Why Mirdif is the most favoured place for affordable rental villas in Dubai

You can rent a three-bedroom villa in the neighbourhood for a little over Dh80,000

Looking for somewhere a little quieter and inexpensive while staying within easy reach of schools, parks and malls?

Then, Mirdif might just be the place for you. Away from the frenzied pace of city life, this multicultural oasis near the Dubai International Airport (DXB) offers family-friendly suburban living at a price that remains unmatched till date.

It’s little wonder then that it has retained its spot as the most favoured destination for affordable rental villas in Dubai for the second year in a row, according to Bayut & Dubizzle latest report about property trends in the city.

You can rent a three-bedroom villa here for a little over Dh80,000 – that’s around how much you are likely to pay annually for a two-bedroom apartment at Dubai Creek Harbour or Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR).

A predominantly Emirati neighbourhood until the late 1990s, Mirdif borders Al Mizhar from the north and Al Warqaa from the south. On its east is the popular Al Mushrif Park that sprawls over five square kilometres.

While the area is best known for its villas, it also has four gated low-rise sub-communities – Ghoroob, Uptown Mirdif, Mirdif Tulip and Shurooq — offering spacious homes amidst sylvan surroundings

Ghoroob and Shurooq are the undisputed centrepiece of the community.

The former has around 3,000 homes, ranging from studios and three bedrooms while the latter has 2,100 units, nearly 40 per cent of which are elegant villas reminiscent of the Spanish Renaissance .

Both communities are self-contained and have their own distinct features aside from lush green landscapes, gymnasiums, swimming pools and 24x7 security.

Shurooq, for instance, has a dog park and a community centre that boasts of a nursery, supermarket, salon, bakery, health clinic and coffee shop. A standard two-bedroom villa costs around Dh73,000 annually. Rents for two-bedroom apartments in Ghuroob hover around the Dh48,000-Dh60,000 mark.

The residents are fiercely proud of their community.

“Granted, we don’t have Metro connectivity or waterfront homes but what Mirdif lacks in terms of train access and water views, it more than makes up with its stunning Moorish-style homes, serene environment and free parking,” said a longtime Shurooq resident.

The community also boasts of several parks and sports facilities like basketball and volleyball courts.

Ali Baig, 11, who lives with his family in Ghuroob, said he has fun playing in one of the many parks.

Since Mirdif is adjacent to the DXB, noise from overhead planes could be a problem for homes that fall within the flight path.

But residents said the benefits of the place far outweigh the minor downside.

Ahmed Al Suwaidi, Executive Director of Dubai Asset Management, which owns and manages several residential communities in the emirate, said: “We are wholly dedicated to reinforcing Dubai’s position as one of the world’s most liveable cities, and Shorooq and Ghuroob are testaments to this commitment. The communities were designed to provide residents with unrivalled comforts of family friendly communities at the heart of a strategic and highly connected district like Mirdif.”

Dubai Asset Management recently introduced the DubaiAM Life App to help residents pay rent, complete lease renewals and report service requests. Suwaidi said they have also launched an initiative to remove all demand chargers for district cooling in Ghuroob.

Facilities around Mirdif:

>> Schools

Dar Al Marefa Private School 
Uptown School (International Baccalaureate curriculum), Gems Our Own School, Our Own High School (Indian curriculum), Arab Unity School Gems Royal Dubai School (British curriculum)

>> Nearby malls

Mirdif City Centre, Arabian Centre, Etihad Mall