Living in The Meadows

History

The Meadows is part of Emirates Living, the master community Emaar started in 1999 alongside The Springs, The Lakes and Emirates Hills. Property Finder dates its launch to 2004. Like its neighbours, it was sold freehold, so foreign buyers can own their villa and its land.

Today it has over 1,800 villas in nine gated sub-communities, Meadows 1 to 9, built in 20 architectural styles (Bayut). It sits next to the Address Montgomerie resort and its golf course, and borders JLT, The Springs, The Lakes, Emirates Hills and Jumeirah Islands.

What it’s like to live here

The Meadows has only detached villas, with no apartments or townhouses (Property Finder). Homes have three to seven bedrooms, a private garden and a garage that usually takes two cars. Some types add a study, a store room or a guest room. Streets are lined with trees, and many homes back onto lakes or parks.

There are shared pools, play areas, basketball courts, football pitches and jogging and cycling tracks (Bayut). The Meadows Souk, just outside Meadows 6, has a Spinneys, a gym, salons, restaurants and cafés. Meadows Village has a Waitrose and more places to eat.

Who it suits

Families above all. Property Finder matches the area to families (100%) and retirees (100%). It suits households that need four or more bedrooms and a big garden, want a school inside the community and are happy to drive.

For investors it is a steady family rental with a modest return. Property Finder puts the average rental yield at 3.50% and Bayut puts the return on villas at 3.12% (both October 2026).

Getting around

There is no Metro station. Al Fardan Exchange station on the Red Line (called Al Khail until March 2025) is about 5 minutes’ drive away (Bayut), and DMCC and Sobha Realty stations are in JLT. RTA buses JLT1 and JLT2 stop in JLT, 5 to 10 minutes’ drive away, and the F31 feeder bus serves parts of the community. The JLT tram stop is about 6 minutes by car.

Dubai Media City is about 7 minutes’ drive and Dubai Marina about 10 (Bayut). Property Finder puts Mall of the Emirates and JBR about 15 minutes away and Downtown Dubai about 20.

Schools, healthcare and shopping

Emirates International School Meadows (IB, rated Very Good by KHDA, AED 29,000 to 86,000 a year on Property Finder) is inside the community. Dubai British School in Springs 3 (Outstanding, AED 53,000 to 80,000) is about 2 km away and Dubai British School Jumeirah Park (Outstanding, AED 46,000 to 112,000) about 2.6 km, according to Property Finder.

Mediclinic Meadows is in the community, and Al Zahra and Saudi German hospitals in Al Barsha are within about 10 minutes’ drive (Bayut). For shopping there are The Meadows Souk, Meadows Village and The Springs Souk, and Mall of the Emirates is about 15 minutes away.

Things to check before you rent or buy

• Know the villa type. With 20 designs, size and layout vary a lot, so check the type, the plot size and whether the home backs onto a lake, a park or a road.
• Check the condition. Many homes are around 20 years old, so look closely at air conditioning, plumbing, roofs and any extensions.
• Major changes to a villa need approval or a no-objection certificate from Emaar.
• Compare sub-communities. Bayut’s asking prices run from AED 2,310 per sq ft in Meadows 3 to AED 3,414 in Meadows 7 (September 2026), and 12-month changes range from −18.66% in Meadows 3 to +14.92% in Meadows 1.
• Expect a slower market. Property Finder recorded 85 sales in the past 12 months, 46.5% fewer than a year earlier, though the average recorded sale rose 15.7% to AED 12.86 million.
• Ask for the latest service charge statement before you buy.