International City
Affordable studios and townhouses beside Dragon Mart
Community guide
International City is a freehold Nakheel community in Al Warsan, east of Dubai, known for some of the city's lowest entry prices. It suits budget conscious tenants and yield focused investors, with studios selling for about AED 350,000 and returning gross yields near 8.7%.
Key takeaways
- Across 40 clusters and buildings, DLD logged 2,356 sales and Ejari 4,313 leases over the year to September 2026.
- The entry level studio cost about AED 350,000 and returned close to 8.7% gross, high by Dubai standards.
- About 42% of sales (981 deals) were off plan, led by Greenfield by Samana, Ayami Residence and Longford Residences.
- Warsan Village offers 942 three bedroom townhouses, which sold for a typical AED 2.05M.
- Two Dubai Metro Blue Line stations, International City 1 and International City 2 and 3, are planned to open in 2029.
International City is the place to look if you want to own or rent in Dubai at one of the lowest entry prices in the city while still earning a strong rental return. Nakheel founded it in 2004 in Al Warsan, south of Ras Al Khor Road, as a series of low rise clusters themed on different countries, from England and China to Spain and the Emirates, with Dragon Mart and Warsan Lake as local anchors. Newer buildings by Danube, Samana and others have since filled Phase 2. Over the 12 months to September 2026 a typical studio sold for about AED 350,000 and let for around AED 35,000 a year. It suits first time landlords, workers on a budget and buyers who value yield above luxury.
Key facts
- Location
- Al Warsan, south of Ras Al Khor Road, near Mirdif and Dubai Silicon Oasis
- Master developer
- Nakheel
- Property types
- Apartments and townhouses
- Typical studio sale price
- AED 350,000 (DLD, 12 months)
- Typical studio rent
- AED 35,000 a year, about 8.7% gross
- Typical 2 bedroom sale price
- AED 1.27M (DLD, 12 months)
- Tenure
- Freehold, open to foreign buyers
- Best for
- Yield investors, first time buyers and budget minded tenants
Building guides in International City
Facts, live asking and sold prices, yields and amenities for each tower.
Market data
International City prices and rents by bedroom
Dubai Land Department registered sales and Ejari registered rents from 26 Sept 2025 to 25 Sept 2026, across the 40 buildings and communities we track in International City.
- Sales registered
- 2,356
- 981 off plan
- Rents registered
- 4,313
- Typical price per sq ft
- AED 853
- Homes listed now
- 633
| Size | Sales | Typical price | AED per sq ft | Typical rent | Gross yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | 971 | AED 350K | 821 | AED 35K a year | 8.7% |
| 1 bed | 1,081 | AED 798K | 1,016 | AED 43K a year | 8.8% |
| 2 bed | 202 | AED 1.3M | 1,055 | AED 60K a year | 7.2% |
| 3 bed | 102 | AED 2.1M | 659 | AED 115K a year | 5.6% |
What sold here
2,356 homes changed hands in International City over the last 12 months, 42% of them bought off plan.
Most traded: Greenfield by Samana (288, AED 899K); Ayami Residence (202, AED 521K); England Cluster (173, AED 325K)
Top buildings in International City
| Building | Developer | Completion | Sales, 12 months | Typical price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emirates Cluster | Nakheel | · | 101 | AED 345K |
| Lawnz by Danube | Danube Properties | 2020 | 68 | AED 490K |
| Warsan Village | Nakheel | · | 52 | AED 2.1M |
| Greenfield by Samana | Samana Developers | off plan | 288 | AED 899K |
| Olivz Residence | Danube Properties | · | 29 | AED 750K |
| Petalz by Danube | Danube Properties | · | 31 | AED 815K |
| Prime Residency | · | 27 | AED 490K | |
| Ayami Residence | Ayat Development | off plan | 202 | AED 521K |
Typical figures are medians weighted by the number of deals. Yields are gross: typical rent divided by typical price.
Themed clusters, a lake and Dubai's biggest Chinese trading hub
Nakheel launched International City in 2004 on about 800 hectares of land east of the city centre. Phase 1 is arranged in clusters, each built in the architectural style of a country: the England Cluster has red brick style facades and pitched roofs, the China Cluster has red tiled roofs, and the Emirates Cluster uses traditional Arabian lines. A Central Business District of taller residential buildings sits in the middle, and Warsan Village, a gated enclave of 942 townhouses, closes off the southern corner.
