−18% International City
Country-themed low-rise clusters on the eastern edge: the cheapest freehold property in Dubai, and the highest headline yields.
4 units in stock. 3 with a confirmed status: 2 ready, 1 under construction. 60th most expensive of 67 districts by median price.
- highest headline yields
- lowest ticket size in Dubai
- experienced yield investors
Median price $381K AED 1,397,500
Entry price $158K AED 580,000 — cheapest unit
Per square foot $274 AED 1,006 / sq ft, median
Ready stock 67% 2 units discounted, up to −18%
What this area is actually like
What International City is
International City is a large low-rise residential district on the eastern side of the emirate, developed by Nakheel and laid out in clusters themed after countries — China, England, France, Greece, Italy, Persia, Russia, Spain and Morocco.
The buildings are four-storey walk-ups and low-rise blocks, predominantly studios and one-bedrooms, with a substantial commercial component including the Dragon Mart wholesale complex nearby.
It is by some distance the cheapest freehold residential district in Dubai and has been since it was built.
The yield numbers and what they mean
Headline gross yields here are the highest in the emirate, sometimes markedly so. That figure is real and it is also incomplete.
Net of the service charge, of realistic vacancy, and of the maintenance that an ageing low-rise building requires, the number comes down considerably. It usually remains attractive; it is rarely as attractive as advertised.
The tenant base is entirely price-driven: workers, sharers and households for whom this is the most affordable accommodation available with a Dubai address. Demand is deep and durable at that level.
The condition problem
This is the central issue. Much of International City was built in the mid-2000s to a low specification, and the maintenance record across the district has been poor in places.
Recurring issues have included drainage and sewage, building maintenance backlogs, service charge collection problems, and common areas in visibly poor condition.
Some clusters and some buildings are materially better than others. This is not a district where you can buy on paper — inspection is mandatory, and so is examining the owners association position.
The location
Eastern Dubai off Emirates Road, roughly twenty-five to thirty-five minutes from Downtown depending on traffic, far from the coastal districts, close to the Sharjah border and to Dragon Mart.
No metro. Bus services exist and are used, which is unusual for Dubai and reflects the tenant demographic.
Amenity within the district is basic but functional: supermarkets, small restaurants, clinics. Dragon Mart provides large-scale retail nearby.
What to check
The specific cluster and the specific building, physically. Condition varies enormously and the difference is visible immediately.
The service charge history and whether the owners association is actually collecting and spending.
Any history of drainage or sewage problems in that cluster.
Occupancy in the building and the achieved rents, rather than district averages.
The realistic maintenance provision you will need to make as an owner.
Who it suits
An experienced yield investor who understands low-cost housing as an asset class, will inspect properly, and prices in maintenance and vacancy honestly.
Someone building a small portfolio of low-ticket units where the arithmetic across several properties works even if one underperforms.
It suits poorly a first-time buyer, anyone buying remotely without inspection, and anyone attracted purely by a headline yield figure.
Available now in International City
4 units −18% 
−12% The market, per the Land Department
Residential price index 167.33 IV квартал 2025
Quarter on quarter +3.32% QoQ
Year on year +8.9% YoY
Full year 2025 +9.81% index 162.51
This is the official index for the whole emirate, not for International City: the Dubai Land Department does not publish a district breakdown publicly. Treat it as background — it tells you whether the market is rising or flat while you read the prices above. Transaction data for a specific building I pull separately, on request. Source: Dubai Land Department, read 07/08/2026.
Questions about International City
Is International City a good investment?
It has the highest headline gross yields and the lowest entry prices in Dubai, with deep, durable demand at the affordable end. Against that: ageing low-specification stock, a patchy maintenance record and wide variance between clusters. Physical inspection is essential.
What are the clusters in International City?
Low-rise residential clusters themed after countries — China, England, France, Greece, Italy, Persia, Russia, Spain and Morocco — each with its own buildings, management and condition, which varies considerably between them.
Other districts
All districts →Looking at International City specifically?
Send me the building or the unit and I will pull the registered transaction history, the current service charge and what comparable units actually let for — before you make an offer, not after.
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