Dubai South: The Future of Urban Living and Logistics
Dubai South in 60 seconds
Dubai South is the city being built around Al Maktoum International Airport, the airport Dubai has chosen as its future main hub. In April 2024 the government approved AED 128 billion for a new passenger terminal there, planned for 260 million passengers a year, 400 aircraft gates and five parallel runways, with Dubai International's operations moving to it over the coming years. That plan is why the Dubai Land Department registered 14,525 sales in Dubai South from Sep 2024 to Aug 2026, more than Business Bay, and why 80.1% of them were off-plan. The median was AED 1,636 per sq ft and a median one-bedroom sold for AED 1,150,000. Today's rents do not yet pay today's launch prices the way they do in JVC: this is a bet on the airport, and a ten-year one.
| Unit type | Median apartment price AED | Median villa price AED | Median size sqft | Median apartment AED per sqft | Sales volume 24 months | Off-plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | AED 640,000 | 365 | ||||
| 1 bedroom | AED 1,150,000 | 742 | ||||
| 2 bedrooms | AED 1,772,858 | AED 1,996,160 | 1,145 | |||
| 3 bedrooms | AED 2,391,326 | AED 2,857,888 | 1,857 | |||
| 4+ bedrooms | AED 3,960,000 | 3,483 | ||||
| All residential | AED 1,636/sqft | 14,525 | 80.1% |
Source: Dubai Land Department (DLD), via Dubai Pulse · Sep 2024 to Aug 2026
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Dubai South prices in 2026: what actually sold
Every number below is a median of registered transactions, not an asking price. Source: Dubai Land Department via Dubai Pulse, Sep 2024 to Aug 2026.
| Unit type | Median sale price (AED) | Median size (sq ft) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio (apartment) | 640,000 | 365 |
| 1 bedroom (apartment) | 1,150,000 | 742 |
| 2 bedrooms (apartment) | 1,772,858 | 1,145 |
| 2 bedrooms (townhouse or villa) | 1,996,160 | |
| 3 bedrooms (apartment) | 2,391,326 | 1,857 |
| 3 bedrooms (townhouse or villa) | 2,857,888 | |
| 4+ bedrooms (townhouse or villa) | 3,960,000 |
Median price per sq ft, all apartments: AED 1,636. Share of off-plan sales: 80.1%.
Three things the table tells you:
1. The bigger the unit, the cheaper the square foot. On the 24 September 2026 dataset a studio costs about AED 1,750 per sq ft of its own size, a one-bedroom and a two-bedroom about AED 1,550 and a three-bedroom about AED 1,290. If you are buying for the long term, the larger units are the better value. 2. A family house for under AED 3 million. The median two-bedroom townhouse sits just under AED 2 million and the median three-bedroom house under AED 3 million. Among the districts in this series, only JVC also has a three-bedroom house median under AED 3 million. 3. Four sales in five are off-plan. 80.1% of the registered sales were units under construction. Most buyers here are paying a developer's payment plan on a building they cannot rent yet, so the handover date matters as much as the price.
Dubai South vs JVC, Dubai Sports City, JVT, Motor City and Dubai Hills
Same source, same period, same method.
