Business Bay
A district of office, hotel and residential towers along the Dubai Water Canal, directly beside Downtown Dubai and the Burj Khalifa.
Business Bay sits directly south and east of Downtown Dubai, between Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road, on both banks of the Dubai Water Canal. Dubai Properties, part of Dubai Holding, launched it as master developer in 2003 as the city's new commercial district, and the canal that runs through it was extended to the sea in 2016. It now holds more than 240 buildings, and many of the towers along the water look straight across to the Burj Khalifa.
The district began as an office address and has become a place to live as well. Almost every home here is an apartment, from studios to four bedrooms, with penthouses at the top of the premium towers, a few podium villas and duplexes, and a large number of serviced and hotel apartments. Many developers have built here, including DAMAC, Omniyat, Select Group, Binghatti and Dubai Properties itself, so quality and service charges vary a great deal from one tower to the next.
During the working week the streets are busy with office traffic, while the evenings move to the canal promenade, the hotels and the restaurants of Bay Square and Marasi Drive. It suits people who want to live in the centre of the city, close to Downtown and DIFC, at a lower price per square foot than Downtown itself. Building work is still under way on several plots, so parts of the district are still changing.
Tell us what you are looking for and we will send you what is available now, with the figures behind it.
Contact usLocation and connectivity
Getting around
Business Bay station on the Metro Red Line serves the district from Sheikh Zayed Road, with direct trains to Downtown Dubai, DIFC, the airport and Dubai Marina, and the Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station is close to the northern towers. RTA buses run through the district to the Metro, and abras on the Dubai Water Canal stop at Marasi and Business Bay. By car, the district sits between Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road, with Ras Al Khor Road to the east and a direct link to Downtown. Most towers have underground or podium parking for residents; street parking is paid and limited. Traffic is heavy at the district's exits at morning and evening rush hours, when office workers arrive and leave, and building sites close some lanes.
Travel times
| Destination | Minutes | Kilometres |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Dubai (Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall) | 5 to 10 min | 3 km |
| DIFC | 10 to 15 min | 5 km |
| Dubai Design District | 10 to 15 min | 4 km |
| Dubai World Trade Centre | 15 to 20 min | 7 km |
| La Mer beach | 15 to 20 min | 8 to 9 km |
| Kite Beach | 15 to 20 min | 12 km |
| Dubai International Airport (DXB), Terminal 1 | 20 to 25 min | 16 to 17 km |
| Dubai International Airport (DXB), Terminal 3 | 20 to 25 min | 15 km |
| Destination | Minutes | Kilometres |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai Creek Harbour | 20 to 25 min | 15 to 16 km |
| Mall of the Emirates | 20 to 25 min | 15 km |
| Dubai Hills Mall | 20 to 25 min | 18 to 20 km |
| Dubai Marina (Dubai Marina Mall) | 25 to 30 min | 22 km |
| Palm Jumeirah (Atlantis The Palm) | 30 to 35 min | 26 km |
| Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) | 55 to 60 min | 48 to 52 km |
| Abu Dhabi (Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque) | 85 to 95 min | 129 to 134 km |
By car, outside rush hour. Times vary with traffic.
Investment potential
Business Bay is the most traded apartment district near the centre of Dubai: its location next to Downtown and DIFC, its Metro station and its large stock of smaller units keep both buyers and tenants coming.
It is also one of the busiest markets in the city. About 6,300 sales were registered in the twelve months to October 2026, roughly half the number of the year before. Prices have held up while volumes fell: registered prices averaged about AED 2,100 to 2,550 per square foot in 2026, depending on the source and the period, up about 1% to 3.5% on a year earlier, with a median sale price of around AED 2 million.
Gross rental yields of about 6% to 7% are higher than in Downtown Dubai, because entry prices are lower. Studios and one-bedroom apartments tend to yield the most, and serviced and hotel apartments add holiday-let demand. Returns vary widely from tower to tower: canal-facing and Burj Khalifa-facing units sit at a clear premium, and service charges differ a great deal between buildings.
New supply is the main thing to watch. Many towers are still being built along the canal and Marasi Drive, by developers such as DAMAC, Omniyat, Binghatti and Select Group, with completions due through the rest of this decade. That supply can hold back rents and resale prices in older or less distinctive buildings.
Indicative prices
- Studio
- AED 950,000 to 1.2M
- Annual rent about AED 70,000 to 75,000
- 1 bedroom
- AED 1.0M to 1.7M
- Annual rent about AED 105,000
- 2 bedrooms
- AED 1.5M to 2.7M
- Annual rent about AED 135,000 to 150,000
- 3 bedrooms
- AED 3.95M to 5.7M
- Annual rent about AED 185,000 to 190,000
Key figures
- Average price per sq ft
- About AED 2,100 to 2,550
- Price change, last 12 months
- Up about 1% to 3.5%
- Gross rental yield
- About 6% to 7%
- Median sale price
- About AED 2M
- Sales in the last 12 months
- About 6,300, roughly half the year before
Figures as of October 2026.
