What is Al Satwa
Al Satwa is an older, high-density inner-city community of about 2.87 square kilometres in Dubai, between Jumeirah to the north and Sheikh Zayed Road to the south.
Wikipedia lists Al Satwa as Dubai community number 334. It gives the area as 2.87 square kilometres. Wikidata records the same area of 2.87 square kilometres.
Wikipedia describes Satwa as a community of high-density retail outlets and private residential dwellings. Khaleej Times calls Satwa "a bustling low-rise suburb" in an article from about 2018.
The name appears in two forms in the sources. Some sources use "Al Satwa". Other sources use only "Satwa". This guide uses both names for the same community.
Size of Al Satwa
Sources disagree on the size of Al Satwa. Wikipedia and Wikidata give 2.87 square kilometres. A Wikiwand list of Dubai communities gives 2.7 square kilometres. That list cites the Dubai Statistics Center Population Bulletin 2022.
A local blog, satwaroundaboutdubai.com, gives a third figure of about 1.8 square kilometres. The blog page dates from about 25 April 2026. The blog gives no source for this figure. We could not confirm this figure.
The two figures of 2.87 and 2.7 square kilometres are close. The 1.8 square kilometre figure is much smaller. It does not agree with the figures that come from official data.
Master developer
Sources disagree on the master developer of Al Satwa. We could not confirm one master developer for the whole community.
- Dubai Municipality: Dubricks, a property-data site, lists Dubai Municipality as the master developer of Al Satwa. We could not confirm this with a government source.
- Meraas: Lavinia Properties, a brokerage, says Meraas Holding bought and cleared land in Al Satwa. It says Meraas built the roads, utilities and public spaces. It says Meraas then sold freehold plots to other developers.
Lavinia Properties calls this model Jumeirah Garden City (JGC). The guide dates from about 27 April 2026. It is a brokerage source. We could not confirm the Meraas role with a government document.
The two claims can both be partly true. Meraas can be the master developer of the Jumeirah Garden City plots. Other parts of Satwa can stay under older government arrangements. We could not confirm this split from an official source.
Freehold status
Sources disagree on the freehold status of Al Satwa. The title type can change from plot to plot.
- Dubricks lists Al Satwa as "Non-Free Hold". This is a property-data site. We could not confirm the listing.
- Apil Properties lists Satwa among the older inner-city non-freehold areas. The list also names Deira, Bur Dubai, Oud Metha, Karama, Rigga and Port Saeed. The page dates from about 25 December 2025.
- Bazaar Times reported in about February 2025 that plots in Satwa changed from long-term leasehold to freehold.
- Aigents Realty, a broker blog, says parts of Satwa in the Meraas Jumeirah Garden City plan are freehold zones. The blog gives no Dubai Land Department (DLD) citation.
- The same Aigents Realty blog says older parts of Satwa stay leasehold. It says these parts are for GCC nationals only. We could not confirm this with an official source.
dataHabibi says freehold land and older leasehold or government land can mix within the same district. It says buyers must confirm the title type plot by plot. The page dates from about 11 July 2026.
The Dubai Land Department FAQ gives two routes for land transactions. Land in freehold or long-term rental projects goes through the developer's online system. Land in old non-freehold areas goes through Real Estate Service Trustee Centres or the Customer Happiness Department.
Sub-areas
We could not find an official register of named sub-areas in Al Satwa. The sources name only a small number of zones.
- Jumeirah Garden City: The Meraas master plan that sources link to Satwa land. Sources describe its position in different ways. See the "Where" section.
- Street-based zones: The sources describe Satwa through its main streets. These are 2nd December Street and Al Satwa Road.
- Phases: 2GIS map listings show park names such as "Satwa Phase 1 Park 1B". This suggests a phase numbering system. We could not confirm an official phase list.
Jumeirah Garden City in numbers
Wikipedia says the Jumeirah Garden City master plan covers 9,000,000 square metres. It says the plan has 12 districts. It gives an envisioned built-up area of 14,000,000 square metres. It gives a target of 50,000 to 60,000 residents.
The same Wikipedia page also says the plan has seven distinct areas. It gives a size of about 110,000,000 square feet in that passage. The page does not agree with itself on the number of districts.
Lavinia Properties says Jumeirah Garden City covers about nine million square metres. It says Meraas sold about 340 freehold plots to developers. We could not confirm the plot count with DLD.
