{"id":26484,"date":"2026-02-18T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/noticias.ae\/?p=26484"},"modified":"2026-02-18T04:03:07","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T03:03:07","slug":"dubai-neighborhood-apartment-rental","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/noticias.ae\/en\/2026\/02\/18\/dubai-neighborhood-apartment-rental\/","title":{"rendered":"The Dubai neighborhood where buying an apartment is cheaper than in M\u00e1laga but you earn triple the rental income"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

International City<\/strong> is the name that few people mention out loud when talking about investing in Dubai. Everyone talks about Palm Jumeirah, Downtown, Marina. But while those areas have skyrocketed to the point of making rental yields irrelevant, this multicultural neighborhood keeps delivering returns that in Spain we would consider science fiction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The data that changes everything arrived on February 10, 2026: the emirate’s real estate barometer confirmed that the net yield in Dubai<\/a> has stabilized at 8% net<\/strong> in strategic areas, while M\u00e1laga closed January at \u20ac3,632\/m\u00b2<\/strong> with yields of 3%. International City is, right now, the cheapest way to enter that differential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What exactly is International City<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

International City is not a housing development: it is 800 hectares<\/strong> organized into themed clusters \u2014China, Spain, Italy, Persia, Greece, Morocco\u2014 where each neighborhood mimics the architecture of its country. The idea was to create affordable housing for the middle-class workers that Dubai<\/a> needed but could not accommodate in premium areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The video explains how real estate investment in Dubai<\/a> works for Spanish investors, with a yield comparison against Spain. Studios start from 339,000 dirhams<\/strong> (around \u20ac85,000), and one-bedroom apartments range between \u20ac130,000 and \u20ac175,000. A studio in the center of M\u00e1laga today costs around \u20ac200,000 with yields that don’t reach 3%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why demand in this neighborhood is exploding now<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Against the boom in premium areas, International City has gained traction among mid-budget investors because the major markets have become too expensive. This has accelerated in the last 30 days:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • The February 10, 2026<\/strong> barometer places average yield at 8% net<\/strong> after operating costs<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Studios generate annual rents of between 25,000 and 30,000 dirhams<\/strong> (\u20ac6,800\u2013\u20ac8,170)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Average price per m\u00b2 in the area: \u20ac2,310\u2013\u20ac2,460<\/strong>, compared to \u20ac3,632\/m\u00b2<\/strong> in M\u00e1laga<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • International City, Discovery Gardens and JVC lead returns with 7\u20139% gross annual yield<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • In M\u00e1laga, gross yield rarely exceeds 3%<\/strong> at current prices<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    The tenant profile is not tourists: they are workers with stable contracts in logistics and technology sectors. That demand does not depend on seasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How this affects the Spanish investor’s wallet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Contrary to what many imagine, investing here does not require residency in the Emirates. A Spanish national can buy a studio for \u20ac85,000, rent it out for around \u20ac7,000 per year<\/strong> and collect that amount in one lump sum: in Dubai, tenants pay the full year upfront via bank cheque.<\/p>\n\n\n