Mina Rashid and Dubai Maritime City: living by the old harbour
The historic port with the QE2 hotel ship is turning into a marina-side residential district: what Mina Rashid and Dubai Maritime City offer buyers.
In short: Mina Rashid is Dubai’s historic port, close to the old city centre. Today the hotel ship Queen Elizabeth 2 is moored here, and Emaar is building residential towers around a new marina. Next door, Dubai Maritime City is developing on a peninsula. Both districts combine a waterfront setting with proximity to old Dubai.
- Location and access
- From cargo port to residential district
- Living in Mina Rashid
- Buying an apartment in Mina Rashid and Maritime City
- How buying in Mina Rashid and Maritime City works
- Running costs as an owner in Mina Rashid
- A visa through your property
- Renting out
- Pros and cons
- Who Mina Rashid suits
- Our verdict
- Frequently asked questions
Location and access
Mina Rashid lies on Dubai’s northern coast, between the old district of Bur Dubai and the coastal district of Jumeirah 1. Old Dubai with its souks, the Dubai Frame in Zabeel Park and La Mer are only minutes away, Downtown about 15 minutes, DXB airport around 20 minutes. Dubai Maritime City lies right next door on a man-made peninsula.
From cargo port to residential district
Port Rashid was the modern city’s first large port and for a long time Dubai’s gateway for goods. When container traffic moved to Jebel Ali, the site became free for new uses. Today cruise ships dock at a terminal here, the famous liner Queen Elizabeth 2 serves as a hotel, and Emaar is developing a waterfront residential district around a new marina.
Neighbouring Dubai Maritime City was planned as a hub for shipping companies and is increasingly becoming a residential location with towers right on the sea.
Living in Mina Rashid
- Water: Marina, promenade and sea views.
- Culture: Old Dubai with Al Fahidi, the souks and the Creek is round the corner.
- Peace and quiet: Away from the tourist centres of new Dubai.
- A district in the making: Many projects are new or under construction, and infrastructure is growing alongside.
Buying an apartment in Mina Rashid and Maritime City
On offer are mainly apartments with one to four bedrooms and penthouses in new waterfront towers. A large share is sold off-plan; the first buildings are complete.
What matters
- View: Sea view, marina view or a view of the Downtown skyline.
- Developer: Check experience and completed projects, especially in Maritime City.
- Surroundings at handover: How finished will the district be when you move in or let?
How buying in Mina Rashid and Maritime City works
In Mina Rashid and Maritime City you mostly buy from the developer, i.e. off-plan. This is how it works:
- Reservation: a reservation fee secures the unit.
- Purchase agreement: you sign the Sale and Purchase Agreement with the developer. Ask to see all fees, the payment plan and the planned handover date.
- Oqood: the purchase is entered in the interim register of the Dubai Land Department; the 4 percent registration fee is due at this point.
- Payment plan: you pay in instalments according to construction progress into a protected escrow account.
- Handover: after completion you inspect the unit, pay the final instalment and receive the title deed.
How your money is protected and what to look for in a developer is explained in our guide Buying off-plan in Dubai.
Running costs as an owner in Mina Rashid
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 Mina Rashid 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 are professionals who want to live centrally by the water and couples who appreciate old Dubai. Check how a property works out with our rental yield calculator.
Pros and cons
In favour
- Waterfront location near the centre
- Old Dubai and culture on the doorstep
- New buildings with modern standards
- Close to DXB airport
Worth considering
- District still developing
- Lots of off-plan
- Less infrastructure than in established districts
Who Mina Rashid suits
Mina Rashid suits the portfolio investor who wants to get into an emerging waterfront district early, the Plan B investor, and the individualist who prefers old Dubai to the glitz of the Marina.
Our verdict
Mina Rashid and Dubai Maritime City are districts with character and potential: sea, harbour and historic Dubai right next door. If you factor in the development phase and choose the developer carefully, you can get into a special location early here.
Got your eye on Mina Rashid?
We check the project, developer and timeline and tell you whether it fits your goal.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Queen Elizabeth 2?
A famous British passenger liner that now serves as a hotel in Mina Rashid.
Is Mina Rashid a freehold area?
The residential projects around the new marina are open to foreign buyers. We check the status for every property.
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.
Questions about your purchase?
Our team in Dubai answers them personally – in English, German, Swedish, Spanish or Norwegian, free of charge and without obligation.
