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Area guide · New and upcoming
Living in Expo City Dubai
The former Expo 2020 site, now a Metro-linked district near Al Maktoum Airport. First homes are completing in 2026; suits patient buyers and people working nearby.
History
Expo City Dubai is the former Expo 2020 site, near Dubai’s southern border between Jebel Ali and Al Maktoum International Airport. Expo 2020 ran from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022 and drew more than 24 million visits. The site reopened as Expo City Dubai on 1 October 2022 and is run by its own body, the Expo City Dubai Authority.
Landmarks such as Al Wasl Plaza, Terra and Alif were kept. The first freehold homes went on sale in March 2023. A new masterplan in October 2024 set out about 3.5 sq km of city for some 35,000 residents and 40,000 workers.
What it’s like to live here
Today it is a quiet district that is only part built. The public plazas, gardens and cycle paths are free to use, and the Dubai Exhibition Centre brings large events. The only established housing is Expo Village, the former Expo staff flats, which are now let on the open market.
About 1,400 new freehold homes in Mangrove Residences, Sky Residences and Expo Valley were due to hand over during 2026. Mangrove and Expo Valley were first due around the turn of the year, but Propsearch still listed both as under development in August and September 2026. Expect building work and few shops for some time.
Demand has also cooled. Property Finder’s demand index showed buyer interest in the wider Dubai South district down 50.3% year on year in May 2026, and its Expo City asking prices were slipping, just as the first homes complete.
Who it suits
It suits buyers who want a new home on the Metro in the south of the city and can wait for schools and shops to open. It also suits people who work at Expo City, the exhibition centre, the airport or in Jebel Ali and Dubai Investments Park. It does not yet suit families who need established schools and shops on the doorstep.
Getting around
Expo City Dubai station is the end of the Red Line’s Route 2020 branch, with direct trains towards Dubai Marina, Mall of the Emirates, Burj Khalifa, Business Bay and DXB. By car it links to the E311, E11, E611 and E77. Bayut puts Al Maktoum International Airport about 20 minutes away and Dubai Investments Park about 9 minutes.
Schools, healthcare and shopping
British Orchard Nursery has a branch on site. Expo Village has small shops, a day-care centre and a clinic, but no operating school for older children could be confirmed in August 2026. American Hospital Dubai is building an Expo City clinic due to open across 2026 and 2027. There is no mall inside Expo City; Dubai Expo Mall is planned in Expo Living, next door in Dubai South.
Off-plan here now
Expo City Dubai is the developer of the homes inside the district. Prices below are launch prices or “from” prices on Property Finder in October 2026.
- Sky Residences (Expo City Dubai): 419 flats, 1 to 3 beds, launched June 2024 from about AED 1.9m. Sold out. Handover Q4 2026 on Property Finder, Q3 2026 on Propsearch.
- Mangrove Residences: 450 flats and townhouses from AED 1.2m at launch. First due Q4 2025, then Q1 2026; not yet confirmed complete.
- Expo Valley: 532 villas, townhouses and duets, AED 3.4m to over AED 15m. Reported sold out. Estimated handover January 2026; not yet confirmed complete.
- Sidr Residences: flats from AED 1.9m; handover planned for 2027.
- Al Waha Residences 1 and 2: about 280 flats and lofts launched January 2025; completion expected in 2027.
- Expo Valley Views, Roudah and Mahra: from AED 1.6m to 1.7m; handover dates not published.
Plans lean on payments after handover: Sky Residences asks for 45% to 50% after you get the keys. Emaar’s Terra and Expo Living towers are in Dubai South, a separate address, though often listed with Expo City. Watch whether the 2026 handovers happen, what rents new homes achieve, and whether asking prices keep falling as about 1,400 homes complete.
Things to check before you rent or buy
- Confirm the title. Homes are sold as freehold, but no published decree adding Expo City to Dubai’s freehold areas could be found (August 2026). Ask your conveyancer how the title deed will be issued.
- Use the handover date in your sales contract, not the brochure. Several 2026 phases have passed their first estimates.
- On post-handover plans, work out the monthly payments after you get the keys and whether rent would cover them.
- There is no reliable rent or yield figure for the new homes yet; the rent index covers Expo Village only.
- Check which schools, clinics and shops will be open on the day you move in.
Facts and figures from Bayut, Property Finder, Propsearch and a broker area guide, with history from developer announcements and local press. Checked October 2026. Numbers change as new buildings complete.
