A district of design studios, showrooms and offices, now getting its first homes. Downtown is 2.6 km away in a straight line, and two schools are about 1 km away.
Meraasbuilds four of the five projects we list, Select Group the fifth
3.5 kmto Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall metro station, in a straight line
2027 to 2030handover years in the projects we list
7.0%gross yield on a one-bed flat in the wider Business Bay area (DLD)
Dubai Design District, or d3, was built for work, beside the Dubai Creek extension. The first homes are off-plan towers, four of the five we list by Meraas, with one to five bedrooms and some duplexes. It suits a buyer who wants to be close to Downtown and two good schools, but you will need a car for most other things.
Design Quarter at D3, image 2The Edit at d3, image 1
Walk
The district is small enough to cross on foot. For parks, the nearest is about 1 km away in a straight line, in the neighbouring community.
The d3 streets
On the doorstep
Low office buildings, studios and showrooms between the towers. Busy on weekdays and during design events.
The Dubai Creek extension
Beside the district
d3 sits beside the creek extension. For a walk along the water, the Business Bay creek front is 2.8 km away in a straight line.
Bayside Park 7
1 km
The nearest park, about 1 km in a straight line from the area centre.
Central Park, Estates Park, Eden Park
1.5 km
Three larger parks in the neighbouring community, about 1.5 km in a straight line.
Atelis, image 2
Eat
For a big shop and a choice of restaurants, Downtown is the nearest place, 2.5 km away in a straight line. A new mall is being built under 1 km away.
Sobha Mall
0.9 km, being built
Under construction, 0.9 km in a straight line. It is not open yet, so do not count on it when you move in.
The Dubai Mall
2.5 km
The nearest big mall, with a large supermarket, food courts and restaurants.
Souk Al Bahar
2.6 km
Restaurants across the lake from Dubai Mall, in Downtown.
Design Quarter at D3, image 6
A Saturday in Dubai Design District
Dubai's weekend is Saturday and Sunday, so most d3 offices are shut and the district is calm. Most plans start with a short drive.
7:30A walk through the d3 streets while they are empty.
9:30The children at Bayside Park 7, about 1 km away.
12:00Lunch and the weekly shop at Dubai Mall, 2.5 km away.
16:00The beach at La Mer, 6.3 km away in a straight line.
19:30Dinner at Souk Al Bahar in Downtown, 2.6 km away.
What homes cost
Off-plan apartments sold most often here, at a median of AED 2,558,000 in the last 12 months.
The median is the middle price: half the homes sold for more, half for less. A sea view or a high floor can cost a lot more than the median.
Source: Dubai Land Department, sales in the 12 months to Sep 30, 2026.
Ready apartments
Studio737 salesAED 990,000
1 bedroom1,068 salesAED 1,450,000
2 bedrooms631 salesAED 2,260,000
3 bedrooms176 salesAED 3,500,000
4 bedrooms37 salesAED 5,750,000
5 or more bedrooms7 salesNot enough sales for a median. A median needs at least 30 sales in 12 months.
Off-plan apartments
Studio868 salesAED 1,204,000
1 bedroom1,749 salesAED 2,291,000
2 bedrooms953 salesAED 3,570,000
3 bedrooms219 salesAED 5,829,000
4 bedrooms33 salesAED 12,289,000
5 or more bedrooms11 salesNot enough sales for a median. A median needs at least 30 sales in 12 months.
Ready apartments: median price in the 12 months to each dateReady apartments: the median price went from AED 1,375,000 in the 12 months to Dec 31, 2024 to AED 1,645,000 in the 12 months to Sep 30, 2026.
Dec 31, 2024AED 1,375,000
Sep 30, 2026AED 1,645,000
Show as tableShow as chart
12 months to
Median price
Sales
Sep 30, 2026
AED 1,645,000
3,549 sales
Jun 30, 2026
AED 1,600,000
3,872 sales
Mar 31, 2026
AED 1,600,000
4,603 sales
Dec 31, 2025
AED 1,550,000
4,867 sales
Sep 30, 2025
AED 1,500,000
4,884 sales
Jun 30, 2025
AED 1,500,000
4,931 sales
Mar 31, 2025
AED 1,425,000
4,848 sales
Dec 31, 2024
AED 1,375,000
5,028 sales
Sales in 12 months
8,315
Off-plan: 4,622 sales, against 3,693 ready homes
56%
Ready apartments: median price
AED 1,645,000
Ready apartments: median price per sq ft
AED 1,912 per sq ft
Ready apartments: median price compared with a year earlier
Up 10%
Sales and rents from Dubai Land Department open data. DLD area: Business Bay.
Rents and yields
The median yearly rent of new Ejari contracts, and the gross yield: a year's rent before costs, as a share of the median price of ready homes. We show a yield only where both have at least 30 contracts and sales.
Ready apartments
Bedrooms
Median rent a year
Contracts
Gross yield
Studio
AED 73,000
2,745
7.4%
1 bedroom
AED 98,000
4,357
7%
2 bedrooms
AED 140,000
2,486
6.2%
3 bedrooms
AED 200,000
635
5.6%
4 bedrooms
AED 327,500
60
2.1%
Rents from Ejari, Dubai's register of rent contracts, Apr 1, 2025 to Mar 31, 2026. Prices from Dubai Land Department.
What's near Dubai Design District
Within 3 km of the middle of the area.
2schools
3malls
9parks
3hospitals
Schools by curriculum
British1
IB1
Curriculum not listed1
Nearest
Metro or tramBurj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro Station3.5 km
SchoolHartland International School1.1 km
SchoolNorth London Collegiate School1.2 km
SchoolSwiss International Scientific School in Dubai3.8 km
MallSobha Mall (Under Construction)0.9 km
HospitalBIOS CLINIC1.1 km
ParkMercedes-Benz Off-Road Experience Center0.7 km
It can be. Hartland International School (UK and IB) is 1.1 km away and North London Collegiate School 1.2 km, in a straight line. The nearest park is about 1 km away. Shops are thin inside d3 itself, and the new mall nearby is still being built.
Is there a metro in Dubai Design District?
No. The nearest stations are Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall (3.5 km) and Financial Centre (3.6 km) on the Red Line, in a straight line. There is no tram nearby. DXB airport is 9.7 km away.
What will a 1-bed off-plan flat cost in Dubai Design District?
Every project we list starts at one bedroom, from about AED 1.9 million to AED 2.3 million. Design Quarter at D3 and Design Quarter at d3 are two separate Meraas listings with almost the same name, so check which one a price is for. DLD records d3 sales under Business Bay, where the median off-plan one-bed sold for about AED 2.3 million in the year to September 2026. Prices were checked in November 2026 and change as units sell.
When will the homes in d3 be finished?
The two Design Quarter projects are due in May and June 2027, Artistry One Residences in March 2029, Atelis in July 2029 and The Edit at d3 in June 2030. Until then the district stays mostly offices, and building work goes on around it in the wider Business Bay area.
What rental yield can I expect in d3?
DLD figures for the wider Business Bay area give gross yields of about 7.0% on one-bed flats, 6.2% on two-beds and 5.6% on three-beds, from Ejari rents in the year to March 2026. Larger homes yield less. d3 is a small part of that area, so treat these as a guide only.
What off-plan and ready apartments sold for per square foot in 18 Dubai districts, what the rent is worth against each price, and how to decide which fits you.
9 min read
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