If you’ve just moved to Dubai, then finding a home for your family in a location that ticks all the boxes, can be a bit overwhelming. You need to consider the commute to school and work, community feel, accessibility to shops, restaurants and activities as well as what you, as a family, want from your time here.

We’ve looked at The Palm Jumeirah and Arabian Ranches, two of Dubai’s most sought-after residential areas to compare beach living with a gated community location. While the stylish beachfront neighbourhood of Palm Jumeirah and the ensconced community of Arabian Ranches might seem vastly dissimilar at first glance, both areas are comparable if you factor in parameters such as connectivity, access to the city, popularity among upmarket residents, family-friendly charm and more.

If you are debating between buying or renting properties on Palm Jumeirah or Arabian Ranches, here is a detailed comparison of the facilities, lifestyles and average property prices in these localities, to help you make an informed decision.

Lifestyle

Palm Jumeirah is an island development, built by master developer Nakheel, in the shape of a palm tree. It comprises of the Trunk, the Crescent and 16 Fronds, which together form its unique shape. Residents of Palm Jumeirah live right in the heart of the action, with easy access to the best hotels, restaurants, beaches and gorgeous sea views, wherever you choose to live.

Arabian Ranches, on the other hand, is an Emaar development and a well-established gated community sought after for its upscale surroundings, privacy and security. Spread over 1,650 acres, Arabian Ranches has long been considered one of the most beautiful and peaceful villa communities in Dubai. The villa-only neighbourhood features a golf course, equestrian club and other amenities. The homes in Arabian Ranches are also known for their quality construction and architectural details. According to consumer interest on Bayut, Arabian Ranches is one of the best family-friendly residential communities in Dubai.

Properties

Both Palm Jumeirah and Arabian Ranches offer a large portfolio of residential properties — with the former having both apartments and villas and the latter offering only villas.

Prospective residents will be spoilt for choice, with apartments in Palm Jumeirah ranging from 1- to 5-bedroom configurations and 480 to 8,000 sq.ft. in size. The spacious villas on the reclaimed island development start at almost 4,000 sq.ft and go up to 12,700 sq.ft . They are available in a variety of layouts in 2- to 7-BHK combinations. Arabian Ranches also offers 2 to 7-bedroom villas, starting from compact abodes spread over 1,900 sq.ft to much larger 7,380 sq.ft homes.

Both rental and sales prices for properties vary widely in these areas. The apartments for rent in Palm Jumeirah start as low as AED 44k per annum and go up to AED 700k. Sales prices to buy apartments in Palm Jumeirah start at AED 600k and reach a maximum of AED 58M for the more upscale units. Villas for rent in Palm Jumeirah start at around AED 230k and go for an upper limit of an AED 2.5M. For home buyers, villas for sale in Palm Jumeirah range between AED 2.6M to a whopping AED 150M for the ultra-luxurious units.

The rental and sales prices for villas in Arabian Ranches are more reasonable when compared to Palm Jumeirah. Rental villas in Arabian Ranches start at competitive prices of AED 95k for 3-bedroom homes and goes up to AED 1.2M for the larger 7-bedroom houses. To purchase a home, homeowners and investors can expect to pay anything between AED 1.29M to AED 27M in Arabian Ranches.

Amenities and Facilities

The promise of waterfront living, stunning sea views and easy access to the best of Dubai’s leisure and entertainment destinations are the major perks of living in Palm Jumeirah. In terms of facilities, Palm Jumeirah has no shortage of options. From mini-marts and supermarkets to two new malls and leisure destinations in the form of The Pointe and The Nakheel Mall, The Palm has it all. For entertainment and nights out, you don’t need to look any further, given the number of five-star hotels with restaurants, bars and spas within them.

The community of Arabian Ranches offers two handy Carrefour supermarkets and access to various other marts and stores nearby. There are some great schools and nurseries in Arabian Ranches as well. The Arabian Ranches Retail Centre and The Ranches Souk fulfil the residents’ shopping, dining and entertainment needs. For those into fitness and sporting activities, the Arabian Ranches Golf Club, and Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club are excellent options within the community. The community also features tennis, volleyball and basketball courts, a skate park, lakes and walking trails.

Connectivity and Transport

Where connectivity is concerned, both areas offer equal access to the main thoroughfares in Dubai. While Palm Jumeirah quickly connects to Sheikh Zayed Road which is the highway link between Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, Arabian Ranches lies just along the arterial Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, which also offers quick access to the rest of the city and other emirates. For those who rely on public transport, Palm Jumeirah is connected through the monorail and bus routes that ply along with points close to the development, such as Ibn Battuta and Jumeirah road/Sufouh road. Arabian Ranches is well connected through the bus route F30. Taxis and ride-sharing services cater to both communities.

Priority Service with Bayut

As you can see both communities have a lot to offer. No matter the choice, you can instantly find the perfect home for you in these communities using Bayut. Visit Bayut.com today to explore over thousands of properties for rent or sale in these two stunning neighbourhoods.  You can also email britishmums@bayut.com with any property related queries and receive priority service when searching for homes on Bayut.

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