International City
Studios and one-beds in ten country-themed precincts beside Dragon Mart. No metro yet; Blue Line stations are due in September 2029.
International City: the first-address one
International City is Nakheel's community of more than 22,000 homes, mostly studios and one-bedroom flats, in ten precincts styled after countries from England to China. It suits students, young professionals and traders who want a first address in Dubai. It doesn't suit a family that wants space, a garden or quiet streets.
Daily life is practical. Shops, cafés and supermarkets sit on the ground floors, and Nakheel lists parks, mosques, play areas and a basketball court. Nakheel's two Dragon Mart malls, selling furniture, electronics, tools and household goods, are on the edge. Nakheel lists no school here, so the school run means a drive.
For a buyer, the building matters more than the precinct. Most of the blocks are low-rise and have been lived in for years, while the later phases are still filling in. Upkeep varies by building, so ask for the service-charge history and a look at the common areas before you commit.
There is no metro yet. Nakheel puts the airport 18 minutes away by car and Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station 19. The RTA's Blue Line, due on 9 September 2029, runs through International City 1, 2 and 3, with an underground interchange at International City 1. The RTA also plans a wider Phase 3 entrance from Manama Street.
Who lives here
A first address in Dubai
Students, young professionals and traders. Studios and one-bedroom flats make up most of the homes.
On your doorstep
Dragon Mart on the edge
Nakheel's two Dragon Mart malls sell furniture, electronics, tools and household goods.
Getting around
Buses now, metro in 2029
The RTA's Blue Line runs through International City 1, 2 and 3 and is due on 9 September 2029.
Talk to Diamond
Twenty-five years in property, the last of them in Dubai. Ask about a specific building, what a mortgage would look like, or whether a price is fair.
Call or message on WhatsApp:
One-stop shop! My goal was a Golden Visa for my family and my parents. She organised the off-plan purchase, the financing, the visa, and now the rental management — and completed all of it without me ever being in the country. Couldn't ask for better full-service support.
Don't Blink
International City: practical, metro coming
Ten country-themed precincts of small flats beside Dragon Mart, where the metro arrives in 2029 and traffic builds at peak.
Day to day
Everything in the precinct
Each precinct has its own supermarkets, laundries, clinics and small places to eat.
Dragon Mart
Furniture, electronics, tools and food across Nakheel's two Dragon Mart malls.
On the students' line
Dubai Silicon Oasis and Academic City are further along the same Blue Line, due in 2029.
The trade-off
Dense and busy at peak
A working part of the city: practical rather than pretty, and traffic builds at peak times.
Who it suits
First-timers and students
A common first address in Dubai for students, young professionals and traders.