| Area | Median AED per sq ft | Median 1 bedroom (AED) | Sales in 24 months | Off-plan share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai South | 1,636 | 1,150,000 | 14,525 | 80.1% |
| JVC | 1,364 | 1,020,000 | 19,789 | 53.3% |
| Dubai Sports City | 1,106 | 750,000 | 5,348 | 36.1% |
| JVT | 1,536 | 1,127,128 | 5,101 | 74.0% |
| Motor City | 1,865 | 1,120,000 | 5,538 | 70.6% |
| Dubai Hills Estate | 2,293 | 1,652,388 | 6,328 | 49.7% |
How to read it, on the 24 September 2026 dataset:
JVC is 17% cheaper per sq ft and its one-bedroom 11% cheaper, with 1.4 times the sales and a proven rental market. JVC is the yield buy today; Dubai South is the growth bet on tomorrow's airport. Dubai Sports City is 32% cheaper per sq ft and 35% cheaper for a one-bedroom, and mostly ready. It is the lowest ticket for a finished apartment with a tenant. JVT is 6% cheaper per sq ft with a one-bedroom at almost the same price, and a similar off-plan share. Same buyer profile, closer to the city. Motor City is 14% more expensive per sq ft, but its one-bedroom is 3% cheaper because the units are smaller. Dubai Hills Estate is 40% more expensive per sq ft and 44% more for a one-bedroom. It is the established family community; Dubai South is the family community still being built. Compare on the JVC, Dubai Sports City, JVT, Motor City and Dubai Hills Estate pages.
Rental yields in Dubai South: why today's figure looks low
Rents below are average asking rents published by the Bayut portal in September 2026 for the finished communities of Dubai South. Prices are the DLD medians above. The yield is the simple division, so it is a gross figure before service charges, vacancy and agency fees.
| Unit | Average annual rent, H1 2026 (AED) | DLD median price (AED) | Gross yield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | 43,000 (The Residential District) | 640,000 | 6.7% |
| 1 bedroom | 61,000 to 62,000 (Residential District, Emaar South) | 1,150,000 | 5.3% to 5.4% |
| 2 bedrooms | 83,000 to 86,000 (Residential District, Emaar South) | 1,772,858 | 4.7% to 4.9% |
Yields computed on the 24 September 2026 figures. Why a one-bedroom yields about 5.3% here when a JVC one-bedroom yields about 7.7%: the DLD median in Dubai South is set mostly by new launches, because four sales in five are off-plan, while the rents come from the finished buildings of the first phases. You are paying 2025 and 2026 launch prices for rents that reflect a district still half built. The investor case is that rents rise as the airport, the logistics district and Expo City fill up. That can happen; it is not guaranteed, and the airport's timeline is the government's, not yours. Service charges vary building by building; check the exact figure in the DLD Service Charge Index. As an example, a one-bedroom of 742 sq ft in a building charging AED 12 per sq ft pays about AED 8,900 a year, which takes the one-bedroom from 5.3% gross to about 4.5% net. The tenant pays the 5% municipality housing fee on top of the rent, through the DEWA bill, so it does not come out of your yield.
Who buys and who rents in Dubai South
Tenants: people working at Al Maktoum airport, in aviation and logistics, in Jebel Ali and at Expo City Dubai; families who want a townhouse at a rent that would buy an apartment in the centre; and first-time Dubai residents looking for new buildings at lower rents. Buyers: long-horizon investors buying off-plan on payment plans and betting on the airport; first-time buyers who want a new unit at one of the lowest tickets in Dubai; and end users who work in the south of the city. For the 10-year Golden Visa, a median three-bedroom apartment and a median three-bedroom house are above the AED 2 million line; on the 24 September 2026 dataset a median two-bedroom townhouse falls just short of it. What Dubai South is not: it is not central and it is not finished. Downtown is 35 to 40 minutes away by car, many services are still arriving, and much of the district is a construction site until the end of the decade.
Handovers in Dubai South: 2026 and after
These are the Dubai South projects in our Handover Tracker, with the dates the developers publish. Dates move; the tracker is updated monthly.
| Project | Developer | Handover | Payment plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Living | Dubai South Properties | Q3 2026 | See project page |
| Azizi Venice | Azizi Developments | Q4 2026 | 70/30 |
| Hayat by Dubai South | Dubai South Properties | Under construction — date not disclosed | See project page |
| SAMANA South Haven | Samana Developers | Q4 2027 | 10% down payment + 1% monthly for 75 months |
What the pipeline means for you: Dubai South will receive thousands of new units a year for the rest of the decade. That is good for tenants and for buyers of ready units, and it demands discipline from off-plan buyers: buy from a developer that has already delivered, check the escrow account on the DLD portal, and make sure you can hold the unit if the first years of rent come in below the payment plan.
