Property Rent vs School Fees in Dubai

At Bayut, we don’t just know property, we know neighbourhoods. And we understand that people look for more in their neighbourhoods than just a nice apartment or villa – they look at what’s nearby, are there any shops, is there a clinic close by and more importantly…where will their children go to school?

Family looking a home to live in — Choosing a place to live means taking every family member’s opinion into consideration.

To help answer this question, we partnered with Edarabia.com to find out more about the school fees and rent prices in Dubai’s most prominent residential areas.

Of the 185 established institutions, school fees in Dubai largely remained the same, with newer schools posting fees that were between 3% and 5% lower than average. On the real estate side of things, residential rents in certain areas experienced a drop of up to 3.5%.

Priciest Areas

The Meydan racecourse — Apart from some fantastic schools like King’s Nad Al Sheba, the area is also home to Meydan.

The eight schools in Nad Al Sheba have average tuition fees of AED 836,563 (across all year groups), the highest of the 15 key areas that we studied. Nad Al Sheba also boasts the most expensive property with four bedroom villas (the smallest type of property available) being rented for an average of AED 285,714 per year.

Arabian Ranches in dubai — The gorgeous villas of Arabian Ranches and schools like Jumeirah English Speaking School lend themselves perfectly to family living.

Although JVC and Arabian Ranches only have two schools each, they’re the next most expensive areas, with average fees of AED 708,076 (across all year groups). Interestingly, while the average rent of a three-bedroom villa in Arabian Ranches places it high on the rental price index, the average price of a similar property in JVC is a competitive AED 138,157.

Affordable Areas

The clock tower in Deira — The most affordable schools can be found in the Deira neighbourhood.

In terms of more affordable options, Deira proved to be the top choice when it comes to schooling. The 17 institutions located here have average fees of AED 169,345 across all age groups, while rent for a two-bedroom apartment in the neighbourhood will set you back an average of AED 100,179 per year.

However, at nearly AED 31,000 cheaper, two-bedroom apartments in Al Qusais are the most wallet-friendly. Renters here can also seek financial comfort in the fact that the 38 schools in the area (and nearby Muhaisnah) are the second most affordable, with average fees of 198,836 across all age groups.

What the Future Holds

MBR city press image — A view of an up and coming neighbourhood, MBR City. Image courtesy the Meydan Sobha website.

As of October 2017, ten new schools started operating in Dubai. Their locations reflect both the city’s expansion as well as the current key residential neighbourhoods. For example, relatively newer (and still being developed areas) Mohammed bin Rashid City and Barsha South welcomed three new schools, while schools in Qusais and Nad Al Sheba were joined by three more as well.

As Dubai races towards Expo 2020 and beyond, we can only expect that both, educational institutions and real estate developers will continue to reflect and cater the needs of the population – not only in terms of location but of providing competitive pricing as well.

For more information on rent and school fees in Dubai, please have a look at the infographic below.