Sources: Wikipedia, Al Satwa, undated; Wikidata, Al Satwa (Q4119914), undated; Wikiwand, List of communities in Dubai (cites DSC Population Bulletin 2022), c. 2025; satwaroundaboutdubai.com, Complete History of Al Satwa Dubai, c. 25 Apr 2026; Khaleej Times, Satwa: A bustling low-rise suburb in Dubai, c. 2018; Dubricks, Al Satwa, undated; Lavinia Properties, Jumeirah Garden City Investment Guide 2026, c. 27 Apr 2026; Aigents Realty, Al Satwa Area Guide 2026, c. 27 May 2026; Apil Properties, Non-Freehold Areas in Dubai 2026, c. 25 Dec 2025; Bazaar Times, Dubai's Satwa Transforms into Freehold Hub Under 2040 Urban Master Plan, c. 5 Feb 2025; dataHabibi, Freehold Property in Dubai: 2026 Hotspots, c. 11 Jul 2026; Dubai Land Department, Frequently Asked Questions, c. Oct 2026; Wikipedia, Jumeirah Garden City, undated; 2GIS, Satwa park search, undated
Where you can live in Al Satwa: the residential projects
Homes in Al Satwa are in 2 residential areas: Jumeirah Garden City, Other buildings.
Map of the Al Satwa projects
Jumeirah Garden City
84 residential buildings: 84 apartments. 51 completed, 23 off-plan. 1,230 sales in 12 months. Main developers: Jad Global Real Estate Development, Holm Avenue Real Estate Development, Enso Development.
| Project or building | Buildings | Status | Homes | Sales, 12 months | Per sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linea by Holm | 1 | Off-plan | apartments | 194 | AED 2,607 |
| Holm One | 1 | Off-plan | apartments | 184 | AED 2,228 |
| Evergrin House 2 | 1 | Off-plan | apartments | 160 | AED 2,430 |
| Enso Jade | 1 | Off-plan | apartments | 105 | AED 2,153 |
| Rabdan Gardens | 1 | Off-plan | apartments | 78 | AED 2,216 |
| Jad 288 | 3 | Off-plan | apartments | 56 | AED 2,250 |
| Garden City 2 | 1 | Completed | apartments | 48 | AED 1,692 |
| Elmora | 1 | Off-plan | apartments | 48 | AED 2,792 |
| The Elysian | 1 | Off-plan | apartments | 48 | AED 2,230 |
| Enso Amber | 1 | Off-plan | apartments | 37 | AED 2,161 |
| West 5 Residences | 1 | Off-plan | apartments | 33 | AED 2,369 |
| Waha Living | 1 | Completed | apartments | 32 | AED 1,978 |
| Coral by Vision | 1 | Completed | apartments | 29 | AED 2,277 |
| Stamn One | 1 | Off-plan | apartments | 25 | AED 2,066 |
And 68 more projects or buildings: see the map.
Other buildings
5 residential buildings: 5 apartments. 0 completed, 5 off-plan. 84 sales in 12 months. Main developers: Stamn Real Estate Development, Alaia Developments, Prestige Gardens Real Estate Development.
| Project or building | Buildings | Status | Homes | Sales, 12 months | Per sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stamn Yuni | 1 | Off-plan | apartments | 21 | AED 2,225 |
| Chelsea Gardens | 1 | Off-plan | apartments | 19 | AED 2,144 |
| 161 Jumeirah Lane | 1 | Off-plan | apartments | 18 | AED 1,950 |
| Prestige Gardens by Prestige One | 1 | Off-plan | apartments | 16 | AED 3,036 |
| Mayfair Gardens | 1 | Off-plan | apartments | 10 | AED 1,924 |
Source: Dubai Land Department sale records and our building list, 15 October 2026. A project is a group of buildings with one name; a building with no group is listed on its own. Per sq ft is the median of apartment sales in 12 months.
Al Satwa property prices and sales
Apartments in Al Satwa sold for a median of AED 2,298 per sq ft in the 12 months to 10 October 2026, across 1,494 apartment sales.
Where Al Satwa ranks in Dubai
Rank among 66 Dubai communities with 300 or more sales in 12 months. See what the sales records say.
Al Satwa apartment price per sq ft, by quarter
The median price of an apartment sold in Al Satwa was AED 2,204 per sq ft in 2026 Q3. The highest quarter in the last three years was 2024 Q1, at AED 2,366. A median moves when the mix of homes sold changes.
What the sale records show now
- Sales rose. Al Satwa had 636 sales in the last 6 months, against 543 in the same months a year before (+17%).
- New buildings keep launching. 17 buildings had their first sale in the last 12 months, with 1,021 sales between them.
- Most sales are off-plan. 93% of sales in 12 months were of homes not yet finished.
- Rental yield. Asking rents against sold prices give a gross yield of 4.5%.
- Homes due. Land Department projects in Al Satwa due by June 2027 hold 475 homes.
