If you look at Dubai with a modest budget and a plan to rent out, DLRC comes up sooner or later. A ready one-bedroom here costs about AED 650K, and almost 6,900 apartment deals went through in the last twelve months. So let’s go through it calmly: what the area is, what apartments really cost, what they earn, and what the people who live in DLRC say about it.
In shortDubailand Residence Complex (DLRC) is a freehold community in Dubailand on Al Ain Road (E66), opposite Dubai Silicon Oasis. A ready studio costs about AED 430K and a one-bedroom about AED 650K. Annual rent is AED 40K for a studio and AED 56K for a one-bedroom. The net yield on a one-bedroom after all costs is about 6.4% a year. Prices in the same buildings rose 3.2% over the year. There is no metro, and 91% of deals are off-plan.
Where DLRC is
DLRC, short for Dubailand Residence Complex, sits on Al Ain Road (E66). Dubai Silicon Oasis is across the road and Academic City is next door. Downtown is about 20–25 minutes by car, DXB airport also 20–25, and Global Village 10–15.
The area is part of the big Dubailand project. There’s no single developer here. The plots went to many different developers, so the buildings vary a lot: some towers are older, others are brand-new projects with rooftop pools. It’s freehold, so a foreigner simply buys the apartment outright.
Transport. There’s no metro nearby yet. The nearest stations, such as Creek on the Green Line or Rashidiya on the Red Line, are about 17–20 minutes by car. RTA bus 30 runs to Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall station. The Blue Line is due to open in September 2029, and two of its stations will be in the neighbouring areas, Dubai Silicon Oasis and Academic City. For DLRC that’s a real plus for the future.
DLRC prices and rental yields in 2026
I don’t take these numbers from listings. They come from Dubai Land Department (DLD) open data, the same data we use in DXB Radar.
| Apartment deals over 12 months | about 6,890, 91% of them off-plan |
| Ready: studio / 1 bed / 2 beds | about AED 0.43M / 0.65M / 0.92M |
| Off-plan: studio / 1 bed / 2 beds / 3 beds | about AED 0.7M / 1.07M / 1.48M / 1.81M |
| Annual rent: studio / 1 bed / 2 beds / 3 beds | AED 40K / 56K / 74K / 100K |
| Price change over the year, same buildings | +3.2% (last three months −0.6%) |
| Rent over the year | unchanged |
| Service charge | about AED 12.4 per sq ft a year |
Let’s do the maths. A ready one-bedroom costs about AED 650K and rents for about AED 56K a year. That’s 8.6% gross. Take off the service charge, allow 5% for vacancy and small repairs, add 6% purchase costs, and you’re left with about 6.4% a year net. Studios do even better: about 9.3% gross and 7% net. For Dubai these are very good numbers.
Prices in the area went up over the year: plus 3.2% in the same buildings. Over the last three months they’ve been almost flat, minus 0.6%. Rents didn’t change over the year.
Keep in mind that an off-plan apartment in DLRC costs roughly 1.6 times as much as a ready one. The reason is simple. The ready buildings here are mostly older, while the new projects come with pools, gyms and better finishes. But if you want rental income straight away, I’d look at ready property. It’s cheaper to get into and it earns from the first month.
Infrastructure
- Shopping: Shua Al Madina, West Zone Fresh, Blue Mart and mini-marts on the ground floors of the buildings. In total the area has about 140 shops, cafés, salons and pharmacies.
- Malls: there’s no big mall in the area itself. Silicon Central Mall in neighbouring Silicon Oasis is about 10 minutes by car, and Dubai Outlet Mall on Al Ain Road 10–15.
- Healthcare: Ace Medical Center right in the area, in Skycourts. The nearest big hospital is Fakeeh University Hospital in Silicon Oasis, 10–15 minutes by car.
- Parks: two mid-sized community parks, plus two small parks with sports areas finished in 2025.
- Leisure: Global Village and IMG Worlds of Adventure are 10–15 minutes by car.
Schools near DLRC
Schools are fine here, with two British schools literally a couple of minutes from the buildings. The ratings are from the latest inspections by KHDA, Dubai’s schools regulator.
- The Aquila School — UK curriculum, “Good”, right in the area.
