Al Barsha
Family villas and city apartments by Mall of the Emirates
Community guide
Al Barsha is an established residential district around Mall of the Emirates, between Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road. It suits families renting spacious villas, typically AED 242,500 to 322,500 a year for four or five bedrooms, and buyers looking at its limited freehold apartment buildings.
Key takeaways
- Villas make Al Barsha a renter's market: Ejari logged 521 leases and DLD only 105 sales over the twelve months to September 2026 in the 22 projects we follow.
- Five bedroom villas lead the leasing market, with 225 contracts at around AED 322,500 a year.
- Al Barsha 2 Villas and Al Barsha 3 Villas together logged more than 500 rental contracts but only 18 sales.
- Off plan MAS Barsha Residency accounted for 59 of the 105 recorded sales, at about AED 1,800 per sq ft.
- Mall of the Emirates, opened in 2005, anchors the district along with its metro station on the Red Line.
Al Barsha is a reliable choice for families who want a large villa in a central, well served part of Dubai, and for professionals who want to live next to Mall of the Emirates and the metro. Developed from the early 2000s, it spans Al Barsha 1, 2 and 3, with apartment blocks around the mall and quiet streets of independent villas further inland. Most homes here are rented rather than sold: in the 12 months to September 2026 a typical five bedroom villa let for around AED 322,500 a year. Freehold stock is limited to a handful of buildings, such as Al Murad Tower, plus new projects like MAS Barsha Residency. Schools, parks and a large hospital are all within the district.
Key facts
- Location
- Between Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road, around Mall of the Emirates
- Sub areas
- Al Barsha 1, Al Barsha 2 and Al Barsha 3
- Property types
- Villas, townhouses and apartments
- Typical 4 bedroom villa rent
- AED 242,500 a year (Ejari, 12 months)
- Typical 5 bedroom villa rent
- AED 322,500 a year (Ejari, 12 months)
- Typical 2 bedroom sale price
- AED 2.83M, mostly off plan (DLD, 12 months)
- Tenure
- Mostly non freehold; foreign buyers limited to freehold buildings
- Best for
- Families renting villas and tenants who want the metro and a major mall nearby
Building guides in Al Barsha
Facts, live asking and sold prices, yields and amenities for each tower.
Market data
Al Barsha prices and rents by bedroom
Dubai Land Department registered sales and Ejari registered rents from 26 Sept 2025 to 25 Sept 2026, across the 22 buildings and communities we track in Al Barsha.
- Sales registered
- 105
- 59 off plan
- Rents registered
- 521
- Typical price per sq ft
- AED 1,800
- Homes listed now
- 388
| Size | Sales | Typical price | AED per sq ft | Typical rent | Gross yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | 6 | AED 763K | 1,322 | · | · |
| 1 bed | 41 | AED 1.9M | 1,800 | · | · |
| 2 bed | 33 | AED 2.8M | 1,800 | AED 93K a year | · |
| 3 bed | 7 | AED 4.5M | 1,800 | AED 210K a year | · |
| 4 bed | 0 | · | · | AED 243K a year | · |
| 5 bed | 0 | · | · | AED 323K a year | · |
| 6 bed | 0 | · | · | AED 406K a year | · |
| 7 bed | 0 | · | · | AED 675K a year | · |
| 8 bed | 0 | · | · | AED 310K a year | · |
| 10 bed | 0 | · | · | AED 520K a year | · |
What sold here
105 homes changed hands in Al Barsha over the last 12 months, 56% of them bought off plan.
Most traded: MAS Barsha Residency (59, AED 2.8M); Al Murad Tower (28, AED 1M); Al Barsha 2 Villas (10)
Top buildings in Al Barsha
| Building | Developer | Completion | Sales, 12 months | Typical price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al Barsha 2 Villas | · | 10 | · | |
| Al Barsha 3 Villas | · | 8 | · | |
| MAS Barsha Residency | Mas Real Estate Development | off plan | 59 | AED 2.8M |
| Al Murad Tower | Emaar Properties | 2016 | 28 | AED 1M |
| Zee Zee Tower | · | 0 | · | |
| Manazel Al Barsha | · | 0 | · | |
| Golden Sands Tower | · | 0 | · | |
| Palacio Residence | · | 0 | · |
Typical figures are medians weighted by the number of deals. Yields are gross: typical rent divided by typical price.
An early 2000s district built around Mall of the Emirates
Al Barsha grew from almost empty land into one of Dubai's busiest residential districts after building began in the early 2000s. Mall of the Emirates, opened by Majid Al Futtaim in 2005 with Ski Dubai inside, gave the area its centre, and the Red Line of the Dubai Metro runs along its western edge on Sheikh Zayed Road.
The district divides into three parts. Al Barsha 1, next to the mall, is a grid of mid rise apartment buildings, hotels and schools. Al Barsha 2 and Al Barsha 3 are mainly low density villa streets, with large independent homes on generous plots. Most of this land is not designated freehold, which is why so much of the market here is rental, while foreign buyers focus on the few freehold towers in Al Barsha 1 and on new launches such as MAS Barsha Residency.
