Dubai Festival City: quiet living on the Creek near the airport

In short: Dubai Festival City is an established district on the east bank of Dubai Creek, developed by Al-Futtaim. There’s a large waterfront mall, hotels, a golf course, villas and apartments – and DXB airport is just round the corner. The district is quieter and more family-oriented than the hotspots of new Dubai.

Location and access

Dubai Festival City lies on the east bank of the Creek, opposite Al Jaddaf and near Dubai Creek Harbour. DXB airport is about five to ten minutes away, Downtown about 15 minutes. Several bridges quickly connect the district with the west bank.

What makes Festival City

Al-Futtaim, one of the UAE’s large family businesses, has been developing Festival City since the 2000s as a mixed-use district. At its heart is Festival City Mall with shops, restaurants and a Creek-side promenade where a water and light show takes place in the evening. On top of that come hotels, a golf course and the Al Badia residential communities with villas, townhouses and apartments.

Living in Festival City

• Shopping and going out: The waterfront mall covers daily needs and leisure.
• Families: Schools in and around the district, parks and quiet residential streets.
• Golf: A golf course with clubhouse.
• Airport: Ideal for frequent flyers; flight paths are audible in parts of the district.

Property in Festival City

The offer includes villas and townhouses in established neighbourhoods as well as apartments, some with views of the Creek or the golf course. Most properties are ready; a few new projects are being added.

What matters

• Position in the district: Creek or golf view, distance from main roads and flight paths.
• House or apartment: Villas appeal to families, apartments to professionals and couples.
• Condition: Have older houses technically inspected.

How buying in Festival City works

In Festival City 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 Festival City

With a house, some typical costs come on top of the usual items:

• Service charges: for roads, green spaces, security and community facilities. The approved rates are listed in the Service Charge Index of the Dubai Land Department.
• Electricity and water: via DEWA; noticeably higher for large houses with pool and garden than for apartments, especially in summer.
• Garden, pool and air conditioning: regular care and servicing are a must if the house is to keep its value.
• Housing fee: 5 percent of the annual rental value via the DEWA bill – paid by the tenant if you let.
• Ejari: registration of every tenancy contract, AED 177.75 via Dubai REST.

There is no annual property tax. All buying costs are explained in our guide Buying costs in Dubai.

A visa through your property

With a property in Dubai Festival City 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.

Typical mistakes when buying in Festival City

• Not checking aircraft noise: View at different times of day to assess the flight paths realistically.
• Comparing only on price: A house with a Creek or golf view is often the better investment than a cheaper one set further back.
• Overlooking ageing systems: Have houses from the 2000s technically inspected before buying.

Renting out

Tenants are families and professionals who want to live close to the airport yet in quiet surroundings – from aviation, for example. Long-term letting is the focus. Check the numbers with our rental yield calculator.

Festival City compared

Pros and cons

Who Festival City suits

Festival City suits the relocator who wants to live quietly with a family close to the airport, and the portfolio investor looking for reliable long-term tenants.

Our verdict

Dubai Festival City is an underrated address: established, quiet, with everything you need on site and the airport round the corner. If you pay attention to the position in the district and aircraft noise, you’ll find a solid property for families and commuters 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.