Al Satwa price per sq ft by district
| District | Per sq ft, 12 months | Change on the year | Sales, 12 months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jumeirah Garden City | AED 2,309 | +16.0% | 1,410 |
| Other | AED 2,178 | +14.2% | 87 |
The 10 Al Satwa buildings with the most sales in 12 months
| Building | Status | District | Developer | Per sq ft | Sales, 12 months |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linea by Holm | Off-plan | Jumeirah Garden City | HOLM AVENUE REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT L.L.C | AED 2,607 | 194 |
| Holm One | Off-plan | Jumeirah Garden City | HOLM AVENUE REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT L.L.C | AED 2,228 | 184 |
| Evergrin House 2 | Off-plan | Jumeirah Garden City | OBJ1 REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT L.L.C | AED 2,430 | 160 |
| Enso Jade | Off-plan | Jumeirah Garden City | ENSO DEVELOPMENT L.L.C | AED 2,153 | 105 |
| Villea West | Off-plan | Jumeirah Garden City | PALMRIDGE REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT L.L.C | AED 2,381 | 79 |
| Rabdan Gardens | Off-plan | Jumeirah Garden City | RABDAN GARDENS REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENTS L.L.C | AED 2,216 | 78 |
| Garden City 2 | Completed | Jumeirah Garden City | – | AED 1,692 | 48 |
| Elmora | Off-plan | Jumeirah Garden City | NEOTERRA REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT L.L.C | AED 2,792 | 48 |
| The Elysian | Off-plan | Jumeirah Garden City | NEW M F O U R REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT L.L.C | AED 2,230 | 48 |
| Enso Amber | Off-plan | Jumeirah Garden City | ENSO DEVELOPMENT L.L.C | AED 2,161 | 37 |
Source: Dubai Land Department sale records and project register, as built into BUY DUBAI on 15 October 2026. Price per sq ft is a median of apartment sales. Yield is asking rent against sold price. Dates are registration dates.
Where is Al Satwa in Dubai
Al Satwa lies south-west of Bur Dubai, with Jumeirah to the north and Sheikh Zayed Road (E11) as its southern boundary.
Wikipedia says Satwa lies south-west of Bur Dubai. It says Satwa borders Jumeirah to the north. It says E11, Sheikh Zayed Road, forms the southern boundary.
Khaleej Times describes the neighbourhood as bordered by Jumeirah and Bur Dubai. This article dates from about 2018.
Wikipedia gives the coordinates of Al Satwa as about 25°13′09″N 55°16′21″E.
Neighbouring communities
The sources name these neighbours of Al Satwa:
- Jumeirah: To the north, according to Wikipedia. Khaleej Times also names Jumeirah as a border.
- Bur Dubai: To the north-east. Wikipedia says Satwa lies south-west of Bur Dubai. Khaleej Times names Bur Dubai as a border.
- Al Bada'a: Community 333. Wikipedia says Al Bada'a borders Jumeirah, Al Hudaiba and Al Satwa.
- Al Wasl: To the west. Wikipedia says Al Wasl has Al Satwa on its east side.
- Trade Centre 2: Community 336. Wikipedia says it lies along Sheikh Zayed Road.
- Jumeirah 1, Al Hudaiba, Al Karama and Oud Metha: HiDubai Focus, a local guide, places Satwa near these areas. The guide dates from about April 2024.
Al Bada'a and the road edges
Wikipedia says Al Bada'a is bounded by Al Wasl Road and Al Satwa Road. It gives Al Wasl Road the route number D92. It gives Al Satwa Road the route number D90.
Al Bada'a has the community number 333. Al Satwa has the number 334. Trade Centre 2 has the number 336. Wikipedia gives these three numbers.
The Sheikh Zayed Road side
Dubai Online says World Trade Centre Metro Station sits on Sheikh Zayed Road. It says the station lies between the Dubai World Trade Centre and Al Satwa. The page dates from about July 2022.
Wikipedia says Al Wasl lies between the first and second interchanges of E11. This gives a reference point for the Sheikh Zayed Road interchanges west of Satwa. We could not confirm which interchange numbers serve Satwa directly.
Where is Jumeirah Garden City?
Sources disagree on the position of Jumeirah Garden City relative to Satwa.
- Wikipedia places Jumeirah Garden City north of Sheikh Zayed Road. It says the plan lies between Diyafa Street and Safa Park.
- Oliva, a broker guide, places it between Sheikh Zayed Road on the east and the Al Wasl Road corridor on the west. The same guide says it is "north of Satwa and south of Jumeirah".
Other sources describe Jumeirah Garden City as land inside Al Satwa. The sources do not agree on whether JGC is inside Satwa, next to Satwa or both. We could not confirm the exact boundary.
Landmarks at the edges
Khaleej Times says Union House lies at the far end of 2nd December Street. This street was formerly Diyafah Street.
Wikipedia says Safa Park is bordered by Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Wasl Road, Al Hadiqa Street and 55th Street. Wikipedia places Safa Park about 10.5 kilometres south-west of the traditional city centre.
