Al Rigga, Deira

Adjacent to Dubai Creek in the bustling Deira district, Al Rigga, Dubai is a thriving sub-community featuring commercial and apartment buildings in addition to government offices and retail options. It is one of the top areas for renting in Deira Dubai, home to many hotels, public transport links and retail centres.

The sub-community sits at a strategic location with Dubai Creek while Deira Corniche and Al Maktoum Bridge are only 10 minutes away. Moreover, schools, malls and many other leisure spots are within a short distance. Al Maktoum Road (D89) and Baniyas Road (D85) pass through the sub-community while the lively Al Rigga Road is adjoined to it.

Deira, the oldest commercial district of Dubai is popular for being a trading hub and for its traditional sites, apartments, offices and recreational spots. As per Bayut’s Annual Market Report for Dubai 2021, the area is also popular for renting affordable apartments in Dubai.

• A sub-community in Deira
• Consists of apartment and office buildings
• Offers studio to 4-bed units and offices
• Features many restaurants and malls
• Adjacent to Dubai Creek
• Opposite Bur Dubai

Al Rigga, like other sub-districts in Deira features a lively community, with an array of restaurants, malls, retail outlets and transportation means. The area is suitable for families as well as professionals, for they will find apartments and offices in different configurations.

Points of interest in the area are:

• A wide range of apartments and offices
• Choice of restaurants, malls and clinics
• Easy access to transportation means

Bustling bylanes, traditional architecture and old souks add to the charm of Old Dubai. With Deira being a greater part of the district, Al Rigga is counted among the best areas to rent apartments in Old Dubai offering affordability and convenience.

Al Rigga, Dubai has different types of buildings that offer properties including:

• Apartments
• Fully fitted offices
• Shops

Al Rigga ranks as one of the most in-demand communities when it comes to renting flats in Deira. Prospective residents can choose from many studio to 3-bed units as well as a few 4-bedroom apartments.

Studio apartments cover a floor area between 300 sq. ft. and 500 sq. ft. and come with an open kitchen, bathroom and a balcony in some cases. 1-bedroom apartments measure between 500 sq. ft. and 1,100 sq. ft. that feature a bedroom with an attached bathroom too.

Likewise, 2-bedroom apartments cover a built up area between 850 sq. ft. and 2,300 sq. ft. whereas, 3 BHK flats cover from 1,047 sq. ft. to 3,564 sq. ft. The largest units in the area, 4-bedroom apartments measure around 1,829 sq. ft.

Deira also ranks as one of Dubai’s best areas for renting offices, owing to the aspect of affordability, proximity to other commercial areas and a large range of units. Similarly, the sub-community houses many mixed-use and commercial buildings, which offer fully fitted and furnished offices as well as shops and showrooms.

Depending on the requirement, one can find small office units that measure from 50 sq. ft. to 700 sq. ft. or opt for large office spaces covering up to 8,000 sq. ft. of built up area.

Shops have built-up areas starting from 220 sq. ft. and go up to more than 12,000 sq. ft. These come in different configurations, with some featuring cemented floors while some have tiled flooring or marble flooring and come with the necessary fixtures and fittings.

For renting apartments in Al Rigga, those interested can take reference from the listed trends. The apartments are available in studio to 4-bed units and rank amongst the most popular Deira apartments for rent.

• Depending on the unit configuration, you can rent a studio apartment in Al Rigga for anywhere between AED 28K and AED 50K.
• The rent of 1-bedrooms apartments in Al Rigga ranges between AED 35K and AED 62K.
• 2-bedroom apartments for rent in Al Rigga are available for a rental range starting from AED 45K going up to AED 120K. 
• For renting 3-bedroom apartments in Al Rigga, you can expect to shell out from AED 65K to AED 140K.
• A 4-bedroom apartment can cost you around AED 120K on an annual basis.

For a detailed insight into apartment rents, one can look for rental transactions for apartments in Al Rigga.

Offices for rent in Al Rigga have a diverse rental range owing to their different built-up areas. These start from AED 1.1K for smaller units and go up to AED 2.9M for expansive office spaces. The wide range of offices in Al Rigga and its parent community make Deira offices for rent amongst the best in the city.

Shops in Al Rigga can be rented for anywhere between AED 23K to AED 1.2M depending on their size and configuration.

