Jumeirah Bay Island and Pearl Jumeirah: Dubai’s most exclusive islands

In short: Jumeirah Bay Island and Pearl Jumeirah are two small man-made islands off the coast of Jumeirah. Jumeirah Bay is shaped like a seahorse and is home to the Bulgari Resort with branded residences and villa plots. Pearl Jumeirah offers plots for villas by the sea. Both belong to the very top luxury segment of the city.

Location and access

Both islands lie only a few hundred metres off the coast of old Jumeirah and are connected to the mainland by bridges. La Mer, City Walk and DIFC are minutes away, and Downtown is about 15 minutes. This central location sets the two islands apart from the Palm, which lies further south.

Two islands, two concepts

Jumeirah Bay Island

Meraas created Jumeirah Bay as an exclusive island in the shape of a seahorse. Its centrepiece is the Bulgari Resort with hotel, yacht club and restaurants. On top of that come apartments in the Bulgari Residences and a residential tower, plus a limited number of villa plots on which individual estates by the sea are being built. The island is secluded and tightly secured.

Pearl Jumeirah

Pearl Jumeirah is an island by Nakheel off La Mer. Here mainly plots for detached waterfront villas are sold, alongside a beach club and a resort. Many plots are still being built on.

Life on the islands

• Privacy: Guarded access and little visitor traffic in the residential areas.
• Sea: Beach and water right in front of the house or apartment.
• Service: In branded residences, hotel service, concierge and restaurants on site.
• Surroundings: Established Jumeirah with schools, clinics and shops lies directly opposite on the coast.

Property on Jumeirah Bay and Pearl Jumeirah

Supply is very small: branded residences, a limited number of villas and plots. Buying here means operating in Dubai’s highest price bracket; individual sales on Jumeirah Bay regularly rank among the most expensive in the city.

What to look for

• Plot or finished property: With plots you add design and construction, following the master plan guidelines.
• Branded residence: Check the operator’s terms, service charges and any rental programmes.
• Discretion: Many properties are not advertised publicly but are placed through networks.

How buying in Jumeirah Bay and Pearl Jumeirah works

In Jumeirah Bay and Pearl Jumeirah you mostly buy villas or townhouses – ready and second-hand, or new from the developer:

• Ready house: viewing, sale agreement in line with RERA (Form F) with a deposit of usually 10 percent, a no objection certificate (NOC) from the developer and transfer at a Registration Trustee. For houses a technical inspection of air conditioning, pool, roof and pipes is worth it. Details in our guide Buying a ready property.
• New build: purchase agreement with the developer, registration in the Oqood register and payments according to construction progress into an escrow account. Details in our guide Buying off-plan in Dubai.

For ready houses, budget around 6.5 percent in buying costs. Many villas are worth more than AED 2 million and therefore qualify for the Golden Visa.

Running costs as an owner in Jumeirah Bay and Pearl Jumeirah

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.

Renting out

Most owners use their property themselves. Anyone who rents out addresses a very small, very affluent target group – often via the operator of the residences. If yield is the main goal, other districts are a better fit.

Compared with the Palm

Pros and cons

Who the islands suit

Jumeirah Bay and Pearl Jumeirah are the address for the lifestyle investor looking for something extraordinary. If you want a similar world with more choice, take a look at Palm Jumeirah.

Our verdict

The two islands are not a market for spreadsheet examples but for buyers who want to own one of the rarest addresses in Dubai. What counts here is discretion, a good network and very careful checking of every single property.

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.