Popular residential areas for families in Abu Dhabi
The real estate market of the UAE capital continues to offer wonderful options for the varying needs of its residents. But, amidst the plethora of choices, what are the best residential areas for a family in Abu Dhabi? To help you find the ideal place, we’ve researched and analysed various factors to determine the best areas in Abu Dhabi for families – in both the apartment and villa sectors. These communities boast extensive property choices and plenty of amenities and are in close proximity to schools and nurseries. Let’s take a look.
POPULAR RESIDENTIAL AREAS FOR A FAMILY IN ABU DHABI – APARTMENT LIVING
Looking to rent an apartment in Abu Dhabi? Here are the top residential areas for a family in Abu Dhabi with flats to consider.
- 3 BEDS
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- 4 BATHS
- |
- 1784 SQFT
- 1 BED
- |
- 2 BATHS
- |
- 1021 SQFT
- 2 BEDS
- |
- 3 BATHS
- |
- 1210 SQFT
- 2 BEDS
- |
- 2 BATHS
- |
- 1236 SQFT
- 3 BEDS
- |
- 3 BATHS
- |
- 2194 SQFT
- 3 BEDS
- |
- 4 BATHS
- |
- 1484 SQFT
- 2 BEDS
- |
- 2 BATHS
- |
- 1236 SQFT
AL REEM ISLAND
Al Reem Island is a waterfront community and a preferred choice for those who want to live in luxurious apartments. The natural island is located 600 meters off the northeastern coast of Abu Dhabi, offering a modern lifestyle.
The area is a mixed-use community featuring a cluster of high, mid-rise buildings. Flats for rent in Al Reem Island come with top-notch amenities making it one of the best areas in Abu Dhabi for families.
The average rent for a studio here starts from AED 44k. You can expect to rent 1 and 2-bed units for AED 66k and AED 95k, respectively. For a spacious 3-bedroom apartment, the average rent starts from AED 138k.
The area offers a healthy ROI of 6.67%. Let’s look at the average sales prices for apartments in Al Reem Island.
- Studio: AED 614k
- 1-bed: AED 889k
- 2-bed: AED 1.48M
- 3-bed: AED 2.15M
AL REEF
Backed by Manazel Real Estate, Al Reef is a mixed-use development located on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi. The neighbourhood is designed to provide a family-friendly environment, with well-planned buildings and villa communities, landscaped gardens and ample green spaces.
Al Reef offers a range of facilities for residents, including swimming pools, fitness centres, sports courts, playgrounds, and parks, making it one of the most popular areas for families in Abu Dhabi.
The apartments for rent in Al Reef come in studio, 1, 2 and 3-bed configurations. The average rent for a studio starts from AED 39k and can go up to AED 86k for a 3-bedroom flat.
And if you’re looking to buy an apartment here, you’ll be pleased to know that the area yields a healthy ROI of 8.22%. Let’s look at the average sales prices for apartments in this family-friendly community.
- Studio: AED 464k
- 1-bed: AED 605k
- 2-bed: AED 791k
- 3-bed: AED 1.06M
AL KHALIDIYAH
One of the popular residential communities in Abu Dhabi for families is Al Khalidiya. The cultural hub of the emirate features high-rise buildings and gated communities.
Parents interested in rental apartments in Al Khalidiyah have many schools and nurseries to choose from, such as the American Community School of Abu Dhabi and the well-known British Orchard Nursery.
And if you’re fond of lush green spaces, you can head to the popular Al Khalidiya Park, an urban retreat in Abu Dhabi.
Al Khalidiya offers residential apartments in studio, 1,2 and 3-bed configurations. The average rent here starts from AED 31k for a studio and can go up to AED 99k for a bigger 3-bedroom flat.
CORNICHE AREA
Searching for a dream waterfront location in the UAE capital? Look no further than Corniche Area. You can find flats and penthouses in this Abu Dhabi district, where most units are designed to suit modern tastes and lifestyle preferences.
Because of lifestyle amenities and accommodation variety, Abu Dhabi Corniche Area is one of the most popular residential areas for a family in Abu Dhabi.
Here’s what you can expect to pay when renting Corniche Area flats.