Dragon Mart and Dragon Mart 2, large malls specialising in Chinese goods, sit on the northern edge and bring steady footfall. Phase 2, in Warsan Fourth, is newer and more mixed: mid rise blocks by developers such as BNH, Glorious Future and Danube offer pools, gyms and co working rooms that the original clusters lack, and much of today's off plan activity is concentrated there.
Living in International City: shops, schools and transport links
Everyday shopping is easy, with small supermarkets and restaurants on the ground floors of most clusters. Buses link the community to the wider network today, and the Dubai Metro Blue Line will add two stations here.
- •Dragon Mart and Dragon Mart 2 are about 1 to 2 km from most Phase 1 clusters.
- •Warsan Lake, on the southern side, is under 1.5 km from the Emirates Cluster, Lawnz and Warsan Village.
- •The International City bus station sits beside Dragon Mart.
- •GEMS Our Own English High School in Al Warqa is about 3 to 5 km away.
- •City Centre Mirdif and Dubai Safari Park are short drives to the north and east.
- •The RTA's Blue Line will serve International City 1 and International City 2 and 3, with opening set for 2029.
Buying and renting costs in International City
These are DLD registered deals in the 12 months to September 2026 across the 40 buildings and clusters we track in International City, averaging about AED 853 per sq ft. Studios of roughly 466 sq ft sold for a typical AED 350,000, while one bedroom homes averaged about AED 798,000, a figure pushed up by new off plan launches; older one bedroom flats in the Nakheel clusters trade well below that. Two bedroom apartments sold for about AED 1.27M and the three bedroom townhouses in Warsan Village for around AED 2.05M.
Rents stay modest: about AED 35,000 a year for a studio, AED 43,000 for a one bedroom, AED 60,000 for a two bedroom and AED 115,000 for a Warsan Village townhouse. Gross yields were about 8.7% on studios, 7.2% on two bedrooms and 5.6% on townhouses. The Emirates Cluster led on rentals with 1,464 contracts, Lawnz by Danube followed, and Greenfield by Samana led sales with 288 off plan deals.
Where International City shines
- •Entry tickets near AED 350,000 for a studio with full freehold title.
- •Rental returns that typically land between 7% and 9% gross for smaller flats.
- •A tenant pool large enough to fill 4,313 leases in a single year.
- •Dragon Mart, Warsan Lake and plenty of local shops on the doorstep.
- •Future Blue Line metro stations, scheduled for 2029.
Practical notes for International City buyers
- •Older cluster buildings are low rise without pools or gyms, so pick Phase 2 or Lawnz if you want facilities.
- •Parking can be tight in the busiest clusters in the evening, so check allocated spaces before you rent or buy.
- •Until the Blue Line opens, commuting is by bus, taxi or car via Ras Al Khor Road or Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road.
- •Off plan made up 42% of recent deals here, so check the developer's track record, ideally by walking around one of their finished buildings, before you reserve.
Good to know
International City questions, answered
Is International City a good place to live?+
It is a practical, affordable choice. International City offers some of Dubai's lowest rents for freehold apartments, with studios at about AED 35,000 a year, plus Dragon Mart, Warsan Lake and plenty of local shops. It suits singles, couples and budget minded families, while Warsan Village adds gated townhouses for those who want more space.
How much does a studio cost in International City?+
A typical studio sold for about AED 350,000 in DLD registered deals over the 12 months to September 2026, with an average size of around 466 sq ft. Deals in the older Nakheel clusters, such as the England Cluster, averaged about AED 325,000, while newer Phase 2 buildings cost more.
What is the rental yield in International City?+
Gross yields are high by Dubai standards. Studios returned about 8.7% and two bedroom flats about 7.2% in the 12 months to September 2026, based on DLD sales and Ejari rents in the buildings we track. Townhouses in Warsan Village returned around 5.6%.
Can foreigners buy in International City?+
Yes. International City, including Phase 1 in Al Warsan First, Phase 2 in Warsan Fourth and Warsan Village, is a freehold area, so buyers of any nationality can purchase apartments and townhouses with title registered at the Dubai Land Department.
Is there a metro station in International City?+
Not yet. The Roads and Transport Authority is building the Dubai Metro Blue Line, which will add International City 1, a large interchange station, and International City 2 and 3, with opening planned for 2029. Today residents use buses from the International City bus station, taxis or their own car.
How much is rent in Warsan Village?+
Three bedroom townhouses in Warsan Village let for a typical AED 115,000 a year in the 12 months to September 2026, and sold for around AED 2.05M. Each home has a maid's room, a private backyard and two parking spaces, with a clubhouse and pools inside the gated community.
Buyer guides