Location
Getting around Expo City Dubai
Schools, transport, shops, places to eat and things to do in and around Expo City Dubai, and how far it is to the airports, Downtown and the coast. Tap a place to find it on the map.
Market
Prices and rents in Expo City Dubai
What homes sell and rent for here, with the date and source of every figure.
Latest price change: +1.89% (asking price per sq ft, 12 months to Sept 2026)
Average sale prices
Property Finder transactions, seen October 2026 (period not stated)
| All homes (average recorded sale) | AED 2,250,530 |
|---|
Over time
About these numbers and where they come from (13 sources)
Bayut figures are average asking prices and rents from listings on Bayut, not completed sales. Sales counts are Dubai Land Department records shown by Property Finder or DXBinteract. Yields are gross, before service charges and other costs. Checked October 2026; we update these figures regularly. They are area averages, not a valuation of any one home.
Sources: Bayut sale price index, Expo City, Bayut rent index, Expo City, Bayut area guide, Expo City Dubai, Property Finder transactions, Expo City, Property Finder, Sky Residences, Property Finder demand index (May 2026), Cresco Real Estate, Expo City Dubai guide (Aug 2026), Propsearch, Expo City Dubai, Propsearch, Mangrove Residences, Propsearch, Expo Valley, Gulf News, Expo City masterplan (Oct 2024), Bayut H1 2026 sales report, Wikipedia, Expo 2020
Own a home in Expo City Dubai?See what it could rent or sell for, from recent lets and sales nearby. Free, with no obligation.
Who it suits
Who buys and rents here
Bayut’s index puts Expo City at AED 2,102 per sq ft (September 2026), well above the AED 1,190 per sq ft Bayut reports for Dubai South apartments in H1 2026.
Investors who buy here
- Off-plan buyers who want a Metro-linked new build near Al Maktoum Airport
- Buyers using long post-handover payment plans
- Long-term holders betting on the airport expansion and exhibition centre
People who live here
- Tenants in Expo Village, the former Expo staff housing
- Staff at Expo City, the exhibition centre and nearby business parks
- From 2026, the first owners in Mangrove Residences, Sky Residences and Expo Valley
Homes
Homes in Expo City Dubai with us now
No homes listed in Expo City Dubai right now
Tell us what you are looking for and we will let you know when something suitable comes up, or look at homes in the areas next door.
Nearby: Dubai Investments Park · Dubai South · Jebel Ali
Off-plan
New projects on sale in Expo City Dubai
Off-plan homes you can buy from the developer now, with the handover date and our notes on each developer.
Photos of Expo City Dubai
Calculate the potential return on a property in Expo City Dubai
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For illustration only. This calculator gives estimates based on the figures you enter. It is not financial, tax or legal advice, and actual fees, rents, prices and mortgage terms will vary. Official fees are set by Dubai Land Department and the UAE Central Bank; other fees are typical market estimates. Running costs are only included when you enter them, and starting prices, rents and interest rates are examples. Please speak to us, your bank and a qualified adviser before making decisions.
Is Expo City Dubai a freehold area?
Homes are sold as freehold to buyers of any nationality. No published decree adding Expo City to Dubai’s freehold areas could be found (August 2026), so ask your conveyancer to confirm how the title deed will be issued before you pay.
How far is Expo City Dubai from the airport?
Al Maktoum International (DWC) is about 8 km away in a straight line, roughly 20 minutes by car according to Bayut. Dubai International (DXB) is about 39 km away; the Red Line runs from Expo City to DXB Terminals 1 and 3.
Is there a Metro station in Expo City Dubai?
Yes. Expo City Dubai station is the end of the Red Line’s Route 2020 branch, a short walk from Al Wasl Plaza and the Dubai Exhibition Centre.
How much does it cost to rent in Expo City Dubai?
There is no reliable average for the new freehold homes yet. Bayut’s rent index (AED 95 per sq ft a year in July 2026, down 3.11% in a year) covers Expo Village, the former Expo staff flats. Rents vary with the building, view and condition, so ask us for current rents on a specific home.
Have property prices gone up in Expo City Dubai?
Bayut’s asking-price index rose from AED 1,891 per sq ft in September 2024 to AED 2,102 in September 2026, but only 1.89% in the last year. Property Finder figures in August 2026 showed asking prices falling (down 2.14% per sq ft).
Who does Expo City Dubai suit best?
Buyers who want a new home on the Metro in the south of Dubai and can wait for schools and shops, and people who work at Expo City, the airport or nearby business parks.
Nearby
Areas near Expo City Dubai
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