- Studio: AED 61k
- 1-bed: AED 82k
- 2-bed: AED 107k
- 3-bed: AED 120k
AL KARAMAH
Another top area to live in Abu Dhabi for families who prefer apartments is Al Karamah. These flats are close to international educational institutes, top-notch hospitals and fitness centres.
The community is located in the heart of Abu Dhabi. Al Wahda Mall is just a few minutes away, and retail shops, restaurants and grocery stores are scattered around. Let’s look closer at the flats for rent in Al Karamah.
On average, a studio flat in Al Karamah costs AED 29k. One, two, and three-bedroom units, on the other hand, have an average rent of AED 43k, AED 110k and AED 120k, respectively.
Here’s a summary of the average rents of apartments in the popular residential areas for families in Abu Dhabi.
Areas | Studio | 1-Bed | 2-Bed | 3-Bed |
---|---|---|---|---|
Areas Al Reem Island | Studio AED 50,000 | 1-Bed AED 66,000 | 2-Bed AED 95,000 | 3-Bed AED 138,000 |
Areas Al Reef | Studio AED 39,000 | 1-Bed AED 51,000 | 2-Bed AED 66,000 | 3-Bed AED 86,000 |
Areas Al Khalidiyah | Studio AED 31,000 | 1-Bed AED 55,000 | 2-Bed AED 67,000 | 3-Bed AED 98,000 |
Areas Corniche Area | Studio AED 61,000 | 1-Bed AED 82,000 | 2-Bed AED 107,000 | 3-Bed AED 120,000 |
Areas Al Karamah | Studio AED 29,000 | 1-Bed AED 43,000 | 2-Bed AED 110,000 | 3-Bed AED 120,000 |
POPULAR RESIDENTIAL AREAS FOR A FAMILY IN ABU DHABI WITH VILLAS
Let’s now look at the popular villa communities in Abu Dhabi for families.
- 2 BEDS
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- 3 BATHS
- |
- 1831 SQFT
- 5 BEDS
- |
- 6 BATHS
- |
- 3748 SQFT
KHALIFA CITY
Khalifa City is designed to provide a family-friendly living environment with well-planned buildings, villas, landscaped gardens and ample green spaces.
The area is well-connected to major roads and highways, providing easy access to other parts of the capital and neighbouring emirates. It is located close to Zayed International Airport Abu Dhabi, making it convenient for residents who travel frequently.
Several reputable schools and educational institutions are located within the community, including the International School of Choueifat and GEMS American Academy Abu Dhabi. This makes Khalifa City quite popular among families with children.
The rental villas in Khalifa City come in 3, 4, 5 and 6-bed configurations. The average rent starts from AED 139k for a 3-bedroom villa and goes up to AED 195k for a 6-bed unit.
The area offers a 4.06% ROI. Here’s a detailed look at the average sales prices for villas in Khalifa City.
- 3-bed: AED 4.21M
- 4-bed: AED 4.52M
- 5-bed: AED 5.81M
- 6-bed: AED 7.52M
MOHAMMED BIN ZAYED CITY
Mohammed Bin Zayed City (MBZ) is next on our list of best areas in Abu Dhabi for families. The area features villas equipped with top-notch facilities.
The residential community is ideal for those who want to raise their children in quiet suburbs. Other benefits of living in MBZ are its proximity to Dubai and direct access to main highways.
Parents will find some of the best schools and nurseries here, including Al Dhafra Private School, The British International School, Riverwood Nursery and Happy Jump Nursery.
If you want to rent a villa in Mohammed Bin Zayed City, expect to shell out AED 105k for a 3-bed unit yearly. Whereas the average rent of four-bedroom villas is 132k. For larger 5 and 6-bed units, you can expect to pay an average rent of AED 157k and AED 174k, respectively.
MBZ offers a healthy ROI of 6.79% to buyers and investors. Let’s look at the average sales prices for villas in the community.
- 3-bed: AED 150K
- 4-bed: AED 764K
- 5-bed: AED 7.72M
- 6-bed: AED 6.56M
SHAKHBOUT CITY
Shakhbout City features spacious villas and is located near Baniyas and Al Shawamekh.
