Majan, Liwan, DLRC and Living Legends: affordable apartments in Dubailand

In short: Majan, Liwan, the Dubailand Residence Complex (DLRC) and Living Legends are smaller residential districts within the large Dubailand area. They mainly offer apartments in the lower to mid price segment, plus some villas. For investors on a smaller budget, they’re a way to bet on long-term letting.

Location and access

Dubailand is a huge area south-east of Al Khail Road containing many residential communities. Majan, Liwan, DLRC and Living Legends are smaller districts within it, each with access to major roads such as Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road. Downtown and the Marina are about 25 to 35 minutes by car, depending on the location. There is no metro.

The districts at a glance

• Majan: A district of mid-rise apartment buildings, many of them new.
• Liwan: Residential buildings with affordable apartments, close to other communities in eastern Dubailand.
• DLRC (Dubailand Residence Complex): A residential complex with numerous apartment buildings by different developers.
• Living Legends: A smaller district with villas and apartments.

Living in these districts

• Affordable: Low rents attract professionals and small families.
• Everyday life: Basic shopping in the district, larger shopping centres by car.
• Mobility: Hardly manageable without a car.
• Development: Many buildings are new, and more are being built.

Buying an apartment

On offer are mainly studios and one- to two-bedroom apartments, ready or as off-plan projects. Quality depends heavily on the developer.

What matters

• Developer: Check experience, completed projects and building management.
• Service charges: Decisive for the yield on affordable apartments.
• Amenities: A pool, gym and parking help with letting.
• Surroundings: How finished is the neighbourhood?

How buying in Majan, Liwan and DLRC works

In Majan, Liwan and DLRC 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 Majan, Liwan and DLRC

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 Dubailand 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

• Hunting only for the lowest price: An unknown developer can become expensive in terms of quality and management.
• Ignoring the competition: Many similar apartments are being built in Dubailand.
• Not planning for vacancy: Factor in weeks without a tenant.

Renting out

Tenants are professionals and small families on a limited budget. Long-term letting is the focus. Use our rental yield calculator to check what’s left at the end.

Compared

Pros and cons

Who the districts suit

Majan, Liwan, DLRC and Living Legends suit the tactician getting started on a small budget and betting on long-term letting.

Our verdict

These districts offer an affordable way into the rental market. Success here depends especially on the choice of developer and honest calculations – then a small apartment in Dubailand can be a solid investment.

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.