Sources: Wikipedia, Al Satwa, undated; Khaleej Times, Satwa: A bustling low-rise suburb in Dubai, c. 2018; Wikipedia, Al Bada, undated; Wikipedia, Al Wasl, Dubai, undated; Wikipedia, Trade Centre 2, undated; Dubai Online, Dubai World Trade Centre Metro Station, c. Jul 2022; HiDubai Focus, A guide to the Al Satwa area in Dubai, c. Apr 2024; Wikipedia, Jumeirah Garden City, undated; Oliva, Jumeirah Garden City: Complete Investor Guide 2026, c. 29 Apr 2026; Wikipedia, Safa Park, undated
Al Satwa roads, traffic, parking and transport
Al Satwa has no metro station inside it, but feeder buses link Satwa Bus Station to World Trade Centre, Emirates Towers and Financial Centre stations on the Red Line.
Main roads
Khaleej Times says the two busiest streets in Satwa are 2nd December Street and Al Satwa Road. The article dates from about 2018.
- Sheikh Zayed Road (E11): The southern boundary of Al Satwa, according to Wikipedia.
- Al Satwa Road (D90): One of the two busiest streets, according to Khaleej Times. Wikipedia gives the route number D90.
- 2nd December Street: The other busy street, according to Khaleej Times. Its former name is Diyafah Street. Some sources spell it Al Dhiyafa Street.
- Al Wasl Road (D92): A boundary road of Al Bada'a, according to Wikipedia. Oliva names the Al Wasl Road corridor as an edge of Jumeirah Garden City.
Sheikh Zayed Road exits
We could not confirm the Sheikh Zayed Road exit or interchange numbers that serve Satwa. We found no authoritative source for them.
Wikipedia says Al Wasl lies between the first and second interchanges of E11. Al Wasl lies west of Satwa. This places the first two interchanges near the western side of Satwa. We could not confirm which exit drivers use for each part of Satwa.
Metro
The sources name four Red Line stations near Al Satwa. None of the sources places a station inside the community.
- World Trade Centre: Wikipedia says the station opened on 15 May 2010. It gives the station code 22 and fare zone 6. Dubai Online says it sits between the Dubai World Trade Centre and Al Satwa.
- Emirates Towers: Wikipedia says the station opened on 30 April 2010.
- Financial Centre: Wikipedia says the station opened on 9 September 2009.
- Max (formerly Al Jafilia): Wikipedia says the station serves Al Jafilia and nearby areas. It says the station opened on 9 September 2009.
Dubai Online says World Trade Centre station is on the Red Line. It says Red Line trains go direct to Dubai International Airport, Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina and JLT.
Buses and feeders
Wikipedia says World Trade Centre station connects to buses 98E, F11 and F28. It says these buses serve Al Satwa.
Wikipedia says Emirates Towers station connects to the same three routes. These are 98E, F11 and F28.
Wikipedia says Financial Centre station connects to feeder F11 to Al Satwa.
A local blog says Satwa Bus Station is on Al Dhiyafa Street, near the Satwa Roundabout. Al Dhiyafa Street is another name for 2nd December Street. The blog page dates from 8 June 2026. We could not confirm this location with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
Drive times
Oliva, a broker guide, gives drive times from the Jumeirah Garden City area. It gives about 8 to 12 minutes to Downtown Dubai. It gives about 7 to 10 minutes to DIFC.
The guide does not say what traffic conditions these times assume. It is a single broker source. We could not confirm these times with RTA data.
Traffic and parking
We could not confirm parking rules, parking zones or parking fees for Al Satwa. Our sources do not cover them.
We could not confirm traffic data for Al Satwa. Khaleej Times calls the area "bustling". It names 2nd December Street and Al Satwa Road as the busiest streets. These statements do not give traffic counts.
Sources: Khaleej Times, Satwa: A bustling low-rise suburb in Dubai, c. 2018; Wikipedia, Al Satwa, undated; Wikipedia, Al Bada, undated; Wikipedia, Al Wasl, Dubai, undated; satwaroundaboutdubai.com, Satwa Bus Station Complete Guide 2026, 8 Jun 2026; Oliva, Jumeirah Garden City: Complete Investor Guide 2026, c. 29 Apr 2026; Dubai Online, Dubai World Trade Centre Metro Station, c. Jul 2022; Wikipedia, World Trade Centre (Dubai Metro), undated; Wikipedia, Financial Centre (Dubai Metro), undated; Wikipedia, Emirates Towers (Dubai Metro), undated; Wikipedia, Max (Dubai Metro), undated
Living in Al Satwa
Al Satwa is a dense, low-rise, street-based community where daily life centres on the shops and cafes of 2nd December Street and Al Satwa Road.
