International City themed districts popular with Dubai-based expats

If you’re relocating to Dubai and need to decide on a residential area, International City has it all!

Popular with international expats as an unconventional residential location, International City lives up to its name as it’s home to an multinational expat community and acts as a melting pot of diverse cultures, all with their iconic cuisines, markets, stores and shopping experiences. The best news is the area’s rental charges, affordable in a city where even a studio apartment with balcony is expensive.

The area is divided into diverse country–themed clusters of commercial and residential properties, with goods and cuisines from across the world offered in stores, restaurants and local eateries. The communities include Russia, France, China, Italy, the UK and Greece, and the city itself is just a short distance from the massive Dragon Marts 1 and 2, the largest trading hubs for Chinese goods outside China itself. As regards rentals, charges for a one bedroomed apartment set in the China Cluster range between Dh32,000 to Dh37,000 annually, and Studio flats with balconies rent for as little as Dh25,000 a year.

Expats who discovered International City’s advantages in 2002 and have lived there ever since are now seeing an influx of expatriates into the neighbourhood, all taking full advantage of its convenience, affordability and great choice of shops, eateries and retail outlets. The recent improvement of road access between the area and the rest of Dubai is another advantage, as traffic now isn’t as horrendous as in the past. International City is also a favourite with university students, as Academic City with its many educational facilities is nearby. Those in the know are encouraging their friends to move to the area right now, as rents are rising due to its popularity.