The area has many schools, including Virginia International Private School and Al Ittihad National Private School. The availability of top-notch medical facilities adds to the attraction of this community.
The rent for villas in Shakhbout City starts from AED 117k and can go up to AED 169k. The area offers an ROI of 6.20%. Below are the average prices for villas for sale in Shakhbout City.
- 4-bed: AED 6M
- 5-bed: AED 7.80M
- 6-bed: AED 6.66M
AL MUSHRIF
Al Mushrif is a quiet community offering residents the opportunity to live in a suburban neighbourhood. The area is based in the city centre, ideal for working parents. It is also home to the Mushrif Palace and the famous Umm Al Emarat Park, a great place to visit over the weekend for a picnic with the whole family.
Residents can head to the nearby Mushrif Mall for retail therapy.
Looking to rent a villa in Al Mushrif? The average rent for a 3-bedroom villa in Al Mushrif starts from AED 143k. However, you can expect to pay around AED 160k for a 4-bed unit. The rent can go up to approximately AED 212k for a 6-bedroom villa.
Al Mushrif Abu Dhabi offers buyers an ROI of 2.66%. Let’s look at the average sales price for villas in the district.
- 3-bed: AED 3.60M
- 5-bed: AED 5.40M
- 6-bed: AED 7.15M
AL RAHA BEACH
Al Raha Beach offers a range of residential properties to provide families with a luxurious and modern living environment. Most villas in the community offer stunning sea views.
This beachfront neighbourhood features several kilometres of pristine sandy beaches, making it a wonderful choice for swimming, sunbathing and watersports. So, if you’re a beach person, you’d enjoy living here.
The average rent for villas in Al Raha Beach starts from AED 260k and can go up to AED 383k for a 5-bed unit.
The community is also popular with investors due to a healthy ROI of 6.22%. The prices of villas for sale in Al Raha Beach are as follows:
- 3-bed: AED 2.26M
- 4-bed: AED 6.95M
- 5-bed: AED 11.63M
- 6-bed: AED 7.47M
Here’s a breakdown of average rents for villas in areas suitable for raising a family in Abu Dhabi.
Areas | 3-Bed | 4-Bed | 5-Bed | 6-Bed |
---|---|---|---|---|
Areas Khalifa City | 3-Bed AED 139,000 | 4-Bed AED 159,000 | 5-Bed AED 173,000 | 6-Bed AED 195,000 |
Areas Mohammed Bin Zayed City | 3-Bed AED 105,000 | 4-Bed AED 132,000 | 5-Bed AED 157,000 | 6-Bed AED 174,000 |
Areas Shakhbout City | 3-Bed AED 117,000 | 4-Bed AED 134,000 | 5-Bed AED 152,000 | 6-Bed AED 169,000 |
Areas Al Mushrif | 3-Bed AED 143,000 | 4-Bed AED 160,000 | 5-Bed AED 198,000 | 6-Bed AED 212,000 |
Areas Al Raha Beach | 3-Bed AED 260,000 | 4-Bed AED 330,000 | 5-Bed AED 383,000 | 6-Bed – |
FAQS ABOUT RESIDENTIAL AREAS FOR A FAMILY IN ABU DHABI
WHAT ARE MY BEST OPTIONS FOR LUXURY ACCOMMODATION IN ABU DHABI?
Yas Island and Saadiyat Island have lately garnered interest from families looking for luxury apartments and villas. While both islands have an exciting property portfolio besides a long list of amenities, you can check out our guide on Yas Island vs Saadiyat Island to determine which island would suit you best.
WHAT IS THE AVERAGE COST OF LIVING IN ABU DHABI?
The average cost of living in Abu Dhabi can range from AED 3.8k to AED 18.8k. Check out the cost breakdown when searching for the top residential communities in Abu Dhabi for families.
WHICH ARE THE POPULAR RESIDENTIAL AREAS FOR INDIAN EXPATS IN DUBAI?
Al Reem Island, Al Muroor and Al Mushrif are the most popular areas for Indian expats to live in Abu Dhabi.
And on that note, we conclude our guide to the best areas to stay in Abu Dhabi for families. The aforementioned areas can provide plenty of top options for people looking to rent properties in Abu Dhabi.
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