The community is concentrated in different types of hotels, ranging from 1-star regular hotels to renowned and chic 5-star hotels. Some of the cheaper hotels in Al Rigga, Deira are:

• Royalton Hotel – 2-star hotel
• Panorama – 2-star hotel
• Al Jawhara Metro – 2-star hotel
• Sadaf Hotel – 3-star hotel
• Al Khaleej Grand – 3-star hotel

For those interested in staying in high-end posh hotels boasting of better amenities and suites, the community has many 4-star and 5-star hotels too, such as:

• Carlton Tower – 4-star hotel
• Hyatt Place Dubai Baniyas Square – 4-star hotel
• Best Western Plus Pearl Creek – 4-star hotel
• Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek – 5-star hotel

Many of the best hotels in Deira, such as Crowne Plaza Dubai, Pullman Dubai Creek City Centre Hotel and Hyatt Regency Dubai are located in the neighbouring sub-communities.

Since the community is made up of buildings, residents of apartment buildings receive free parking spaces in the ground or basement levels of their buildings. For more spaces, individuals can choose to park their cars in the street.

Al Rigga, Deira is well-developed in terms of transportation means, which are not limited to buses only and in fact include the Dubai Metro, taxis and cabs.

Union Metro Station lies within the borders of Al Rigga, while many other metro stations are available in the neighbouring communities. These include Baniyas Square Metro Station, Salah Al Din Metro Station, Al Rigga Metro Station and Abu Baker Al Siddique Metro Station.

Being a transfer station, Union Metro Station serves both the Green and the Red Line along with being a transfer point for those commuting from Sharjah and Ajman. Moreover, it is one of the busiest metro stations in the city, for being in proximity to the Dubai Economic Department, Dubai Land Department and other government areas.

One will find bus stops and bus stations in Al Rigga in abundance, most of which are accessible by foot. These include Union Square Bus Station, Union Metro Station A Bus Station, Memorial Plaza Bus Station, Dubai Intercontinental Hotel Bus Stop, Dubai Municipality Headquarters Bus Stop and Al Sabkha Marine Transport Station. The multiple options make it convenient to travel using the Dubai RTA-controlled buses with ease.

Public taxis and cabs are a viable option for commuting too. Individuals can use ride-hailing apps like Uber and Careem or booking cabs or catch taxis in the area, or at the taxi stands in proximity.

There is a wide variety of supermarkets in Al Rigga to shop from, with each boasting of different kinds of groceries and essentials. Some of these supermarkets include:

• Wemart – Al Wasl Building Block B
• Choithrams – Dubai Towers
• New West Zone Supermarket – Al Owais Building
• Carrefour Supermarket – Union Metro Station Entrance 2
• ZOOM – Baniyas Square Metro Station

Wemart is a Chinese supermarket that stocks up on different kinds of Asian goods. The rest of the listed supermarkets are some of the best supermarkets in Dubai, as they feature a vast range of products that are not only limited to food items and basic groceries.

Choithrams has also fared well for its croissants, cakes and other kinds of creamy items while West Zone supermarkets remain the most popular among Filipino expats in Dubai. ZOOM is a chain of convenience stores in the UAE while Carrefour SA operates the Carrefour supermarkets in Dubai and the UAE.

The community mosque in Al Rigga is located near the Union Metro Station. A number of mosques are located outside the community borders too, which include:

• Muhammed Ibnu Mahiyya Mosque – 19, Al Maktoum Hospital Road, Naif
• Al Maktoum Hospital Mosque – 208/2, Omar Bin Al Khattab Road, Naif
• Late Omar Ali Bin Haider Mosque – 1, 5b Street, Al Muraqqabat
• Hamda Bint Mohammed Mosque – 2, 22a Street, Al Muteena
• Sheikh Ahmad Bin Rashid Bin Shabib Mosque – 18, Sikka 18b Street, Al Buteen

You can reach all of these mosques by driving from 5 to 10 minutes in the neighbouring communities.

By taking a drive of 14 minutes, residents can reach the temples in Bur Dubai. Being one of the oldest areas in the city, Bur Dubai has received many Indian expats that called for the need of a temple too. With time, many temples had been erected to cater to the demands for the different Hindu devotees.

The Sikh community can head over to Guru Nanak Darbar Gurudwara by taking a 30 to 32-minute drive through Sheikh Zayed Road. Enjoying a strategic location in Jebel Ali, the Gurudwara is the largest in the Gulf region and remains open to all sorts of individuals throughout the year.

For the Christians, there are plenty of churches in Dubai, which include churches and groups of different sects of Christianity too. The closest options are:

• All Nations Tabernacle – Chilanka Music Institute, Hor Al Anz
• Jesus is Lord Mission International – Pearl City Suite, Port Saeed
• St. Mary’s Catholic Church – Umm Hurair 2, Bur Dubai
• Christian Fellowship Church – St. Andrew’s Hall, Holy Trinity Church, Bur Dubai

All Nationals Tabernacle is the closest option at a 9-minute drive while the rest of the churches are reachable within 14 minutes. St. Mary’s Catholic Church was the first church in the city and serves the largest parish in the area now.

