Al Jaddaf is a creekside district of Dubai, on the western bank of Dubai Creek between Oud Metha and the Business Bay extension, with its own two Green Line metro stations. This al jaddaf guide is for renters, buyers and off-plan shoppers who want a central address on the water at a lower price than Downtown: professionals, couples, people who work at Dubai Healthcare City and buyers of small apartments. It covers layout, buildings, costs, transport, schools and daily life, and the downsides of a district that is still being built.

Where Al Jaddaf is and how it is laid out

Wikipedia places Al Jaddaf in western Dubai, within Bur Dubai, bordered by Dubai Creek to the north and east, Zabeel to the south and Umm Hurair to the west. It gives the area as 7.3 square kilometres. Property Finder describes it as a mix of maritime heritage and modern development, with zones including Dubai Culture Village, Dubai Healthcare City Phase 2 and newer high-rise communities.

The name means "the rower". The district has long been a dhow-building area, and the Dubai Ship Docking Yard is still here, where traditional boats are built and maintained. That is why new towers stand beside older industrial plots. It is not a finished neighbourhood, and prices reflect that.

• Jaddaf Waterfront and Dubai Culture Village. A zoned arts and culture development of about 3 million square metres on the creek, with projects including the D1 tower and Palazzo Versace Dubai, per Wikipedia. See our Culture Village page.
• Dubai Healthcare City Phase 2. The second phase of the healthcare free zone sits within Al Jaddaf.
• New residential towers. Mostly apartments from several developers, among them Binghatti and Azizi.

Across the water is Dubai Festival City. Neighbouring areas include Oud Metha and Bur Dubai, and further along the creek is Dubai Creek Harbour.

Property types and buildings

Property Finder lists apartments from studios to three bedrooms plus penthouses, and says the area is open to overseas buyers as freehold. Confirm the title deed type for the exact plot before you buy. Almost all homes are apartments in towers and mid-rise buildings.

Wikipedia also lists hotels in the district, among them Marriott Al Jadaf, Reflection Hotel Apartments and Arabian Park Hotel. Hotel-managed buildings can carry different fees from standard apartments.

Rents and prices

Our search pages cover the numbers building by building, so we do not repeat the tables here. See apartments for rent in Al Jaddaf and 1 bedroom apartments for rent, and apartments for sale in Al Jaddaf, 1 bedroom apartments for sale and 2 bedroom apartments for sale. Our guide to renting an apartment in Al Jaddaf and the earlier Al Jaddaf area guide go deeper.

The Property Finder range includes a few very large units, so use the median only as a rough marker. Bayut's off-plan figure covers new projects and is not comparable with resale flats. Compare homes inside one building and ask for the last registered price or lease. The Dubai Land Department publishes official data at dubailand.gov.ae.

Service charges

Service charges differ by tower and are set by each developer or owners' association. Check the Dubai Land Department service charge index on dubailand.gov.ae and read our guides to the service charge index and how to check service charges before you buy. For a small apartment the charge can matter as much as the purchase price, so ask for the latest statement.

Getting around

The metro is the main advantage here, so check the walk from the exact tower to a station. The towers sit along the creek from Oud Metha towards the Business Bay extension, so some are close to a station and some are not. Check the current network and fares on rta.ae. Routes out by road can be slow at peak times, so drive them at your commuting hours before you commit.

Schools, nurseries and healthcare

Few schools sit inside Al Jaddaf, so families usually look in neighbouring areas such as Oud Metha and Dubai Festival City. Use the KHDA directory for ratings and fees, and check the school run before you choose a flat. Healthcare is a strength: Dubai Healthcare City Phase 2 is in the district, and Wikipedia notes Latifa Hospital, formerly Al Wasl Hospital, in the area. Use dha.gov.ae to find facilities and check what each one offers.

Lifestyle and daily life

Day-to-day shopping comes from supermarkets in the towers rather than a large mall, and Dubai Festival City is across the creek. The Mohammed Bin Rashid Library is a landmark on the creek. The creek views, and the working dhow yards beside new glass towers, give Al Jaddaf a different feel from the finished master communities. There are fewer parks and fewer family services than in a master community, and building sites will be part of daily life for some years.

What to check before you rent or buy

Al Jaddaf rewards homework more than a finished community does. Use this list on every viewing:

• What is next door. Ask the building manager or the agent what is approved or being built on neighbouring plots. A creek view across an empty plot can be temporary.
• Which way the unit faces. A creek-facing flat and a flat looking back over the older industrial plots can be priced close together and feel very different.
• Handover status. Ask whether the building is complete, handed over and fully occupied, or still being finished. Inspect a new flat for defects before you accept it.
• Management and fees. Ask for the latest service charge statement and what it covers, including pool, gym and parking.
• Nearby supply. Several towers can complete in the same years. More homes on the market at once can affect both rents and resale prices, so ask what else is coming within a few streets.
• The walk to the station. Walk it at the hour you will commute.

If you rent, register the contract through Ejari: see our Ejari guide, and read the tenant guide before you sign. If you buy, a first-time buyer should read our guide to common first-time buyer mistakes.

A short history of the district

Al Jaddaf grew around the creek trade. Wikipedia records that the Dubai Ship Docking Yard is here and that its shipyards still build and maintain traditional boats. The area also contains the second phase of Dubai Healthcare City and the Jaddaf Waterfront, which Wikipedia describes as a zoned community for visual, performing and literary arts, with cultural and exhibition centres, a harbour and commercial, residential and retail districts. The result today is a district in transition. Heritage, healthcare, culture and new housing sit on one stretch of the creek, and the balance between them will keep changing as more plots are built.

For anyone moving to the area for work, the practical question is the daily route. Dubai Healthcare City, Bur Dubai and the Green Line corridor are the main commuting directions, so the walk to Al Jadaf or Creek station and the time on the train matter more than the distance on a map. If you drive, remember that the roads out of the district are shared with traffic from Oud Metha, Zabeel and Business Bay, so a trip that looks short on a map can take longer at peak times. Try both modes once before you sign a twelve month lease, and keep the agent's answers about parking and building access in writing.

Pros and cons

Who Al Jaddaf suits

• Professionals. People who work at Healthcare City, in Bur Dubai or near a Green Line station.
• Couples. A one or two bedroom apartment on the creek is the typical choice.
• Buyers of small apartments. Check the service charge and the supply under construction before you offer.
• Families. Less suited than master communities. Compare Dubai Festival City.

Off-plan in Al Jaddaf

Al Jaddaf has many new launches, including Binghatti, Azizi and other developers. See our off-plan projects in Al Jaddaf page. Before you buy, read how to check a developer and your rights in off-plan handover delays. For transfer and registration costs, see our Dubai Land Department fees guide, and our freehold guide.

On any resale or off-plan unit, ask which way it faces, what is planned on the neighbouring plot, when the building is due, and who manages it. These four questions decide more of the experience here than the area name does.

Frequently asked questions