Shops and streets
Khaleej Times names 2nd December Street and Al Satwa Road as the two busiest streets. It says cafes, restaurants, tailors, garment shops, supermarkets and electronics shops line these streets.
Wikipedia describes Satwa as a community of high-density retail outlets and private residential dwellings.
The shop types that Khaleej Times names are:
- Cafes
- Restaurants
- Tailors
- Garment shops
- Supermarkets
- Electronics shops
Malls
We could not confirm the names of shopping malls in or near Al Satwa. Our sources do not name any mall.
Parks
2GIS map listings show park names such as "Satwa Phase 1 Park 1B". This name suggests that small parks in Satwa have phase numbers. We could not confirm the number, size or location of these parks.
Wikipedia says Safa Park is bordered by Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Wasl Road, Al Hadiqa Street and 55th Street. Al Wasl Road also runs along the western side of the Satwa area. We could not confirm the distance from Satwa to Safa Park.
Clinics and hospitals
We could not confirm the names of clinics or hospitals in Al Satwa. Our sources do not list them with a usable reference.
Mosques
We could not confirm the names of mosques in Al Satwa. Our sources do not list them.
Homes and building height
Khaleej Times calls Satwa "low-rise". Wikipedia mentions "private residential dwellings".
Lavinia Properties says buildings in Jumeirah Garden City are limited to ground plus eight floors (G+8). Bazaar Times reported that Alaia Developments' freehold Satwa project is G+10 with 56 units. Sources disagree on the height limit. We could not confirm the official rule.
Density
Wikipedia gives a density of about 14,300 people per square kilometre. This figure uses the 2017 population and the 2.87 square kilometre area. See "Who lives in Al Satwa" for more detail.
What we could not confirm
We could not confirm these points for Al Satwa:
- Names of malls and large supermarkets
- Names and locations of clinics and hospitals
- Names and locations of mosques
- The full list of public parks
- Gyms, sports facilities and community centres
Sources: Khaleej Times, Satwa: A bustling low-rise suburb in Dubai, c. 2018; Wikipedia, Al Satwa, undated; 2GIS, Satwa park search, undated; Wikipedia, Safa Park, undated; Lavinia Properties, Jumeirah Garden City Investment Guide 2026, c. 27 Apr 2026; Bazaar Times, Dubai's Satwa Transforms into Freehold Hub Under 2040 Urban Master Plan, c. 5 Feb 2025
Schools in and near Al Satwa
We could not confirm which KHDA-rated schools are in or near Al Satwa, because our sources do not list them.
The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) is the authority in the brief for school ratings. Our research does not include a KHDA list for Al Satwa.
We could not confirm these points:
- The names of schools inside Al Satwa
- The names of schools in nearby communities
- The KHDA rating of any school near Satwa
- The curricula that nearby schools teach
Nearby communities to check
HiDubai Focus places Satwa near Jumeirah 1, Al Hudaiba, Al Karama and Oud Metha. Wikipedia names Jumeirah, Bur Dubai, Al Bada'a and Al Wasl as neighbours. Families can search the KHDA records for schools in these communities. We could not confirm any school in these areas from our sources.
Getting to school
Wikipedia says buses 98E, F11 and F28 link Al Satwa to nearby metro stations. We could not confirm school bus routes for Satwa.
Sources: HiDubai Focus, A guide to the Al Satwa area in Dubai, c. Apr 2024; Wikipedia, Al Satwa, undated; Wikipedia, World Trade Centre (Dubai Metro), undated
Who lives in Al Satwa
About 41,000 people live in Al Satwa, according to figures based on Dubai Statistics Center data, which makes it one of the denser communities in Dubai.
Population
Sources disagree on the population of Al Satwa. The official-derived figures are close to each other. One blog figure is much higher.
- 40,958 (2017): Wikipedia gives this population for 2017.
- 40,997 (2021): A Wikiwand list of Dubai communities gives this population for 2021. It cites the Dubai Statistics Center Population Bulletin 2022.
- 62,000 (2026): The blog satwaroundaboutdubai.com gives this figure. It gives no source. We could not confirm this figure.
The 2017 and 2021 figures differ by only 39 people. Both figures come from official data or from pages that cite official data.
Density
Wikipedia gives a density of about 14,300 people per square kilometre. The blog satwaroundaboutdubai.com gives a density above 35,000 per square kilometre. The blog uses a smaller area of about 1.8 square kilometres. Sources disagree on density. We could not confirm the blog figures.
Future residents
Wikipedia says the Jumeirah Garden City master plan targets 50,000 to 60,000 residents. Sources disagree on how much of JGC lies inside Satwa. So we could not confirm how many future residents will live inside Al Satwa itself.
Nationalities and household types
We could not confirm the nationality mix, household size or age profile of Al Satwa residents. Our sources do not give these data.
