Living in Al Khawaneej

History

Al Khawaneej is a villa and farming district on the eastern edge of Dubai, east of Al Mizhar and Mirdif. It runs from the western side of Emirates Road (E611) along the Sharjah border and is bordered by Al Aweer, another farming area (Property Finder). Bayut says the name comes from the water wells in the area.

It is one of Dubai’s few farming areas. Al Khawaneej 2 still has farms, plant nurseries and camel and horse stables, and Al Rawabi Dairy has a farm there, while Al Khawaneej 1 is mainly homes (Property Finder). Published sources give no date for when the first villas were built. It was not laid out by one master developer: homes stand on individual plots, and every sale recorded in the past year was a plot of land.

Meraas has since added leisure spots, including Al Khawaneej Walk and The Yard, a lakeside area with The Last Exit food-truck park beside it (Property Finder, Bayut). Dubai Statistics Center counts two communities, Al Khawaneej First (16.4 sq km) and Al Khawaneej Second (12.7 sq km), with 13,634 and 5,507 residents in 2022.

What it’s like to live here

Almost all homes are large standalone villas. Property Finder says villas for rent have three to seven bedrooms over two floors, many in a traditional Arabic style with pools, majlis areas, courtyards and maid’s rooms. Bayut puts most at three to five bedrooms and 4,000 to 15,000 sq ft, often with a separate entrance to the men’s majlis. Plots sold in the past year ranged from 8,277 to 20,000 sq ft.

It is quiet, with light traffic and easy parking (Bayut). Quranic Park in Al Khawaneej 1, run by Dubai Municipality, has themed gardens of plants named in the Quran, a glass house and the Cave of Miracles. Al Khawaneej Pond Park has paths around a pond, and a 19 km cycling track crosses the area and joins the Mushrif Park track (Property Finder). Mushrif Park, next door, has pools, barbecue areas and bike tracks. Al Khawaneej Walk, a mall styled on farm greenhouses, has shops, restaurants and a Roxy Cinemas. Mosques are spread through the area, and Bayut puts the nearest churches in Deira, about 30 minutes away.

Who it suits

Families above all. Property Finder matches the area to retirees (93%) and families (92%), but only 2% to working professionals and 0% to young professionals and students. It is popular with Emirati families, many of whom own farms here.

Buying is limited. Al Khawaneej is not a freehold area, so only UAE and GCC nationals can buy here (MyBayut, updated 19 October 2026). Other expatriates can rent. It is a small market: Property Finder recorded 212 villa rent contracts and 12 sales in the past 12 months.

Getting around

There is no Metro station. The nearest is e& (formerly Etisalat) on the Red Line, which Bayut puts about 15 minutes away by car. RTA buses run along Al Khawaneej Road (D89), and Bayut lists stops on Al Amardi Street too. But Bayut says there are no dedicated public transport routes and residents without a car rely on taxis. Plan on driving.

Al Khawaneej Road (D89) runs through the area, and Emirates Road (E611) is on its eastern side. Bayut puts Dubai International Airport 16.3 km away by road, about 16 minutes via D89, Arabian Centre about 11 minutes, City Centre Mirdif about 17 minutes and Business Bay and Downtown Dubai about 30 minutes. University City of Sharjah is about 25 minutes away via Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E311).

Schools, healthcare and shopping

There are few schools in the area itself. Property Finder counts three within 5 km: Al Basateen Private Nursery (rated Good by KHDA, AED 8,000 a year), Dubai Schools Al Khawaneej (American, Acceptable, AED 31,000 to 54,000) and Emirates National Schools’ Dubai branch (American and IB, Acceptable, AED 25,000 to 55,000). More choice is in Al Mizhar to the west, including Al Mawakeb Al Khawaneej (American, Good, AED 36,000 to 70,000), GEMS Founders School and Mirdif American School, which Bayut puts under 15 minutes away. Ratings and fees are KHDA 2026 data shown on Property Finder.

Al Khawaneej Health Centre is on Al Amardi Street, and American Hospital has a clinic at Al Khawaneej Walk. Property Finder and Bayut also list a Medcare medical centre nearby. For hospital care, Bayut puts Aster Hospital in Al Qusais about 20 minutes away.

Day-to-day shopping is at small supermarkets such as Kohaj, Al Ttay and Lafi. Lulu at Arabian Centre and Union Coop at Etihad Mall are about 13 minutes away, and City Centre Mirdif about 17 minutes (Bayut).

Things to check before you rent or buy

• Check who can buy. Al Khawaneej is not freehold, so only UAE and GCC nationals can own here. Some plots in Al Khawaneej 1 are advertised as freehold and others as GCC-only, so confirm the status of the specific plot with Dubai Land Department before you pay anything.
• Know what the price covers. All 12 sales in the past year were plots of land, so Property Finder’s AED 665 per sq ft is per sq ft of plot, not of house. Ask for the built-up area, plans and completion certificate.
• Expect a thin sales market. Property Finder recorded 12 sales, 67.6% fewer than a year earlier. With so few deals the averages swing: the average sale price fell 26.9% while the average price per sq ft rose 33.2%. Only 20 homes and plots were listed for sale in October 2026, at asking prices from AED 4.7 million to AED 23 million.
• Compare like with like. The average new villa lease of AED 294,619 mixes villas of different sizes. In October 2026 new 12-month leases on five-bedroom villas were registered at AED 260,000 in Al Khawaneej 2 and AED 400,000 in Al Khawaneej 1 (Property Finder). Property Finder also logs 859 apartment leases here in the past year, many for only a month or two, without naming the buildings, so treat those figures with care.
• Check the neighbours. Al Khawaneej 2 has working farms, plant nurseries and camel and horse stables, so visit at different times of day.
• Plan on driving, and on running costs. Large villas with pools and gardens mean larger cooling and upkeep bills, so ask to see recent DEWA bills.