Neighbourhood
COMMUNITY OVERVIEW
With towering buildings, an exotic collection of retail and dining spaces, and as a community well-equipped with modern facilities, DIFC is the epitome of city life. With alluring art galleries and exciting events, DIFC has a very lively environment that leaves no room for boredom. Living in DIFC is especially ideal for working professionals due to its convenient location, easy accessibility and the overall vibe of a modern lifestyle.
Properties in DIFC
DIFC houses a number of apartments for rent and sale that can be perfect for singles, couples and working professionals in Dubai. Developed for a world-class modern living, almost all the buildings in DIFC are of towering heights. Equipped with only the best of facilities and amenities, DIFC is one of the places in Dubai that showcases the finer things in life. One of the evident benefits of living in DIFC is its very close proximity to Downtown Dubai, making it easily accessible if you happen to work there, or just wish to get down to this quintessential neighbourhood of Dubai for shopping or leisure.
You can find a wide collection of apartments in DIFC, ranging from studios to 3-bedroom units and also some 4 to 5-bedroom luxury penthouse suites. The starting price for the apartments for sale in DIFC is around AED 900k for a freehold studio and can go up to AED 2.15M for a 3-bedroom flat. Whereas if you are looking for renting apartments in DIFC, you can expect to pay a yearly price that starts at around AED 51k for a studio, AED 72k for 1-beds, AED 95k for 2-bedroom and 102k for a 3-bedroom apartment.
Transportation and Parking Spaces in DIFC
DIFC is conveniently located with easy access to and from public transport. It is only a short walking distance from two metro stations – Emirates Towers and Financial Centre. There are also several bus lines in and near DIFC. You can also find plenty of taxis but since they have a high demand, hailing them during rush hour can be challenging.
As a popular commercial hub, the traffic in DIFC is unsurprisingly high, especially during the rush hour. So, if you want to move from the area it is definitely best to leave a little earlier or later. Most of the apartments in DIFC offer dedicated parking spaces for the residents, however, for visitors, finding public parking outdoors could be a problem as it costs around AED 10 for an hour.
Amenities, Schools and Healthcare
DIFC has a myriad of amenities for a lavish single or professional living.
Supermarkets in DIFC
There are a handful of supermarkets in DIFC where you can go for your regular grocery shopping. A lot of these supermarkets are found on the ground floor of the different buildings in the community. Some of the supermarkets in DIFC include the Spinneys Supermarket, BS Supermarket LLC, Fresh Mart Supermarket, Choithrams and Al Maya Supermarket.
Churches, Temples and Mosques in DIFC
To fulfil your religious needs, there is also a mosque in DIFC. You can also find Ramadan Juma Mosque a little further away and The DIFC Grand Mosque in Gate Avenue is set to open by 2019.
The nearest church from DIFC is Dubai Seventh Day Adventist Church which is 15 minutes away and the Gurudwara, Shiva and Krishna temples are just a 5 minutes drive from here. You can also reach the Baba Temple Wasl Road in not more than 20 minutes.
Schools in DIFC
For the younger kids, there are a few nurseries in DIFC. There is the Hummingbird Pre-School that is widely popular as well as the Grassland Daycare & Nursery in DIFC. Other than Babilou MENA, there aren’t many schools in DIFC. However, there are some educational institutions that offer specific courses such as the Brighter Prep DIFC that offer GMAT, SAT and IELTS courses in Dubai, the IE Centre, and the London Business School Dubai Centre.
Clinics and Hospitals in DIFC
You don’t have to travel far in search of hospitals or clinics in DIFC. There are several healthcare centres dotted nearby. The closest ones are the IMC Medical Centre, La Clinique DIFC and The Clinic. Al Zahra Medical Centre is also less than a 15-minute drive away from DIFC, and so is Interhealth Canada Limited. You can also reach Oriana Hospital in just around 20 minutes.
Top 5 Buildings in DIFC
Among the top 5 buildings in DIFC, Central Park Towers is found to be the most popular, closely followed by Sky Gardens DIFC, Park Towers, Index Tower and Burj Daman. The apartments in Central Park Towers come in studios to 3-bedroom units with the yearly rent starting from AED 52k for studios, AED 82k for 1-bedroom, AED 104k for 2-bedrooms and AED 140k for 3-bedroom apartments. You can expect a similar and growing price ranges in the other buildings.
