 to 7% on townhouses, at the lowest entry prices of any major district. The bet is long-term: the Al Maktoum Airport expansion (planned as the world’s largest) and Expo City anchor a district positioned as Dubai’s future urban centre. Today it is affordable and high-yielding; the upside is growth as the infrastructure lands.

Who should buy here

Dubai South suits yield and value investors, and buyers with a long horizon who want to enter Dubai’s future hub early and cheaply. If you want a central location or prestige today, look elsewhere; if you want the highest yields and the biggest long-term infrastructure story at the lowest entry, Dubai South is the play.

📈 Coming soon from Cresco: building-by-building price and rent trajectory for Dubai South, which developments are appreciating, which are softening, and where the real yield sits after service charges.

Property types & buildings

A mix of affordable apartments and townhouses (studios to 4-bed) across Emaar South and the wider Dubai South masterplan, much of it newer or off-plan. Apartments deliver the top yields; townhouses offer family space and value. As a maturing district, the specific community and handover phase matter to the return.

✓ Strengths

Among the highest yields in Dubai (up to ~9%)
Lowest entry prices of any major district
Al Maktoum Airport and Expo City on the doorstep
Strong long-term growth story
New, well-planned communities

△ Trade-offs

Far from the city centre (~35 to 40 min)
Still emerging, amenities maturing
Car-dependent
A long-horizon infrastructure bet
Less prestige and liquidity than prime areas

Dubai South FAQs

Is Dubai South a good investment in 2026?: Yes, for yield and long-term growth. Apartments yield up to ~9% at the lowest entry prices of any major district, with the Al Maktoum Airport expansion and Expo City underpinning long-term upside.
How much does property in Dubai South cost?: Apartments run about AED 950 to 1,600 per sqft: studios ~AED 400K, 800K, 1-beds ~AED 570K, 1.26M and 2-beds ~AED 900K, 1.96M. Townhouses run roughly AED 1.8M, 4.8M.
What rent and yield does Dubai South offer?: Gross yields run about 6 to 9%, highest on studios and 1-beds. Median rents are around AED 45K for a studio, AED 65K for a 1-bed and AED 90K for a 2-bed.
How far is Dubai South from the city?: Roughly 35 to 40 minutes to Downtown by car, but on the doorstep of Al Maktoum (DWC) Airport and Expo City, with Metro access via the Route 2020 extension.
Why invest in Dubai South?: Low entry prices, top-tier yields and a long-term growth story anchored by the world’s planned largest airport and the Expo City legacy district.

Thinking about Dubai South?

Dubai South is a yield-and-growth play where community and handover phase matter. Cresco tracks every release, tell us your budget and goal and we’ll shortlist the right options.

Talk to a Dubai South specialist

Figures are indicative 2026 market ranges compiled from public sources and vary by building, view, cluster and configuration; they are a guide, not a valuation. Updated 5 August 2026.

Looking for the full list? Browse every property Cresco has for sale in the UAE, all 712 listings indexed by emirate and community.

Property for sale in Dubai South

Current Cresco listings in Dubai South. Every one is handled by a RERA registered consultant.

See every Cresco listing or speak to a consultant about Dubai South.

Dubai South questions, answered

What rental yield can I expect in Dubai South?

Gross yields in Dubai South run at about 6 to 9%. Gross is the headline figure. Your net return will be lower once service charges, agency fees, maintenance and void periods come out. Work out your own number with the Cresco rental yield and ROI calculator.

Can a foreigner buy property in Dubai South?

Yes. Dubai South is a designated freehold area in Dubai, so buyers of any nationality can own the property outright and hold the title deed in their own name. You do not need UAE residency to buy, and there is no restriction on selling it later. The full process is set out in our guide to buying property in Dubai.

How far is Dubai South from Downtown Dubai and the airport?

From Dubai South, Downtown Dubai is about ~35 to 40 min away by car outside peak hours. Morning and evening traffic on Sheikh Zayed Road can add a fair amount to both.

What type of property is available in Dubai South?

Dubai South is mainly apts & townhouses. It suits yield and growth in particular. You can see the 51 Cresco listings in Dubai South further up this page.