Schools, parks, healthcare and the metro in Al Barsha
Few districts pack so many established schools into such a small area, which explains the steady demand for villas from families. Shopping and transport are equally close.
- •GEMS Dubai American Academy, a KHDA licensed American curriculum school with the IB Diploma, is in Al Barsha 1.
- •Dubai International Academy Al Barsha, an IB school opened in 2018, is about 600 m from Al Murad Tower.
- •The American School of Dubai is in Al Barsha 1, close to the Barsha Heights side.
- •Saudi German Hospital Dubai is on Hessa Street in Al Barsha 3.
- •Mall of the Emirates Metro Station on the Red Line is under a kilometre from the apartment blocks south of the mall.
- •Al Barsha Pond Park offers a running track around an artificial pond, and Al Barsha 1 Park sits on the western edge.
Al Barsha rents and sale prices
All figures are DLD registered sales and Ejari rents in the 12 months to September 2026 across the 22 buildings and villa communities we track in Al Barsha. The rental market is led by villas: four bedroom homes let for a typical AED 242,500 a year, five bedroom villas for AED 322,500 and six bedroom villas for about AED 406,000. Three bedroom homes rented for around AED 210,000 on 52 contracts.
Sales were limited to 105 deals, and 59 of them were in off plan MAS Barsha Residency, where two bedroom apartments of about 1,570 sq ft sold for roughly AED 2.83M at AED 1,800 per sq ft. Among ready buildings, Al Murad Tower recorded 28 sales at a typical AED 1M. The villa communities of Al Barsha 2 and 3 changed hands only 18 times, and studio and three bedroom sales were too few to give a reliable typical price.
Why families settle in Al Barsha
- •Spacious independent villas within minutes of Sheikh Zayed Road.
- •GEMS Dubai American Academy, DIA Al Barsha and the American School of Dubai all within the district.
- •Mall of the Emirates, Ski Dubai and the Red Line metro on the doorstep.
- •A large private hospital and plenty of clinics close to home.
- •Easy drives to Dubai Marina, Palm Jumeirah and Downtown Dubai.
An Al Barsha checklist
- •Most of Al Barsha is not freehold, so foreign buyers should confirm a building's title status before making an offer.
- •Many villas are older independent homes, so inspect maintenance, air conditioning and landscaping carefully.
- •Roads around Mall of the Emirates are busy at weekends; the metro is often the faster option.
- •Freehold resale stock is small, so good apartments can sell quickly.
Good to know
Al Barsha questions, answered
Is Al Barsha a good area for families?+
Yes. Al Barsha is one of Dubai's most established family districts, with spacious villas in Al Barsha 2 and 3, several international schools such as GEMS Dubai American Academy and Dubai International Academy Al Barsha, Saudi German Hospital in Al Barsha 3, parks, and Mall of the Emirates with its metro station.
How much does it cost to rent a villa in Al Barsha?+
In the 12 months to September 2026, Ejari contracts show a typical annual rent of about AED 242,500 for a four bedroom villa, AED 322,500 for a five bedroom villa and around AED 406,000 for six bedrooms. Five bedroom homes were the most rented type, with 225 contracts.
Can foreigners buy property in Al Barsha?+
Only in certain buildings. Al Barsha 1, 2 and 3 are not among the freehold areas listed in Dubai's Regulation No. 3 of 2006, and Dubai Land Department records show almost every home here on non freehold title. A few buildings stand on freehold plots: Al Murad Tower in Al Barsha 1 and new projects such as MAS Barsha Residency are sold to all nationalities, according to their developers. Confirm the title type of a specific unit with the Dubai Land Department before you commit.
How much is an apartment in Al Barsha?+
Ready apartments in Al Murad Tower sold for a typical AED 1M in the 12 months to September 2026. In off plan MAS Barsha Residency, two bedroom apartments of about 1,570 sq ft sold for roughly AED 2.83M, or AED 1,800 per sq ft, based on DLD registered deals.
Which metro stations serve Al Barsha?+
Mall of the Emirates Metro Station on the Red Line is the main stop for Al Barsha 1 and sits beside the mall on Sheikh Zayed Road. The next station south, InsuranceMarket, formerly Sharaf DG, also serves the western part of the district.
How far is Al Barsha from Dubai Marina and Downtown?+
Al Barsha sits roughly midway between the two. Dubai Marina is a few metro stops south on the Red Line, while Downtown Dubai is a short drive north east along Sheikh Zayed Road or Al Khail Road. Palm Jumeirah is about 10 minutes by car from Al Barsha 1.
Buyer guides
Sources
- Dubai Land Department open data (sales and rents, 12 months to Sep 2026)
- Dubai Land Department open data: freehold status of registered Ejari contracts (checked Oct 2026)
- Dubai Legislation Portal: Regulation No. 3 of 2006 on freehold areas
- KHDA: GEMS Dubai American Academy
- Saudi German Hospital: contact and location
- Gulf News: Dubai Metro station renaming guide
- Wikipedia: Al Barsha (pointer)
- Wikipedia: Dubai International Academy (pointer)