Al Sufouh, Dubai Internet City and Media City: living close to work

In short: Al Sufouh lies on the coast opposite Palm Jumeirah, between Dubai Marina and Al Barsha. It’s home to the free zones Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City and Knowledge Park, with the offices of many international corporations. Residential supply is smaller than in the Marina, but demand from professionals is high.

Location and access

Al Sufouh stretches along Sheikh Zayed Road and the coast road between Dubai Marina and Al Barsha. Opposite lies Palm Jumeirah, whose access road starts here; next door are Dubai Harbour and Emaar Beachfront. The metro stops on Sheikh Zayed Road, and the tram runs through the district to the Marina. Across Sheikh Zayed Road begin The Greens and Barsha Heights.

The free zones: Internet City, Media City, Knowledge Park

Al Sufouh is known above all as a place of work. From the late 1990s, Dubai’s first large free zones were created here:

• Dubai Internet City: Regional headquarters of major technology companies and many start-ups.
• Dubai Media City: TV broadcasters, publishers, agencies and media companies.
• Dubai Knowledge Park: Universities, training providers and education companies.

Tens of thousands of people work in these free zones. That shapes the district: office life by day, restaurants and cafés in the evening, and the beach and Marina nearby.

Living in Al Sufouh

• Work: For many residents the commute is a short walk or one tram stop.
• Beach: Stretches of coast in Al Sufouh and the beaches of the Palm and JBR are quickly reached.
• Education: Several universities and international schools in the district and nearby.
• Everyday life: Supermarkets, restaurants and Mall of the Emirates in Al Barsha are minutes away.

Buying an apartment in Al Sufouh

Residential supply in Al Sufouh is limited: a few apartment buildings, including newer projects, and villas in the older parts. Of most interest to foreigners are the freehold residential projects that have been built here in recent years or are still under construction.

What matters

• Freehold status: Not every building in Al Sufouh is open to foreign buyers – we check this before every purchase.
• Proximity to the free zone and tram: Short commutes are the strongest letting argument.
• View: Apartments with a view of the Palm or the sea are particularly sought after.
• Developer: For new projects, check experience and completed projects.

How buying in Al Sufouh works

In Al Sufouh there are ready properties as well as projects under construction. The process differs:

• Ready property: sale agreement in line with RERA (Form F) with a deposit of usually 10 percent, a no objection certificate (NOC) from the developer, then payment and transfer at a Registration Trustee of the Dubai Land Department. Details in our guide Buying a ready property.
• Off-plan: reservation, purchase agreement with the developer (Sale and Purchase Agreement), registration in the interim register Oqood and payments according to construction progress into an escrow account. On handover you receive the title deed. Details in our guide Buying off-plan in Dubai.

For ready properties, budget around 6.5 percent in buying costs; for off-plan mainly the 4 percent registration fee. Both can be done from abroad – with video viewings and a power of attorney.

Running costs as an owner in Al Sufouh

After buying an apartment, these are the main ongoing costs:

• Service charges: for maintenance, security, pools and common areas, calculated by the size of your unit. The approved rates for each building are listed in the Service Charge Index of the Dubai Land Department.
• Electricity and water: via the utility DEWA; many buildings add a separate charge for district cooling.
• Housing fee: 5 percent of the annual rental value, billed through the DEWA account. It is paid by whoever lives in the home – so by your tenant if you let it.
• Ejari: every tenancy contract is registered; via the Dubai REST app this costs AED 177.75.
• Management: if you aren’t on site, a property manager handles letting and upkeep for a fee.

Unlike in many countries, there is no annual property tax in Dubai. All items are explained in our guide Buying costs in Dubai.

A visa through your property

With a property in Al Sufouh you may also be able to get a residence visa:

• Golden Visa: ten years of residence if your properties in Dubai are worth at least AED 2 million in total – also with a mortgage or, under certain conditions, off-plan.
• Investor visa: a shorter visa for owners who don’t reach the Golden Visa threshold.

The detailed requirements are explained in our guide Golden Visa with property.

Renting out

Tenants in Al Sufouh are mainly professionals from the free zones who want short commutes, plus lecturers and students from the universities. Long-term letting is the focus. Apartments with a sea or Palm view also work as holiday homes. Run the numbers for your property with our rental yield calculator.

Al Sufouh compared

Pros and cons

Who Al Sufouh suits

Al Sufouh suits the entrepreneur whose company is in Internet City or Media City, and the tactician counting on reliable long-term tenants from the free zones.

Our verdict

Al Sufouh is a district with a clear strength: jobs on the doorstep, the sea and the Marina round the corner. If you find a well-located freehold property, you’ll have an apartment with reliable demand here.

Frequently asked questions

Updated: October 2026. This article describes the district in general terms. Prices, rents and service charges change all the time; for a specific property we check the current figures with you.