Aigents Realty says the older, traditional parts of Satwa remain leasehold and are restricted to GCC nationals. This is about property ownership, not about who rents or lives there. We could not confirm this rule with an official source.
Sources: Wikipedia, Al Satwa, undated; Wikiwand, List of communities in Dubai (cites DSC Population Bulletin 2022), c. 2025; satwaroundaboutdubai.com, Complete History of Al Satwa Dubai, c. 25 Apr 2026; Wikipedia, Jumeirah Garden City, undated; Aigents Realty, Al Satwa Area Guide 2026, c. 27 May 2026
Al Satwa service charges and running costs
We could not confirm service charges or district cooling arrangements for Al Satwa, because our sources do not include RERA service charge index data for the community.
Service charges
The RERA service charge index is the reference named in the brief. Our research does not include RERA index entries for any Satwa building.
We could not confirm these points:
- Service charge rates for buildings in Al Satwa
- Service charge rates for freehold projects in Jumeirah Garden City
- Which Satwa buildings appear in the RERA index
Why title type matters for running costs
Sources disagree on the freehold status of Al Satwa. dataHabibi says freehold land and older leasehold or government land can mix within the same district.
The Dubai Land Department FAQ says freehold and long-term rental project land goes through the developer's online system. It says land in old non-freehold areas goes through Real Estate Service Trustee Centres or the Customer Happiness Department. The route for a plot can affect how owners deal with DLD. We could not confirm how this affects service charges in Satwa.
Cooling
We could not confirm whether any Satwa building uses district cooling. We could not confirm the cooling provider for any Satwa project.
Buyers should check
- The title type of the plot, with DLD
- The building's service charge entry, with RERA
- The cooling system and provider, with the developer
Sources: Dubai Land Department, Frequently Asked Questions, c. Oct 2026; dataHabibi, Freehold Property in Dubai: 2026 Hotspots, c. 11 Jul 2026; Dubricks, Al Satwa, undated
New projects and what is coming to Al Satwa
The main change in Al Satwa is the move from leasehold to freehold plots, which lets developers sell units under multiple title deeds, with Jumeirah Garden City as the main redevelopment plan.
Leasehold to freehold
Bazaar Times reported in about February 2025 that plots in Satwa changed from long-term leasehold to freehold. It says that before the change, a plot could have only one title deed. It says a developer can now sell units under multiple title deeds.
Provident Estate, a broker blog, says this change is part of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan. The Bazaar Times headline also links the change to the 2040 plan. We could not confirm this link with a government document.
The 457-plot conversion
Two sources describe a DLD conversion of 457 plots from leasehold to freehold. The sources do not agree on all the details.
- Apil Properties says DLD sanctioned 457 plots on Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Jaddaf for conversion.
- dataHabibi dates the 457-plot conversion to January 2025. It says 128 of the plots lie along Sheikh Zayed Road, starting at the Trade Centre Roundabout.
Neither source confirms that Satwa plots are in this group. We could not confirm this.
Jumeirah Garden City
Lavinia Properties says Meraas cleared Satwa land and built roads, utilities and public spaces. It says Meraas then sold freehold plots to developers. It gives a figure of about 340 plots. We could not confirm the plot count with DLD.
Wikipedia says the Jumeirah Garden City plan targets 50,000 to 60,000 residents. It gives an envisioned built-up area of 14,000,000 square metres.
Named projects
- Alaia Developments: Bazaar Times reported a freehold Satwa project by Alaia Developments. It says the building is G+10 with 56 units.
We could not confirm the names of other new launches in Al Satwa. We could not confirm handover dates for any project.
Height limits
Lavinia Properties says buildings in Jumeirah Garden City are limited to G+8. The Alaia project is reported as G+10. Sources disagree on the height limit. We could not confirm the official rule.
Transport plans
We could not confirm any new metro, tram or road project for Al Satwa. Our sources do not describe one.
Sources: Bazaar Times, Dubai's Satwa Transforms into Freehold Hub Under 2040 Urban Master Plan, c. 5 Feb 2025; Provident Estate, Satwa District: Dubai's New Freehold Investment Goldmine, c. 8 Mar 2025; Apil Properties, Non-Freehold Areas in Dubai 2026, c. 25 Dec 2025; dataHabibi, Freehold Property in Dubai: 2026 Hotspots, c. 11 Jul 2026; Lavinia Properties, Jumeirah Garden City Investment Guide 2026, c. 27 Apr 2026; Wikipedia, Jumeirah Garden City, undated
Al Satwa history
Al Satwa is one of Dubai's older inner-city communities, and our sources record its main changes as the arrival of nearby metro stations in 2009 and 2010 and the move towards freehold from 2025.
An older inner-city area
Apil Properties lists Satwa among the older inner-city areas of Dubai. It puts Satwa with Deira, Bur Dubai, Oud Metha, Karama, Rigga and Port Saeed.
