People often ask me: “Konstantin, DAMAC Hills is all about villas and golf, right? Does it make sense to buy an apartment there?” It does, and plenty of buyers do exactly that. The community is big and gated, with the Trump golf course and a huge park in the middle, and its apartments cost less than many people expect. Below I go through it using real deals: what apartments cost, what they earn, which schools are nearby and what residents say.
In shortDAMAC Hills is a gated freehold community by DAMAC Properties in Dubailand, built around the Trump International golf course. A ready studio costs about AED 570K and a one-bedroom about AED 940K. Annual rent is AED 45K for a studio and AED 70K for a one-bedroom, and the net yield on a one-bedroom is about 5.4%. Prices in the same buildings barely moved over the year (−0.9%), while rents fell 4.3%. There is no metro, and 67% of apartment deals are off-plan.
Where DAMAC Hills is
DAMAC Hills is part of Dubailand and runs along Umm Suqeim Road, which further out becomes Al Qudra Road. Its neighbours are Arabian Ranches across the road, Mudon, Remraam and Dubai Studio City. You can get onto Hessa Street, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road (E311) and Emirates Road. Downtown and Dubai Marina are about 25–30 minutes by car, DXB airport about 30–35. At rush hour, of course, it takes longer.
The whole community is developed by DAMAC Properties. It used to be called Akoya by DAMAC. The first residents moved in in 2015, and the 18-hole Trump International Golf Club opened in 2017. Today there are more than 30 neighbourhoods: villas, townhouses and several groups of apartment buildings. It’s freehold, so a foreigner buys property outright.
Don’t confuse it with DAMAC Hills 2. That’s a separate project by the same developer, further down Al Qudra Road, formerly known as Akoya Oxygen. This article is only about the original DAMAC Hills.
Transport. There’s no metro nearby. Dubai Internet City station on the Red Line is 15–20 minutes by car. Buses J03 and J04 run from neighbouring Studio City and Remraam, but honestly, you need a car here.
DAMAC Hills prices and rental yields in 2026
I take these numbers from Dubai Land Department (DLD) open data, based on real apartment deals. The same data is in our DXB Radar.
| Apartment deals over 12 months | about 1,420, 67% of them off-plan |
| Ready: studio / 1 bed / 2 beds | about AED 0.57M / 0.94M / 1.75M |
| Off-plan: studio / 1 bed / 2 beds | about AED 0.8M / 1.24M / 2.08M |
| Annual rent: studio / 1 bed / 2 beds | AED 45K / 70K / 120K |
| Price change over the year, same buildings | −0.9% (last three months −2.3%) |
| Rent over the year | −4.3% |
| Service charge | about AED 17 per sq ft a year |
Let’s do the maths. A ready one-bedroom costs about AED 940K and rents for about AED 70K a year. That’s 7.4% gross. Take off the service charge, allow 5% for vacancy and small repairs, add 6% purchase costs, and you’re left with about 5.4% a year. Studios do a little better, about 5.9% net; two-bedrooms a little less, about 4.9%.
Now about the minus. Over the year, prices in the same buildings barely moved, −0.9%. In spring 2026 the conflict around Iran started, buyers across Dubai paused, and prices dipped in many areas. I’ve lived in the Emirates for 15 years and I’ve seen this before: in the second half of the 2010s prices fell for several years, and then the market made it all back. To be straight with you, DAMAC Hills hasn’t levelled out yet: over the last three months prices in the same buildings were another 2.3% lower. Nobody can give guarantees here, but for a buyer it’s a reasonable moment to negotiate calmly.
Off-plan apartments here cost roughly 20–40% more than ready ones, depending on the layout. But if you’re buying to rent out, a ready apartment starts earning right away and is cheaper to get into.
Infrastructure
- Shopping: two Spinneys, a Carrefour Market and Viva in the community, plus small grocery shops by the buildings. There’s no big mall inside, so for bigger shopping trips people drive to neighbouring areas.
- Healthcare: Saudi German Clinic right in DAMAC Hills, plus pharmacies. The nearest hospital, Mediclinic Parkview in Arjan, is 10–15 minutes by car.
- Golf: Trump International Golf Club, an 18-hole course with a clubhouse and restaurants.
- Leisure: Malibu Bay, a residents’ beach with a wave pool, open since 2020. A large central park, a skate park, tennis courts and football pitches.
- Outdoors: running and cycling tracks and lots of greenery. Cafés and restaurants by the buildings and at the club.
- Nursery: Blossom Early Learning Centre in the Carson complex.
