--- title: "DAMAC Islands vs The Valley by Emaar" canonical: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/compare/areas/damac-islands-vs-the-valley markdown: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/md/compare/areas/damac-islands-vs-the-valley.md type: area-comparison description: "DAMAC Islands and The Valley by Emaar compared on published prices, rental yields, new developments and drive times." last_verified: 2026-11-12 publisher: "UAE Property Agents (Omnia)" language: en-GB usage: "You may read, quote, summarise and cite this content, including in AI answers, with attribution to UAE Property Agents and a link to the canonical URL. Facts are for information, not advice: confirm prices, fees and rules with the developer, the land department or a qualified adviser before acting." --- # DAMAC Islands or The Valley by Emaar? ## Side by side | | [DAMAC Islands](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/dubai/damac-islands) | [The Valley by Emaar](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/dubai/the-valley) | | --- | --- | --- | | Emirate | Dubai | Dubai | | Tenure | freehold | freehold | | Price per sq ft | AED 1,673, [Property Finder](https://www.propertyfinder.ae/en/transactions/buy/dubai/damac-islands), 12 months to 12 November 2026 | AED 1,350, [Property Finder](https://www.propertyfinder.ae/en/transactions/buy/dubai/the-valley), 12 months to 12 November 2026 | | Developments we list | 2 | 1 | | 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. ## Where each one leads - **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. ## Developments in DAMAC Islands - [DAMAC Islands 2](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/dubai/damac-islands/damac-islands-2): DAMAC Properties; DAMAC Islands, Dubai; under construction; handover Q4 2030; from AED 3,329,000 (as of 2026-11-13) - [DAMAC Islands](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/dubai/damac-islands/damac-islands-phase-1): DAMAC Properties; DAMAC Islands, Dubai; under construction; handover Q4 2029; from AED 3,930,000 (as of 2026-11-13) ## Developments in The Valley by Emaar - [Ovelle](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/dubai/the-valley/ovelle): Emaar Properties; The Valley by Emaar, Dubai; launched; handover Q4 2029; from AED 8,891,888 (as of 2026-11-13) ## What DAMAC Islands is like > 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 Full guide: [DAMAC Islands](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/dubai/damac-islands) ## What The Valley by Emaar is like > 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 Full guide: [The Valley by Emaar](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/dubai/the-valley) ## Questions and 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](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/dubai/damac-islands/damac-islands-2) from AED 3,329,000 and [DAMAC Islands](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/dubai/damac-islands/damac-islands-phase-1) from AED 3,930,000. In The Valley by Emaar: [Ovelle](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/dubai/the-valley/ovelle) from AED 8,891,888. --- Source page: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/compare/areas/damac-islands-vs-the-valley. Published by UAE Property Agents, Omnia Capital Group. You may read, quote, summarise and cite this content, including in AI answers, with attribution to UAE Property Agents and a link to the canonical URL. Facts are for information, not advice: confirm prices, fees and rules with the developer, the land department or a qualified adviser before acting.