Living in Dubai South: what it is like day to day
Dubai South spreads around Al Maktoum International Airport, south of Jebel Ali and next to Expo City Dubai, with the main access from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road and Emirates Road. The Expo 2020 station at Expo City is the end of the Red Line metro branch. The Marina is about 25 minutes by car, Downtown 35 to 40 and Abu Dhabi about an hour. The finished communities, such as The Residential District and Emaar South with its golf course, have supermarkets, parks and schools; the newer phases are still being built. The honest downsides: distance from the centre, dependence on the car, construction dust and noise, and a timeline that depends on the airport. Visit on a weekday evening, drive the commute you will actually do, and see which services are open today, not in the brochure.
What it costs to buy in Dubai South
Dubai South is a freehold area: foreigners can buy in their own name, with the title registered at the Dubai Land Department. On top of the price, budget for: 4% DLD transfer fee, plus a small admin fee; Registration trustee fee, around AED 4,000 plus VAT for properties above AED 500,000, AED 2,000 plus VAT below; 2% agency commission plus 5% VAT on the commission, on a ready unit; on an off-plan unit bought from the developer the commission is paid by the developer; 0.25% mortgage registration fee if you finance; Off-plan: the Oqood registration fee and the escrow payment schedule set by the developer. Total for a ready unit: about 6.5% to 7% of the price. Fees: Dubai Land Department.
Dubai South: 6 questions buyers ask
Is Dubai South a good investment in 2026?
It is a growth bet, not a yield buy. The airport expansion approved in 2024 is the reason to buy; today's gross yield on a one-bedroom is about 5.3% at the DLD median price, below JVC's. It suits a buyer who can hold for eight to ten years and pay a payment plan without needing the rent.
What is the median price of a one-bedroom in Dubai South in 2026?
AED 1,150,000 for a median 742 sq ft unit, based on 14,525 DLD-registered sales from Sep 2024 to Aug 2026. The median price per sq ft across all apartments is AED 1,636.
How much rent does a Dubai South apartment get?
About AED 43,000 a year for a studio, AED 61,000 to 62,000 for a one-bedroom and AED 83,000 to 86,000 for a two-bedroom in The Residential District and Emaar South, average asking rents published by the Bayut portal in September 2026.
Is Al Maktoum airport really replacing DXB?
That is the government's plan. In April 2024 Dubai approved AED 128 billion for a new passenger terminal at Al Maktoum International, planned for 260 million passengers a year, with Dubai International's operations moving there over the coming years. Large infrastructure timelines can move, so price your purchase on today's rent, not on the finished airport.
Can I get a Golden Visa with a property in Dubai South?
The 10-year Golden Visa requires property worth at least AED 2 million. A median three-bedroom apartment or house in Dubai South is above that line; a median two-bedroom townhouse falls just short, and a one-bedroom is about half. Buyers can combine units to reach the threshold.
Which projects hand over in Dubai South?
South Living by Dubai South Properties (Q3 2026) and Azizi Venice by Azizi Developments (Q4 2026), according to the developers' published dates in our Handover Tracker.
Talk to an agent who works in Dubai South
NAHY sells off-plan and ready units in Dubai South and next door in Expo City. Send us the community, the unit type and the budget, and we reply with the last registered prices and the developer's delivery record, not a brochure. Sources: Dubai Land Department transactions via Dubai Pulse, Sep 2024 to Aug 2026, published as dld-area-prices.csv; Bayut, rent trends in Dubai South, September 2026; Al Jazeera, Dubai announces construction of the world's largest airport terminal, 29 April 2024; DLD Service Charge Index; Dubai Land Department fees; GDRFA Dubai for the Golden Visa; developers' published handover dates in the NAHY Handover Tracker.