A local blog, satwaroundaboutdubai.com, has a history page titled "From 1970s to 2026". The blog gives no sources. We could not confirm the early history of Al Satwa from our sources.
Street names
Khaleej Times says the main street is now 2nd December Street. It says the street was formerly Diyafah Street. Other sources spell the old name Diyafa or Al Dhiyafa. We could not confirm the date of the name change.
Khaleej Times says Union House lies at the far end of 2nd December Street.
Timeline
- 9 September 2009: Financial Centre and Max (then Al Jafilia) metro stations open, according to Wikipedia.
- 30 April 2010: Emirates Towers metro station opens, according to Wikipedia.
- 15 May 2010: World Trade Centre metro station opens, according to Wikipedia.
- 2017: Al Satwa has a population of 40,958, according to Wikipedia.
- c. 2018: Khaleej Times describes Satwa as "a bustling low-rise suburb".
- 2021: Al Satwa has a population of 40,997, according to a Wikiwand list citing the Dubai Statistics Center.
- January 2025: dataHabibi dates a DLD conversion of 457 plots to freehold to this month. It does not confirm Satwa plots are included.
- c. February 2025: Bazaar Times reports that Satwa plots changed from leasehold to freehold.
Jumeirah Garden City
Lavinia Properties says Meraas acquired and cleared Satwa land for Jumeirah Garden City. We could not confirm when Meraas started this work.
Sources: Apil Properties, Non-Freehold Areas in Dubai 2026, c. 25 Dec 2025; satwaroundaboutdubai.com, Complete History of Al Satwa Dubai, c. 25 Apr 2026; Khaleej Times, Satwa: A bustling low-rise suburb in Dubai, c. 2018; Wikipedia, Financial Centre (Dubai Metro), undated; Wikipedia, Max (Dubai Metro), undated; Wikipedia, Emirates Towers (Dubai Metro), undated; Wikipedia, World Trade Centre (Dubai Metro), undated; Wikipedia, Al Satwa, undated; Wikiwand, List of communities in Dubai, c. 2025; dataHabibi, Freehold Property in Dubai: 2026 Hotspots, c. 11 Jul 2026; Bazaar Times, Dubai's Satwa Transforms into Freehold Hub Under 2040 Urban Master Plan, c. 5 Feb 2025; Lavinia Properties, Jumeirah Garden City Investment Guide 2026, c. 27 Apr 2026
Al Satwa vs Jumeirah, Al Wasl, Karama, Downtown Dubai, Business Bay
Al Satwa sits between Jumeirah and Sheikh Zayed Road, next to Al Wasl, and it is an older inner-city area like Karama, while Downtown Dubai and Business Bay lie further along the Red Line and road network.
Our sources give limited data for these comparisons. The points below use only what the sources say.
Al Satwa vs Jumeirah
- Wikipedia says Jumeirah borders Satwa to the north.
- Khaleej Times names Jumeirah as a border of the neighbourhood.
- Oliva places Jumeirah Garden City "north of Satwa and south of Jumeirah". Sources disagree on this position.
- HiDubai Focus names Jumeirah 1 as an area near Satwa.
Al Satwa vs Al Wasl
- Wikipedia says Al Wasl has Al Satwa to its east.
- Wikipedia says Al Wasl lies between the first and second interchanges of E11.
- Wikipedia says Al Wasl borders Jumeirah to the north and Business Bay to the south.
- Al Wasl Road (D92) runs along the edge of the Satwa area, according to Wikipedia and Oliva.
Al Satwa vs Karama
- Apil Properties lists both Satwa and Karama as older inner-city non-freehold areas.
- HiDubai Focus names Al Karama as an area near Satwa.
- Bazaar Times reported that Satwa plots moved to freehold. We could not confirm a similar change for Karama.
Al Satwa vs Downtown Dubai
- Dubai Online says Red Line trains from World Trade Centre station go direct to Downtown Dubai.
- Oliva gives a drive time of about 8 to 12 minutes from the JGC area to Downtown. We could not confirm this time.
- We could not confirm the title type, density or population of Downtown Dubai from our sources.
Al Satwa vs Business Bay
- Wikipedia says Business Bay borders Al Wasl to the south. Al Wasl lies west of Satwa.
- We could not confirm a drive time from Satwa to Business Bay.
- We could not confirm the title type, density or population of Business Bay from our sources.
Summary table in words
Satwa has about 41,000 residents on 2.7 to 2.87 square kilometres, based on Dubai Statistics Center and Wikipedia figures. Its title status is mixed. Its main draw in the sources is street retail. Our sources do not give the same data for the five other areas. So we cannot give a full side-by-side comparison.
