A number of expats relocate to Dubai with their families. Usually, the first to come to the UAE is a family member applying for residency status (through work, the purchase of property or the running of a business). After securing employment, becoming a resident of the UAE and resolving a number of other bureaucratic issues, they bring the rest of the family to the country.
Most importantly, the head of the family has to decide whether to buy or rent a property. Naturally, it is far easier to find a place to live for one person than for several people. In the latter case you have to take more factors into account and find a district that is suitable for families. Read on to find out about the best districts in Dubai for families and why you should choose them.
What You Need to Consider When Choosing a District
If you are looking for a family-friendly place, you should keep the following in mind:
- The district should be close to your workplace.
- There should be a school or a kindergarten in or near the area where you plan to live.
- Your district must have a supermarket, parks, shopping centres, small shops, and other amenities that your family will visit frequently,
- You should get to know the local expat community, as good neighbourly relations are important in Dubai and can offer a number of opportunities in your social life.
- Prioritise: decide whether you have to live in the city centre or can settle down in a new developing suburb.
- Finally, you need to select the best housing option for your family: a standalone house or a flat with several bedrooms.
You will find a dozen districts in Dubai which are perfect for families with children. As a rule, the best ones feature educational facilities for children, a well-developed infrastructure and a high level of security. Even so, each area is unique and differs significantly from other areas.
For example, the city has districts consisting primarily of gated villa communities. Such areas offer a number of advantages: in addition to space and privacy, there are regular family events and fun days for children. You can also find districts with blocks of flats or areas of mixed housing, where you can choose from a villa or a flat in a high-rise building.
Please note that it tends to be hard to find a property in Dubai if you have pets. However, some districts are favourably disposed to them. For example, Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JTL), Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC), Jumeirah Village Triangle (JVT), Dubai Sports City, Dubai Hills Estate, Emirate Hills, and Downtown Dubai.
The Best Family Communities
We provide here a list of the best districts in Dubai for families with children.
Arabian Ranches
Arabian Ranches is a luxury area in Dubai which has gated and secured villa communities. This area will appeal to anyone who prefers to live closer to nature and away from the city's hustle and bustle. Sports enthusiasts will be content with the number of footpaths and cycle lanes, basketball courts and a skate park. You will also find here the Arabian Ranches Golf Club, as well as equestrian and polo clubs. In addition, there are several schools (for example, Jumeirah English Speaking School and Ranches Primary School), kindergartens, shopping centres, restaurants and cafes. Fairs, barbecue parties and other activities for children are common in Arabian Ranches.
Currently, several projects are under construction in this area. One of them is Caya, a high-end villa community in Arabian Ranches III. The private territory has a park, a gym, a swimming pool, playgrounds and sports grounds as well as a barbecue area. The floor area of fully finished houses ranges from 328 to 509 square metres, while prices start at USD 1.1 million. The complex is scheduled for commissioning in Q4 2024.
Mirdif
Mirdif is a residential area close to the centre of Dubai, the shopping centres Dubai Festival City and Deira, as well as Dubai International Academic City. About 30,000 foreign students study at the 30 colleges and universities of Academic City. You will find in the district Mirdif private school, Small Steps Nursery, Star International School, several shops and restaurants. It is also home to one of Dubai's oldest parks, Mushrif National Park, a small theatre, and the Aventura Parks zipline park. Mirdif's amenities include basketball, volleyball, and tennis courts, as well as footpaths.
Most buildings in Mirdif are low-rise: villas, townhouses, and blocks of flats. One of the most interesting projects in Mirdif is Mushrif Village, a complex of two-storey luxury villas and townhouses. Its architecture is reminiscent of Spanish villas on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea: the houses blend in well with the landscape. Warm-coloured facades are made of natural materials. There is a lot of light inside the houses thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows. The interior is finished with marble in the hall and on the stairs and porcelain tiles in bedrooms and the living room. The floor area of the houses ranges from 260 to 440 square metres. Mushrif Village features 122 houses with balconies, terraces, several bedrooms, utility rooms, small gardens, and garages for two vehicles. All the mansions are fully finished with built-in wardrobes and showers. Prices start at USD 754,500. The gated complex includes a gym, playground, sports facilities, a special area for barbecues and a swimming pool. Mushrif Village has already been commissioned.
Emirates Hills
Emirates Hills is another area with luxury villas in Dubai. As all the residential complexes are gated and guarded, the area is considered safe for families. The concept and name of the district is associated with the lifestyle of America’s Beverly Hills.
Emirates Hills has some of the top international schools in the UAE, such as Dubai International Academy and Emirates International School. Dubai British School, The Royal Grammar School, and GEMS Vertus School have also opened in Emirates Hills. Other useful amenities include several nurseries (Blossom Marina, The Wonder Year, and Dovecote), hospitals, medical centres, and grocery shops. Local residents also have access to a wide range of entertainment facilities, such as the shopping centres Ibn Battuta Mall, Circle Mall JVC, The Springs Souk, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Mall, a golf course, and Montgomerie Golf Club Dubai. By the way, Emirates Hills is a pet-friendly area.
A six-bedroom villa here costs USD 13 million. To give you an idea of the projects being implemented in this area, let’s look at Emirates Hills Villas, a completed luxury villa complex. The architectural style of 5-bedroom villas was designed by NAGA, the firm behind the Al Wasl Tower project in Dubai. The interiors were created by One of a Kind studio, which designed The Ace Hotel in New York and the SLS Hotels in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Emirates Hills Villas boast a spa, a swimming pool, sports grounds, a gym, a cinema, a game room, and a park.
Downtown Dubai
It might seem that living in the very heart of Dubai is a bad idea for families. To some extent, that is true, as Downtown Dubai is definitely not the place to pick if you are looking for peace and privacy. However, tastes differ. The city centre may appeal to anyone who prefers the hustle and bustle, instead of the quiet and tranquil life offered by gated villa communities. Downtown Dubai is home to a number of the city's main attractions, such as Dubai Mall, the world's largest shopping centre, and Burj Khalifa, the tallest skyscraper in the world. The area is considered safe for expat families with children. It has many entertainment options and everyday amenities. However, bear in mind that as this is a popular tourist destination, it tends to be noisy. Rush-hour traffic jams and crowds on the streets are common in Downtown Dubai.
It consists primarily of high-rise residential buildings. However, you will also find several blocks with villas. Two-bedroom and three-bedroom flats are the most popular housing options in this area. There are barely any studios. Elegance Tower is one of the new projects in Downtown Dubai, offering flats ranging in size from 69 to 107 square metres for USD 492,000 to USD 613,000. The complex is scheduled for completion in 2026. The secure and private complex has a swimming pool, a playground, a gym, and a garden with running tracks and footpaths. The area around the complex is well-developed. Nearby facilities include Burj Park and Avenue Park, Canadian University Dubai, Citizens school, Al Wasl School for Basic Education, JSS Private School, and some kindergartens and nurseries like Kids Castle, Blossom Downtown, Jumeirah. There are also several medical and fitness centres, restaurants and cafes.
