DAMAC Islands or The Valley by Emaar?
Side by side on published prices, yields, new developments and drive times.
Pictured: DAMAC Islands by DAMAC Properties
Where each one leads
Drawn only from published figures and the developments we list, each with its source.
Lower price per sq ft
The Valley by Emaar averages AED 1,350 per sq ft against AED 1,673 in DAMAC Islands, about 19% less (Property Finder, from registered transactions, 12 months to 12 November 2026).
Lower entry price
The lowest developer price we list in DAMAC Islands is AED 3,329,000 at DAMAC Islands 2, against AED 8,891,888 at Ovelle in The Valley by Emaar.
Closer to Dubai International Airport
The Valley by Emaar is about 25 minutes from Dubai International Airport by car, against about 40 minutes from DAMAC Islands.
Side by side
| Measure | DAMAC Islands | The Valley by Emaar |
|---|---|---|
| Emirate | Dubai | Dubai |
| Tenure | Freehold | Freehold |
| Price per sq ft | AED 1,673Property Finder, 12 months to 12 November 2026, 380 sales | AED 1,350Property Finder, 12 months to 12 November 2026, 948 sales |
| Developments we list | 2 | 1 |
| Lowest developer price | AED 3,329,000DAMAC Islands 2 | AED 8,891,888Ovelle |
| Drive to Dubai International Airport | about 40 minutes | about 25 minutes |
Each figure is shown as its publisher states it, with the period it covers. A row appears only where both areas have a figure. Property Finder’s figures are averages across home types, so they mix studios and large homes. Read 12 November 2026.
New developments in each
DAMAC Islands
- DAMAC Islands 2DAMAC PropertiesAED 3,329,000
- DAMAC IslandsDAMAC PropertiesAED 3,930,000
What each area is like
DAMAC Islands
DAMAC's lagoon-themed townhouse and villa community in Dubailand, sold in island-named clusters. Entirely off-plan: the first phase targets late 2028 and DAMAC Islands 2 targets 2030. Inland, despite the name.
Who it suits
- Families who want a four- or five-bedroom house for under AED 4 million
- Buyers who like resort-style shared amenities and accept the service charges that come with them
- Investors comfortable with DAMAC's launch-and-resell market and a 2028 to 2030 horizon
In its favour
- Four-bedroom townhouses from about AED 2.1 million to AED 2.75 million at launch prices on Property Finder
- Lagoon-led master plan with themed leisure features such as a water park and wildlife park in DAMAC's marketing
- Direct access to Emirates Road (E611) and Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E311)
Worth weighing
- Thousands of near-identical townhouses hand over within about two years of each other (late 2028 to 2030), across this community and its neighbours
- Bayut's area page showed asking prices down about 6% over six months and transaction prices down about 9% when checked in November 2026
The Valley by Emaar
Emaar's townhouse and villa community on the Dubai-Al Ain Road, about 25 minutes from Downtown Dubai. Early phases are complete; newer villa phases such as Ovelle and Avelia hand over towards 2029.
Who it suits
- Families who want a house and garden at a lower entry price than central villa districts
- Buyers who want to inspect a partly completed community before committing
- Households commuting towards Downtown Dubai or Academic City
- Upgraders within the community moving from a townhouse to a villa
In its favour
- Partly delivered: the first townhouse clusters (Eden, Nara, Talia) are listed as ready by Bayut
- 47,000 sq m Golden Beach, 25,000 sq m Sports Village and 13,000 sq m Kids Dale
- 24 phases listed by Emaar, from three-bedroom townhouses to five-bedroom villas
Worth weighing
- Car-dependent: there is no metro, and Emaar describes public transport as planned
- A long way from the beach, Dubai Marina and the Jebel Ali employment zones
DAMAC Islands or The Valley by Emaar: quick answers
Is DAMAC Islands or The Valley by Emaar cheaper per square foot?
The Valley by Emaar is cheaper on the published figures: AED 1,350 per sq ft against AED 1,673 in DAMAC Islands (Property Finder, from registered transactions, 12 months to 12 November 2026). Averages move with the mix of homes sold, so compare like with like before relying on the gap.
Which is closer to Dubai International Airport, DAMAC Islands or The Valley by Emaar?
The Valley by Emaar, at about 25 minutes by car against about 40 minutes from DAMAC Islands. Drive times are approximate and vary with traffic.
Can foreigners buy property in DAMAC Islands and The Valley by Emaar?
DAMAC Islands is a designated freehold area, open to buyers of any nationality. The Valley by Emaar is a designated freehold area, open to buyers of any nationality. Sales in Dubai are registered with the DLD.
Which new developments can I buy in DAMAC Islands and The Valley by Emaar?
In DAMAC Islands: DAMAC Islands 2 from AED 3,329,000 and DAMAC Islands from AED 3,930,000. In The Valley by Emaar: Ovelle from AED 8,891,888.
More area comparisons
- DAMAC Islands vs DAMAC Lagoons
- DAMAC Islands vs Dubai Sports City
- DAMAC Hills 2 vs DAMAC Islands
- DAMAC Islands vs Town Square
- Dubailand Residence Complex vs The Valley by Emaar
- The Valley by Emaar vs Town Square
- The Valley by Emaar vs Villanova
- Sobha Sanctuary vs The Valley by Emaar
- Dubailand vs The Valley by Emaar
- DAMAC Lagoons vs The Valley by Emaar
- Downtown Jebel Ali vs The Valley by Emaar
- Dubai Production City vs The Valley by Emaar
Not sure which area fits?
Tell us your budget, your timing and whether you will live there or let it, and we will set the two areas against each other for you.
- Current price list and availability, direct from the developer
- No fee to you on off-plan purchases: the developer pays us
- One salaried adviser, not on commission, from first call to handover