Sources: Wikipedia, Al Satwa, undated; Khaleej Times, Satwa: A bustling low-rise suburb in Dubai, c. 2018; Oliva, Jumeirah Garden City: Complete Investor Guide 2026, c. 29 Apr 2026; HiDubai Focus, A guide to the Al Satwa area in Dubai, c. Apr 2024; Wikipedia, Al Wasl, Dubai, undated; Apil Properties, Non-Freehold Areas in Dubai 2026, c. 25 Dec 2025; Bazaar Times, Dubai's Satwa Transforms into Freehold Hub Under 2040 Urban Master Plan, c. 5 Feb 2025; Dubai Online, Dubai World Trade Centre Metro Station, c. Jul 2022; Wikiwand, List of communities in Dubai, c. 2025
Common questions about Al Satwa
These answers use only the sources listed below, and they say where sources disagree or where we could not confirm a point.
Is Al Satwa freehold?
Sources disagree. Bazaar Times reported in about February 2025 that Satwa plots changed from leasehold to freehold. Dubricks and Apil Properties list Satwa as non-freehold. dataHabibi says buyers must check the title type plot by plot.
Can foreigners buy property in Al Satwa?
We could not confirm this for every plot. Aigents Realty says Jumeirah Garden City parts are freehold zones. It says older parts are leasehold and for GCC nationals only. Neither claim has an official citation.
Who is the master developer of Al Satwa?
Sources disagree. Dubricks names Dubai Municipality. Lavinia Properties says Meraas cleared the land and sold freehold plots in the Jumeirah Garden City plan. We could not confirm one master developer.
How big is Al Satwa?
Sources disagree. Wikipedia and Wikidata give 2.87 square kilometres. A Wikiwand list citing the Dubai Statistics Center gives 2.7 square kilometres. A blog gives about 1.8 square kilometres without a source.
How many people live in Al Satwa?
Wikipedia gives 40,958 people in 2017. A Wikiwand list citing the Dubai Statistics Center gives 40,997 in 2021. A blog gives 62,000 for 2026. We could not confirm the blog figure.
Is there a metro station in Al Satwa?
Our sources do not place a station inside Satwa. Dubai Online says World Trade Centre station sits between the Dubai World Trade Centre and Al Satwa. Emirates Towers, Financial Centre and Max stations are also nearby.
Which buses serve Al Satwa?
Wikipedia says routes 98E, F11 and F28 serve Al Satwa. They connect to World Trade Centre and Emirates Towers stations. Wikipedia says F11 also connects to Financial Centre station.
What are the main streets in Al Satwa?
Khaleej Times says the two busiest streets are 2nd December Street and Al Satwa Road. 2nd December Street was formerly Diyafah Street. Sheikh Zayed Road forms the southern boundary, according to Wikipedia.
What shops are in Al Satwa?
Khaleej Times says cafes, restaurants, tailors, garment shops, supermarkets and electronics shops line the main streets. We could not confirm the names of malls in or near Satwa.
What is Jumeirah Garden City?
Wikipedia describes it as a master plan of 9,000,000 square metres for 50,000 to 60,000 residents. Lavinia Properties says Meraas sold about 340 freehold plots to developers. Sources disagree on where JGC sits relative to Satwa.
How tall can new buildings in Al Satwa be?
Sources disagree. Lavinia Properties says Jumeirah Garden City buildings are limited to G+8. Bazaar Times reported an Alaia Developments project in Satwa at G+10 with 56 units.
Which schools are near Al Satwa?
We could not confirm this. Our sources do not list KHDA-rated schools in or near Al Satwa. Families should check KHDA records for Satwa and nearby areas such as Jumeirah, Al Wasl and Karama.
Sources: Bazaar Times, Dubai's Satwa Transforms into Freehold Hub Under 2040 Urban Master Plan, c. 5 Feb 2025; Dubricks, Al Satwa, undated; Apil Properties, Non-Freehold Areas in Dubai 2026, c. 25 Dec 2025; dataHabibi, Freehold Property in Dubai: 2026 Hotspots, c. 11 Jul 2026; Aigents Realty, Al Satwa Area Guide 2026, c. 27 May 2026; Lavinia Properties, Jumeirah Garden City Investment Guide 2026, c. 27 Apr 2026; Wikipedia, Al Satwa, undated; Wikidata, Al Satwa (Q4119914), undated; Wikiwand, List of communities in Dubai, c. 2025; satwaroundaboutdubai.com, Complete History of Al Satwa Dubai, c. 25 Apr 2026; Dubai Online, Dubai World Trade Centre Metro Station, c. Jul 2022; Wikipedia, World Trade Centre (Dubai Metro), undated; Wikipedia, Financial Centre (Dubai Metro), undated; Khaleej Times, Satwa: A bustling low-rise suburb in Dubai, c. 2018; Wikipedia, Jumeirah Garden City, undated