Sources: Dubai Land Department data via Property Finder, Property Monitor and dataHabibi; Bayut H1 2026 market reports; Metropolitan Premium Properties H1 2026 resale report; listing data from Provident and Betterhomes.
Figures are indicative and for information only. They are not financial advice.
Lifestyle
Daily life centres on the canal. The promenade along the Dubai Water Canal is used for walking, running and cycling, and Marasi Drive and Bay Square hold many of the cafes and restaurants, with more in the hotels, such as the JW Marriott Marquis. Bay Avenue, the shopping podium under Executive Towers, covers everyday errands with a Spinneys supermarket, clinics and cafes, and Bay Avenue Park beside it has a lawn, a jogging track and play areas. Most towers have a supermarket, pharmacy or cafe at street level. The Dubai Mall, Dubai Opera and the fountain lake in Downtown are a few minutes away, and the nearest public beaches, La Mer and Kite Beach, are 15 to 20 minutes by car. There are no schools inside Business Bay; families drive 10 to 15 minutes to schools in Al Safa, Al Wasl and Al Quoz, while several nurseries operate inside the district.
Places nearby
Schools and nurseries
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS), Al SafaBritish curriculum, outside the district
- GEMS Jumeirah Primary School, Al SafaBritish curriculum, primary
- Safa British School, Al SafaBritish curriculum
- Jumeira Baccalaureate School, Al Wasl RoadIB curriculum
- Dubai International Private School, Al QuozAmerican curriculum
- Maple Bear Nursery and Numu Nursery, Business BayInside the district
Healthcare
- Emirates Hospitals Clinic, Bay AvenueClinic
- Aster Clinic, Executive TowersMulti-speciality clinic
- Medcare Hospital, Al SafaFull hospital, about 15 minutes by car
Shopping and groceries
- Bay AvenueShops, cafes and a Spinneys supermarket under Executive Towers
- The Dubai MallIn Downtown Dubai, 5 to 10 minutes by car
- Choithrams, West Zone and Al MayaSupermarkets in and around the district
Dining
- Bay SquareRestaurants and cafes around a pedestrian square
- JW Marriott Marquis Hotel DubaiSeveral restaurants, including Prime68 and Kitchen6
Parks and beaches
- Dubai Water Canal promenadeWalking and cycling paths along both banks
- Bay Avenue ParkLawn, jogging track, outdoor gyms and play areas
- La Mer and Kite BeachPublic beaches, 15 to 20 minutes by car
Culture and leisure
- La Perle by Dragone, Al Habtoor CityResident water theatre show
- Dubai OperaConcerts, opera, ballet and theatre in Downtown Dubai
Why buyers choose it
- A central address next to Downtown Dubai, with the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall about 5 to 10 minutes away
- Business Bay Metro station on the Red Line, and DIFC in about 10 to 15 minutes outside rush hour
- Waterfront living along the Dubai Water Canal, with a promenade for walking and cycling
- Gross yields of about 6% to 7%, higher than in Downtown Dubai
- A lower price per square foot than Downtown, from studios at around AED 950,000
- One of the most traded districts in the city, with about 6,300 sales a year
- About 20 to 25 minutes to Dubai International Airport outside rush hour
- Freehold for all nationalities
Worth knowing
- Heavy traffic at the district's exits at morning and evening rush hours
- Building work is still under way on many plots, with noise and closed lanes nearby
- A large pipeline of new towers may hold back rents and resale prices in older buildings
- Quality, finishes and service charges vary widely from one tower to the next
- Street parking is paid and limited
- No schools inside the district; families drive 10 to 15 minutes
- Largely an office district, so some streets are quiet in the evening and busy by day
Who it suits
- Investors who want an easy-to-let apartment near the centre, with a yield above Downtown
- Professionals working in DIFC, Downtown, the Trade Centre or Business Bay itself who want a short commute
- Buyers who want a canal or Burj Khalifa view at a lower price per square foot than Downtown
- Buyers of serviced and hotel apartments who want holiday-let demand
- Couples and single buyers who want to live in the centre and use the Metro
- Small families comfortable with apartment living, if a school run to Al Safa or Al Wasl suits them
Business Bay in pictures
Thinking about Business Bay?
Tell us what you are looking for and we will send you what is available now, with the figures behind it.
Contact us