- GEMS FirstPoint School — UK curriculum, “Very Good”, in neighbouring The Villa, about 5 minutes by car.
- GEMS Wellington Academy Silicon Oasis — UK curriculum and IB, “Very Good”, about 10 minutes.
Nurseries in the area: Chubby Cheeks Nursery, Step by Step Nursery.
Buildings and projects
Ready: Skycourts Towers (among the first buildings in the area), the Sondos buildings (Lilac, Sage, Orchid), Desert Sun Tower, Phoenix Tower, Windsor Residence, Ajmal Sarah Tower.
Off-plan, handover 2026–2028: Cove Edition 2, Cove Grand and The Archive by Imtiaz, Samana Park Meadows, Ivy Gardens 2 and Samana Parkville by Samana, Weybridge Gardens 2, 4 and 5 by LEOS, Verdan1a 2, 3 and 4 by Object One, Peace Lagoons by Peace Homes, Milos by Karma, Beverly Park by HMB Homes. More than 50 off-plan projects are on sale in the area right now.
There’s a lot being built, and the developers vary a lot. If you want 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.
Pros and cons of DLRC
I’ve read what residents write in reviews and in the Bayut, Property Finder, Propsearch and Driven Properties guides, and I’ve added what our clients tell us. Here’s roughly the picture.
What people like:
- Prices are among the most affordable of Dubai’s freehold areas.
- High rental yields, especially on studios.
- Quick access to Al Ain Road and Emirates Road.
- Everything you need downstairs: supermarkets, pharmacies, cafés, a clinic.
- Schools and nurseries a couple of minutes away, and some parks.
What people complain about:
- No metro, so it’s inconvenient without a car.
- A lot of construction, which means noise and dust.
- On some mornings there’s a smell from the Al Aweer sewage treatment plant.
- Building quality varies: the older towers and the new projects are very different.
- Some buildings have little guest parking, and residents also complain about separate chiller fees.
My view
I think DLRC is a good area for people starting with a smaller budget who want to rent out. Look: a ready one-bedroom for about AED 650K earning about 6.4% a year net. It’s also a convenient place to live. Shops and cafés downstairs, schools nearby, Downtown and the airport 20–25 minutes away by car. That’s why families and people working in Silicon Oasis, Academic City and the centre are happy to rent here.
And the area keeps developing. Dozens of new buildings with pools and gyms will be handed over here by 2028, and in 2029 the Blue Line stations in Silicon Oasis and Academic City will open next door. With the metro, I expect rental demand here to grow noticeably. The one thing to keep in mind is that with so many new buildings, landlords will have to work a bit harder for tenants, so I’d pick the building carefully: a decent management company and a clear rental history.
My team can show you actual deals and rents for specific DLRC buildings — leave a request.
Frequently asked questions about DLRC
How much does an apartment in DLRC cost?
According to Dubai Land Department deals, a ready studio costs about AED 430K, a one-bedroom about AED 650K and a two-bedroom about AED 920K. Off-plan is roughly 1.6 times more.
What is the rental yield in DLRC?
A one-bedroom rents for about AED 56K a year. That’s about 8.6% gross and about 6.4% net, once you take off the service charge, vacancy and purchase costs. Studios make about 7% net.
Is there a metro in DLRC?
Not yet. The nearest stations are about 17–20 minutes by car, and bus 30 runs to Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall. In September 2029 the Blue Line opens with stations in neighbouring Dubai Silicon Oasis and Academic City.
Which schools are near DLRC?
The Aquila School right in the area (KHDA rating “Good”), GEMS FirstPoint School next door (“Very Good”) and GEMS Wellington Academy Silicon Oasis (“Very Good”).
DLRC or Arjan — which to choose?
A ready one-bedroom costs about AED 650K in DLRC and about AED 1M in Arjan, and yields in DLRC are higher. Arjan, on the other hand, is closer to the Marina and has Mediclinic Parkview Hospital next door. Both work for renting out; the specific building is what decides it.
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; Bayut; Property Finder; Property Finder, resident reviews; Driven Properties; EZRE, project handover dates; Blue Line; Gulf News, 2025; KHDA ratings. Figures as of September 2026.