Schools near DAMAC Hills
For families it’s convenient: one strong school right in the community and several more across the road in Arabian Ranches. The ratings are from the latest inspections by KHDA, Dubai’s schools regulator.
- Jebel Ali School — UK curriculum, “Very Good”, right in DAMAC Hills.
- Jumeirah English Speaking School Arabian Ranches — UK curriculum, “Outstanding”, in neighbouring Arabian Ranches.
- Ranches Primary School — UK curriculum, primary, “Very Good”, also in Arabian Ranches.
- GEMS Metropole School — UK curriculum, “Good”, in Motor City, 10–15 minutes by car.
Buildings and projects
Ready apartments: Carson — The Drive (three towers with studios, one- and two-bedrooms), Golf Town, Artesia, Golf Vita, Golf Vista, Loreto.
Villas and townhouses: The Park Villas, Trump Estates, Silver Springs, Queens Meadows, Veneto and other clusters.
Under construction: Golf Gate 2, scheduled for handover at the end of 2026; the three Golf Greens towers, due in 2027; and DAMAC District, three towers with about 1,000 apartments plus offices, due in 2029. On the villa side, Gems Estates, Utopia, Autograph Collection and Ivory are being built.
To see how a specific project is really going, check the Construction progress section of DXB Radar. The completion figures there come from the Dubai Land Department, not from the developer.
Pros and cons of DAMAC Hills
I’ve read the guides by Driven Properties, Bayut, Propsearch and Engel & Völkers, plus residents’ reviews. Add to that what our clients who live there or viewed apartments tell us. Here’s the picture.
What people like:
- A gated community with security at the entrances, quiet and safe.
- Lots of green space: the golf course, the park, running and cycling tracks, Malibu Bay.
- Everyday needs inside: supermarkets, a clinic, cafés, a nursery.
- Good schools in the community and next door.
- Golf-view apartments cost less than in central Dubai.
What people complain about:
- No metro, hard without a car.
- Downtown, DIFC and the Marina are half an hour or more away.
- Construction still going on at the edges of the community, with noise and dust.
- No big mall inside.
My view
I like DAMAC Hills as a place to live. The community has been lived in for years and everything works: shops, a clinic, schools, a huge park and golf right outside your window. Families who want greenery and quiet come here. Apartments are bought by people who want to live in this kind of community but aren’t ready for a villa yet, which is why studios and one-bedrooms rent well.
Prices have held roughly steady over the year, and a ready one-bedroom gives about 5.4% net. For a gated golf community that’s a good number. Just keep one thing in mind: over the next few years Golf Gate 2, Golf Greens and DAMAC District will be handed over, and there will be more apartments competing for tenants. So it’s worth choosing a building with a good view and a reliable management company. And once the new towers are finished, the area will get more cafés, shops and offices, and living here will become even more convenient.
My team can show you real deals and service charges for specific DAMAC Hills buildings — leave a request.
DAMAC Hills FAQ
How much does an apartment in DAMAC Hills cost?
Based on Dubai Land Department deals over the last 6 months, a ready studio costs about AED 570K, a one-bedroom about AED 940K and a two-bedroom about AED 1.75M. Off-plan is roughly 20–40% more.
What is the rental yield in DAMAC Hills?
A one-bedroom rents for about AED 70K a year. That’s about 7.4% gross and about 5.4% net after the service charge, vacancy and purchase costs.
Is there a metro in DAMAC Hills?
No. Dubai Internet City station on the Red Line is 15–20 minutes by car. Buses J03 and J04 run from neighbouring Studio City and Remraam.
Which schools are in and near DAMAC Hills?
Jebel Ali School, rated “Very Good” by KHDA, is in the community itself. Across the road in Arabian Ranches there’s JESS Arabian Ranches, rated “Outstanding”, and Ranches Primary School, rated “Very Good”.
What’s the difference between DAMAC Hills and DAMAC Hills 2?
They’re two separate DAMAC projects. The original DAMAC Hills is closer to the city, next to Arabian Ranches, and built around the Trump golf course. DAMAC Hills 2, formerly Akoya Oxygen, is further down Al Qudra Road, is mostly townhouses and villas, and is cheaper.
All figures for Dubai areas: DXB Radar. This is not investment advice: for details, consult a broker of 2088 Real Estate.
Sources: Dubai Land Department open data (data.dubai), deals up to 28.09.2026; Propsearch; Propsearch, amenities; Driven Properties, 2026; Engel & Völkers; Bayut; Bayut, new projects; Propsearch, DAMAC District; Propsearch, Golf Greens; The National, Malibu Bay; KHDA ratings; Fortune, June 2026; The National, UBS, September 2026. Figures are current as of September 2026.
