Where to live in Dubai: rent and commute by area
Pick who is moving, your rent budget and where the office is. We list the areas whose rent fits, nearest to the office first, using the rents our calculator charges. Free, no signup.
All 12 areas. Nearest to DIFC and Downtown first. Add a rent budget to see which fit.
Within budget: the whole rent range is at or under your budget. Partly within budget: the cheaper flats are. Distances are straight lines from the area centre, not drive or commute times.
All areas, nearest first
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6,500 to 7,500 AED a month for a studio. Premium tier.Red Line, Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall 1.1 km. 2.1 km to DIFC and Downtown, straight line.
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5,500 to 6,800 AED a month for a studio. Premium tier.Red Line, Business Bay 1.5 km. 4 km to DIFC and Downtown, straight line.
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3,500 to 4,500 AED a month for a studio. Budget tier.Green Line, Sharaf DG 0.5 km. 5.6 km to DIFC and Downtown, straight line.
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2,200 to 3,000 AED a month for a studio. Budget tier.Red and Green lines, Baniyas Square 0.5 km. 7 km to DIFC and Downtown, straight line.
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2,000 to 3,200 AED a month for a studio. Mid-range tier.Red Line, InsuranceMarket 0.8 km. 14 km to DIFC and Downtown, straight line.
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2,600 to 3,400 AED a month for a studio. Budget tier.No metro station within 2 km. 14 km to DIFC and Downtown, straight line.
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1,800 to 3,000 AED a month for a studio. Mid-range tier.No metro station within 2 km. 15 km to DIFC and Downtown, straight line.
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4,000 to 6,500 AED a month for a studio. Premium tier.No metro station within 2 km. 18 km to DIFC and Downtown, straight line.
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4,000 to 4,800 AED a month for a studio. Mid-range tier.No metro station within 2 km. 19 km to DIFC and Downtown, straight line.
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5,500 to 6,200 AED a month for a studio. Premium tier.Red Line, Sobha Realty 0.7 km. 21 km to DIFC and Downtown, straight line.
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5,000 to 6,250 AED a month for a studio. Mid-range tier.Red Line, DMCC 0.5 km. 21 km to DIFC and Downtown, straight line.
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1,400 to 2,500 AED a month for a studio. Budget tier.Red Line, Discovery Gardens 0.3 km. 24 km to DIFC and Downtown, straight line.
Over budget or without metro
Rent is one line of the budget. Enter your salary, allowances and family to see what an area leaves you each month.
Rent in all 12 areas
| Area | Studio | 1-bed | 2-bed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown DubaiPremium | 6.5 to 7.5 | 10 to 13 | 18 to 22 |
| Dubai MarinaPremium | 5.5 to 6.2 | 8.5 to 10.5 | 12.5 to 15.5 |
| Palm JumeirahPremium | 4 to 6.5 | 8 to 14 | 14 to 24 |
| Business BayPremium | 5.5 to 6.8 | 8 to 9.5 | 11.5 to 14 |
| JLTMid-range | 5 to 6.25 | 6.5 to 8.5 | 8.5 to 10.5 |
| JVCMid-range | 4 to 4.8 | 5.5 to 7 | 8 to 10.5 |
| Al BarshaMid-range | 2 to 3.2 | 5 to 6.5 | 5.5 to 8.5 |
| Silicon OasisMid-range | 1.8 to 3 | 4 to 5.2 | 5 to 8 |
| Bur DubaiBudget | 3.5 to 4.5 | 5.2 to 6.5 | 7.2 to 9 |
| DeiraBudget | 2.2 to 3 | 4.2 to 5.5 | 7 to 8.5 |
| Discovery GardensBudget | 1.4 to 2.5 | 4 to 5.2 | 4 to 6.5 |
| International CityBudget | 2.6 to 3.4 | 3.3 to 4.2 | 3.5 to 5.8 |
Thousands of AED a month: the ranges our calculator charges. Rents checked November 2025.
How the finder works
- Rents are the ranges our calculator charges for each area, for a studio, a 1-bed and a 2-bed flat, checked November 2025. The tier is the one the calculator gives the area.
- Metro access means a Dubai Metro Red or Green Line station within 2 km of the area centre in a straight line. Station names are from RTA.
- Distances are straight lines between the area centre and each business hub, from OpenStreetMap coordinates. DIFC and Downtown is measured to DIFC. Roads are longer, so real journeys are too.
For what a salary covers after rent, food, transport and school fees, see the Dubai salary guides.
Sources
- Rents: our calculator rent table, checked November 2025.
- RTA, Metro and Tram stations map, checked October 2026.
- RTA, public transport timetables, checked October 2026.
- © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), checked October 2026.