The community itself does not consist of schooling options, which is why residents will have to drive to other sub-communities and reach some of the other schools in Deira Dubai, or look for options towards the northern side of Dubai, which is close to the Dubai – Sharjah border.

Some of the most popular schools near Al Rigga include:

• Little Flower English School – Hor Al Anz
• The Elite English School – Al Wuheida
• Al Khaleej National School – Al Garhoud
• Cambridge International School – Al Garhoud
• The Millennium School – Al Qusais

Located in Hor Al Anz at a 12-minute drive, Little Flower English School is a primary school that offers classes up to the Year 6, from KG1. Following the CBSE curriculum, its focus revolves around providing quality education at a primary level.

14 minutes away is The Elite English School, which is a private K-12 school offering classes for students from the ages 3 to 17. Located in Al Wuheida, the school follows the Indian Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) curriculum and ranks amongst the cheapest schools in Dubai.

You can reach Al Khaleej National School, Cambridge International School and The Millennium School in 18 minutes. Al Khaleej National School and Cambridge International School are located in Al Garhoud while The Millennium School lies in Al Qusais.

Partnered with the GEMS Group, Cambridge International School (CIS) follows the British curriculum and offers education from foundation level to A level. It is a private and co-education school where students can choose from the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) in Year 9 too.

The Millennium School is part of the GEMS Education Group and follows the CBSE curriculum for students enrolled in KG1 throughout Grade 12. Al Khaleej National School (AKNS) follows the American curriculum while adopting the Ministry of Education (MOE) subjects like Arabic studies, Social Studies and Islamic Education. It is a private and co-ed school with classes from Kindergarten to high school.

Within the community, there are a number of multi-specialty clinics including dental clinics too. Some of the medical centres and clinics in Al Rigga are:

• Baniyas – Al Masaeed Building
• Dr. Rasool’s Healthcare – Sheikh Rashid Building
• Al Aman – 12, Baniyas Road
• Mahboubi – Baniyas Tower
• Marhaba – Bin Jarsh Building
• Ultra Care Medical Group – Sheikha Mariam Building

These medical facilities are easily accessible from any part of Deira.

Bordering Al Rigga are similar sub-communities of Deira, which feature a mixture of residential, commercial and retail options. To the east of Al Rigga lies Riggat Al Buteen, which offers many waterfront apartments and is home to the Dhow Wharfage.

To the north of Al Rigga is the Al Muteena community, which is another mixed-use area made up of residential, commercial and municipal buildings. A few minutes away towards the eastern side is Port Saeed that is the oldest commercial district in the UAE.

Opposite Al Rigga lies Bur Dubai, on the other side of Dubai Creek. Bur Dubai is a widespread community with several sub-communities as well, making it amongst the largest residential hubs in Dubai.

Some of the top malls in Deira Dubai are located in proximity to the community of Al Rigga within a drive of 5 to 8 minutes. These include:

• Reef Mall – Al Muraqqabat
• Al Ghurair Centre – Al Muraqqabat
• Abraj Shopping Centre – Naif
• City Centre Deira – Port Saeed

Reef Mall has plenty of high-end stores such as Xpressions and Brands4U as well as a car wash service, baby changing and prayer rooms.

Al Ghurair Centre is the oldest shopping mall in Dubai, located in the neighbouring Al Muraqqabat community. Having opened in 1981, it was the first shopping mall in the city and houses stores featuring more than 150 international brands. Moreover, it has an 18-screen Reel Cinema and many eateries too.

Abraj Shopping Centre is amongst the oldest malls in Deira Dubai and fulfils your shopping requirements within the area only. Moreover, it has a food court for satisfying your appetite too.

City Centre Deira is another popular shopping mall, which has a Carrefour hypermarket, a branch of Magic Planet and VOX Cinemas in addition to numerous stores and dining options. Besides being amongst the city’s oldest malls, Deira City Centre also ranks as one of the best malls in Dubai overall.

When it comes to satisfying your appetite, the community boasts of a range of eateries. The most popular restaurants in Al Rigga include:

• Yakitate – Office Tower, Street 22A
• The Deccan Royal – Kuwaiti Building
• La Marguerite – Carlton Tower Hotel
• Fish Market – Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek
• City View Cafeteria – City Tower

Yakitate is a Japanese restaurant that offers quality rice and Sushi burgers, making it one of the best restaurants in Deira Dubai. The Deccan Royal is an Indian restaurant that offers dishes inspired from a Hyderabadi menu while Fish Market is a seafood restaurant.