Nearby Areas
DIFC is situated right across from Downtown Dubai that houses the tallest building and the largest mall in the world. DIFC is also located along the same line as World Trade Centre and Emirates Towers. Za’abeel 2 is located further into the opposite side of DIFC while the Al Satwa neighbourhood sits right behind.
Lifestyle
SHOPPING, DINING AND NIGHTLIFE
Malls in DIFC
Currently there aren’t any malls in DIFC, however, the community’s very own Gate Avenue, which is a highly anticipated fashion and retail destination, is just underway to be opening soon. Nonetheless, you do not have to worry about an unfulfilled shopping fix while living in DIFC as you are only 8-10 minutes away from the city's expansive shopping and leisure complex – The Dubai Mall.
Despite there being no malls in DIFC, the community is not short of shopping spots at all as there are a handful of exciting retail outlets here. There is the Fendi Dubai Mall Flagship for some high-end Italian fashion and accessories. You can also find the Flower Boutique if you fancy purchasing some flowers and ornamental plants. There is also Momentum Dubai and Rivoli DIFC for watches and ALIEL for fine jewellery.
Restaurants in DIFC
One thing you will not run out of in DIFC is a place to dine. There is an abundance of restaurants in DIFC that can aid to a varied range of taste buds. You can choose from La Petite Maison for exquisite French cuisine, Gaucho Dubai for a taste of Argentinian steaks or Cipriani Dubai for some Italian flavours. For a range of Asian deliciousness, there is the Royal China Restaurant and the Japanese Zuma Restaurant. There are several more options to choose from among the restaurants in DIFC such as Beefbar, Al Mandaloun, Dusty’s, Peyote Dubai and more.
The lovers of coffee and the quaint vibes of coffee shops can also find a haven here. From Caffe Bateel, Costa Coffee and Caffe Nero to Mercato, Panifico and Caribou Coffee, there are several more cafes in DIFC to catch up with friends, get some work done or to simply relax.
Beaches in DIFC
As a characteristic city-life destination, there are no beaches in DIFC that you can find. However, you would not have to completely give up a beach day while living in DIFC as it is only a 15-minute drive away from the Open Beach in Jumeirah Road. You can also reach the JBR Beach in just around 25 minutes.
Leisure Activities and Notable Landmarks
The Gate is the most notable landmark in DIFC and the Gate Village located adjacent to it is the focus point of the various art galleries and fine dining outlets. The Marble Walk is another highlight of DIFC which is located right beneath The Gate and is focused on takeaway meals, essential services and retail convenience. There is also The Balcony which is a terrace surrounding The Gate featuring casual dining options.
When it comes to leisure activities in DIFC, you will be up for a treat as the region is known for housing some of the best galleries in Dubai. Starting from The Empty Quarter, a gallery exclusively for fine arts photography featuring internationally renowned and established photographers. Andakulova Gallery which showcases central Asia’s contemporary visual art, to Christie’s, a gallery of extraordinary art that conducted the most celebrated auctions; there are several more galleries in DIFC waiting to be explored. The most popular gallery in DIFC would probably be the spectacular and internationally established Opera Gallery.
Outdoor Activities, Fitness and Beauty
As a commercial district, there are no parks in DIFC. The nearest one is the Community Park, and you can get here within just 9 to 24 minutes depending upon which side of DIFC you are living in. You can also reach the Zabeel Park in just around 10 minutes by car. You will also only have to drive around 12 minutes to reach the Dubai Garden Glow.
For the fitness enthusiasts, there is a good variety of gyms in DIFC, there is Fitness First, Barry’s Bootcamp, the Ultimate Performance Dubai (UP Fitness LLC) and the D5 Executive Gymnasium.
To relax your mind and body, there are also several spas in DIFC. You can choose from The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Mind & Sense Spa, Spa Cordon and many more. There is also a men’s hair salon; Hommage Atelier, a nail salon; Style Beauty Lounge, and several ladies' salons such as Ladies First Beauty Salon and others.
Things to Consider
One factor to consider if you are planning to move to DIFC is that, as a major commercial hub, the region is quite highly populated and may not be favoured as a residential community by people with families or people that do not like crowded places. The lack of options for schools nearby also makes it an undesirable choice for families with school-going children.