Aerial render of the mid-rise buildings, pools and beach

Dubai Islands or Rashid Yachts & Marina?

Side by side on published prices, yields, new developments and drive times.

Where each one leadsAsk which suits you

Pictured: The Meriva Collection by Ellington Properties

Where each one leads

Drawn only from published figures and the developments we list, each with its source.

  • Lower price per sq ft

    Dubai Islands averages AED 2,744 per sq ft against AED 2,777 in Rashid Yachts & Marina, about 1% less (Property Finder, from registered transactions, 12 months to 12 November 2026).

  • Lower entry price

    The lowest developer price we list in Dubai Islands is AED 1,050,000 at DO Hotels & Residences Dubai Islands, against AED 1,800,000 at Fior 2 in Rashid Yachts & Marina.

  • Closer to Dubai International Airport

    Rashid Yachts & Marina is about 15 minutes from Dubai International Airport by car, against about 20 minutes from Dubai Islands.

Side by side

Dubai Islands and Rashid Yachts & Marina compared
MeasureDubai IslandsRashid Yachts & Marina
EmirateDubaiDubai
TenureFreeholdFreehold
Price per sq ftAED 2,744Property Finder, 12 months to 12 November 2026, 4,788 salesAED 2,777Property Finder, 12 months to 12 November 2026, 496 sales
Developments we list88
Lowest developer priceAED 1,050,000DO Hotels & Residences Dubai IslandsAED 1,800,000Fior 2
Drive to Dubai International Airportabout 20 minutesabout 15 minutes
Drive to Downtown Dubaiabout 24 minutesabout 20 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

Dubai Islands

All developments in Dubai Islands

Rashid Yachts & Marina

All developments in Rashid Yachts & Marina

What each area is like

Dubai Islands

Five Nakheel-reclaimed islands off Deira in old Dubai, now the emirate's busiest launch zone for mid-rise beachfront apartments, with most handovers falling between 2027 and 2031.

Who it suits

  • Buyers wanting beachfront at a lower entry price
  • Frequent flyers using Dubai International Airport
  • Investors comfortable with a long build-out
  • End-users who prefer low-rise buildings

In its favour

  • More than 20 km of beaches and 60 km of waterfront, according to Nakheel
  • About 20 minutes to Dubai International Airport
  • Mid-rise and low-rise buildings rather than towers

Worth weighing

  • Heavy supply pipeline: Property Finder listed 2,796 homes for sale on 12 November 2026, 1,366 of them added in the previous 30 days. Expect competition on resale and rent when buildings complete.
  • Most of the islands will be a construction site into the 2030s; published handover dates on current projects run from late 2026 to Q1 2031.
Area guide: Dubai Islands

Rashid Yachts & Marina

Emaar's marina community at the old Port Rashid, between Bur Dubai and the Gulf. Low- and mid-rise apartments around a superyacht marina, with the QE2 moored alongside.

Who it suits

  • Buyers who want marina and sea views near old Dubai
  • Boat owners
  • Investors comfortable with a long build-out
  • Second-home buyers who prefer low-rise to high-rise

In its favour

  • Marina with 400 wet berths and capacity for yachts up to 100 metres (Emaar)
  • Low- and mid-rise buildings, so more homes keep an open view
  • Emaar as single master developer

Worth weighing

  • Long build-out: Fior 1 is not due until July 2030, and construction will continue around completed buildings until then
  • No metro station in the community; Bayut's guide puts the nearest Green Line stations about 10 minutes away
Area guide: Rashid Yachts & Marina

Dubai Islands or Rashid Yachts & Marina: quick answers

Is Dubai Islands or Rashid Yachts & Marina cheaper per square foot?

Dubai Islands is cheaper on the published figures: AED 2,744 per sq ft against AED 2,777 in Rashid Yachts & Marina (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, Dubai Islands or Rashid Yachts & Marina?

Rashid Yachts & Marina, at about 15 minutes by car against about 20 minutes from Dubai Islands. Drive times are approximate and vary with traffic.

Which is closer to Downtown Dubai, Dubai Islands or Rashid Yachts & Marina?

Rashid Yachts & Marina, at about 20 minutes by car against about 24 minutes from Dubai Islands. Drive times are approximate and vary with traffic.

Can foreigners buy property in Dubai Islands and Rashid Yachts & Marina?

Dubai Islands is a designated freehold area, open to buyers of any nationality. Rashid Yachts & Marina 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 Dubai Islands and Rashid Yachts & Marina?

In Dubai Islands: DO Hotels & Residences Dubai Islands from AED 1,050,000, Azizi Wasel from AED 1,680,000, Ellington Sands from AED 1,700,000 and Hado by Beyond from AED 2,200,000. In Rashid Yachts & Marina: Fior 2 from AED 1,800,000, Baystar by Vida from AED 2,105,888, Sera 2 from AED 2,112,888 and Fior 1 from AED 2,200,000.

More area comparisons

Your next step

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

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