City View Cafeteria serves different types of fast food with a special focus on Filipino items whereas La Marguerite deals in international and continental food, along with offering a full bar with shisha.

The nightlife in the sub-community make up some of its key attractions. Some of the best-known options are:

• Ku-Bu – Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek
• Arbat – Carlton Tower Hotel
• Rooftop Shisha Lounge – Lotus Grand Hotel

At Ku-Bu, you can enjoy private dining areas in addition to nightlife, live music and shisha. Arbat is a sports bar. Rooftop Shisha Lounge is one of the best rooftop shisha lounges in Dubai as you can enjoy shisha with live music here.

For accessing the beaches near Al Rigga, individuals will have to bear with a drive of around 17 to 23 minutes. The closest beaches are:

• Al Mamzar Beach Park
• Jumeirah Public Beach
• Kite Beach

Al Mamzar Beach Park is the closest option at a 17-minute drive. Along with the seawaters, you will find swimming pools, play areas, food outlets as well as bicycle and train rides. The beach park also offers facilities such as sun loungers, changing rooms with showers, beach cabins and prayer rooms too.

Jumeirah Public Beach is 20 minutes away. You can cycle, run, skate as well as eat on this beach with ease. It is one of the best public beaches in Dubai with a large

You can reach Kite Beach within 23 minutes, which is a haven for kite surfers and offers tons of water sports activities, food trucks, sun lounges, kayaking, skating, volleyball and an outdoor gym.

One can never run out of the plenty of things to do in Deira, ranging from retail therapy to visiting malls and much more. Some of the notable landmarks near Al Rigga are:

• Naif Museum
• Deira Clocktower
• Dubai International Bowling Centre (DIBC) Deira

Located in the neighbouring Naif community, Naif Museum is reachable within a 5-minute drive. This museum allows you to view the police uniforms and their evolution over the years. It is one of the best museums in Dubai and features medals, badges and weapons too.

Originally known as Dubai Clocktower, Deira Clocktower is only 8 minutes away. A significant monument in the UAE, it is located at the crossroads of Al Maktoum Road (Route D89) and Umm Hurair Road. It is a testament to the journey of exploration of oil, which resulted in the first oil export from Abu Dhabi.

Dubai International Bowling Centre (DIBC) Deira is 17 minutes away and ranks as one of the best bowling centres in Dubai. Located in Al Mamzar, it features 36 bowling lanes where newbies, as well as expert bowlers, can have a quality bowling time.

Since the old Deira district is mostly a commercial area, one may not find an abundance of green spaces in the area. Nevertheless, many small parks are there overall in every sub-community. Some of the parks within the Al Rigga community are:

• Baniyas Square Park
• Camel Park
• Union Metro Station Garden

The neighbouring communities feature a number of small parks too, spread across the Deira area. A few of the closest parks near Al Rigga are:

• Naif Park
• Al Muteena Park
• Abu Hail Park
• Al Hamriya Ladies Park
• Hor Al Anz Ladies Park

Naif Park and Al Muteena Park are reachable within 5 to 8 minutes while Abu Hail Park, Al Hamriya Ladies Park and Hor Al Anz Ladies Park are 15 minutes away. Naif Park is within walking distance from the Naif Souk Dubai.

For fitness and exercise, residents can find some gyms in Al Rigga:

• Olympic Fitness – Fathima Building
• Blu2o – Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek
• Al Taneen Body Fitness & Karate – 9, 23 Street
• Lulu Gym – 11, 19a Street

Olympus Fitness, one of the best gyms in Deira Dubai and features exercises divided into three categories including weight loss, bodybuilding and a fitness approach. They make use of state-of-the-art technology for monitoring and recording the progress of the members.

The nightlife in the area is amongst the most popular in the city, which keeps the residents entertained and alive. The malls organise events on grand holidays while the streets are lined with different kinds of restaurants, stalls and retail outlets. The hotels in Al Rigga feature special deals and offers on grand occasions too.

For the outgoing individuals who seek living in proximity to commercial areas along with a thriving nightlife, Al Rigga is pure bliss. However, the area will not strike as suitable for those preferring a serene lifestyle. Moreover, one of the downsides of living in Deira is having to deal with traffic and congestion almost all the time.

• 10 minutes to Deira Corniche
• Dubai International Airport is 20 minutes away
• 15 minutes to Downtown Dubai and Business Bay
• 25-minute drive to Palm Jumeirah