{"id":4836,"date":"2026-10-10T21:01:50","date_gmt":"2026-10-10T21:01:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/real-dubai.com\/property-downtown-dubai"},"modified":"2026-10-10T22:08:01","modified_gmt":"2026-10-10T22:08:01","slug":"property-downtown-dubai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/real-dubai.com\/en\/property-downtown-dubai","title":{"rendered":"Downtown Dubai: buying an apartment by the Burj Khalifa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In short:<\/b> Downtown Dubai is the city’s showpiece \u2013 with the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, the Dubai Fountain and Dubai Opera. The district was developed by Emaar. Almost all purchases are apartments; the most sought-after have views of the Burj Khalifa or the Fountain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Location<\/b>Centre, on Sheikh Zayed Road next to Business Bay<\/span><\/div>
Known for<\/b>Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, Dubai Fountain, Dubai Opera<\/span><\/div>
Developer<\/b>Emaar<\/span><\/div>
Property types<\/b>Apartments from studios to penthouses<\/span><\/div>
Segment<\/b>upscale<\/span><\/div>
Suits<\/b>Lifestyle, Portfolio, Entrepreneur<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
In this article<\/strong>
  1. Location and access<\/a><\/li>
  2. From wasteland to city centre<\/a><\/li>
  3. The parts of Downtown<\/a><\/li>
  4. Living in Downtown<\/a><\/li>
  5. Buying an apartment in Downtown<\/a><\/li>
  6. Running costs as an owner in Downtown<\/a><\/li>
  7. A visa through your property<\/a><\/li>
  8. Renting out<\/a><\/li>
  9. Pros and cons<\/a><\/li>
  10. Who Downtown suits<\/a><\/li>
  11. How buying in Downtown works<\/a><\/li>
  12. Our verdict<\/a><\/li>
  13. Frequently asked questions<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Location and access<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Downtown Dubai lies at the centre of the city, right on Sheikh Zayed Road. Business Bay<\/a> borders it to the north and east; across Sheikh Zayed Road lie DIFC<\/a> and City Walk<\/a>. The Burj Khalifa\/Dubai Mall metro station connects the district to the Red Line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Few districts are as central: DXB airport is around 15 to 20 minutes away depending on traffic, Dubai Marina<\/a> about half an hour. Dubai Hills Estate<\/a> and MBR City<\/a> are close by.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    From wasteland to city centre<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    In the early 2000s this was mostly wasteland. Emaar developed the site under the name “Downtown Burj Dubai” around the planned tallest tower in the world. Dubai Mall opened in 2008, the Burj Khalifa in 2010 \u2013 at 828 metres still the tallest building in the world. Since then Downtown has been the district where Dubai celebrates New Year’s Eve and that appears on almost every postcard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Aerial
    Downtown from above: residential towers on the left, the Dubai Fountain lake in the middle, low-rise Old Town on the right.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    The parts of Downtown<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Downtown is not uniform. For buyers it pays to know the sub-areas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n