Dubai’s Most Exclusive Neighbourhoods: Where Billionaires Live in Dubai

Dubai ranks among the world’s top ten cities for billionaire residents, and if you’re wondering where billionaires live in Dubai, this guide has the answer. 

Ultra-luxury living in Dubai spans different communities, ranging golf-course estates, private islands, skyline towers, and botanical green oases. 

The areas covered in this guide represent the very top tier of the Dubai property market where billionaires reside. Here is everything you need to know about each area.

• How many billionaires are in Dubai?
• Dubai’s most exclusive neighbourhoods
• Where do rich people live in Dubai: Areas compared
• What draws the ultra-wealthy to Dubai?
• Key takeaways
• FAQs

How many billionaires are in Dubai?

Dubai is home to over 40 billionaires, while the wider UAE hosts around 59 billionaires with a combined fortune of $201 billion.

The city’s appeal extends well beyond established wealth. Dubai is consistently ranked among the top destinations for ultra-high-net-worth individuals who are relocating, with arrivals from Europe, South Asia, and the Americas all contributing to a growing resident wealth base. 

Dubai’s most exclusive neighbourhoods

Discover the areas in Dubai where billionaires choose to settle in to enjoy an ultra luxurious and private lifestyle. 

1. Emirates Hills

Emirates Hills is the community that’s dubbed as the “Beverly Hills” of Dubai. Developed by Emaar, it is a freehold gated development built around the Montgomerie Golf Club, covering roughly 12 million square metres of custom-built villas and landscaped grounds. 

Properties are predominantly four-to-eight-bedroom villas on generous private plots. Sub-communities include Montgomerie Hills, Dyaar Al Hambra, and Signature Villas. Many celebrities own properties in Emirates Hills. 

2. Palm Jumeirah

Palm Jumeirah is the most internationally recognisable address in Dubai. Its fronds are lined with private beach villas offering direct sea access, outdoor pools, and waterfront terraces, while the trunk adds high-rise apartments and branded residences in landmark towers. 

A villa sold here for a record AED 161 million in 2025, and the island sits within a short drive of Dubai Marina, the DIFC, and Downtown Dubai.

3. Jumeirah Bay Island

Jumeirah Bay Island, often called Bulgari Island, is a seahorse-shaped private island connected to the Jumeirah coastline by a single controlled-access bridge. 

The entire residential market is anchored by the Bulgari Resort and Residences, making it one of the most affluent neighbourhoods in the region: ultra-low density, exceptional architecture, and extreme privacy within minutes of the city. 

Properties for sale in Bulgari Residences range from AED 15 million to AED 145 million, with a median of approximately AED 28 million.

4. Al Barari

Al Barari is one of the most distinctive rich neighbourhoods in Dubai, not for its skyline proximity but for its design that revolves around nature. Located off Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, the development spans more than 15 million square feet of botanical gardens, waterways, and walking trails, with villa sub-communities including Chorisia, Jasmine Leaf, and The Collection. 

The community includes a wellness centre, spa, and farm-to-table restaurant. Villas for sale in Al Barari range from AED 33 million to AED 75 million, with recent completed sales recorded between AED 23.75 million and AED 44.2 million. 

5. The World Islands

The World Islands sit approximately four kilometres offshore from the Dubai coast, accessible only by private boat or helicopter. This archipelago of more than 300 man-made islands, arranged in the approximate shape of a world map, allows purchasers to acquire an entire island or a designated plot.

Ritz-Carlton Residences has been announced for the archipelago, with further private island villas and resort developments underway. For buyers at the very top of the market, The World Islands offer complete offshore separation and a level of privacy that no land-based community matches.

6. Mohammed Bin Rashid City and La Mer

Mohammed Bin Rashid City (MBR City) and its District One waterfront community have become one of Dubai’s most desirable central addresses, built around a 7-kilometre Crystal Lagoon and positioned within approximately 15 minutes of Downtown Dubai and the DIFC. District One Mansions start from AED 230 million. La Mer, a short drive along the Jumeirah coastline, adds beachfront residential options above an open-air promenade. 

7. Downtown Dubai

Downtown Dubai is the most expensive area in Dubai by branded-residence density, built around the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall and offering the city’s most concentrated vertical luxury address. Buyers trade ground-level space and privacy for position: Burj Khalifa views, the Dubai Fountain, and direct access to Dubai’s commercial and cultural centre.

Explore the Available Properties for Sale in Emirates Hills

Where do rich people live in Dubai: Areas compared

The table below offers an overview of each community across the key decision points for ultra-luxury buyers and investors.

What draws the ultra-wealthy to Dubai?

The city’s appeal to billionaires and ultra-high-net-worth individuals is the result of several reinforcing factors. Dubai levies no personal income tax and no capital gains tax on property, which preserves the full financial return on a real estate investment. The UAE’s Golden Visa programme provides long-term residency to property buyers above a qualifying investment threshold, offering the stability of a permanent base without requiring citizenship.

Beyond the tax and residency framework, the practical case for Dubai is compelling. The city’s infrastructure, airports, hospitals, international schools, and transport, consistently ranks among the best in the world.

Its location places it within an eight-hour flight of the vast majority of the global population, making Dubai a functionally central base for internationally mobile families and business owners. High personal safety, a well-maintained urban environment, and a diverse, internationally oriented population complete the picture of a city that has built structural advantages for global wealth over decades.

Key takeaways

• Dubai is home to 43 billionaires, ranking the city joint eighth globally , within a UAE total of 59 billionaires with a combined wealth of $201 billion.
• The city’s most exclusive communities, including Emirates Hills, Palm Jumeirah, Jumeirah Bay Island, and Al Barari, each offer a distinct lifestyle, from golf-course estates and offshore island living to central branded residences.
• Transaction and listing prices in Dubai’s ultra-luxury residential market range from AED 25 million for a villa in Al Barari to more than AED 260 million in Emirates Hills.
• Dubai’s zero personal income tax, Golden Visa programme, strategic global location, and world-class infrastructure make it one of the most consistently attractive destinations for ultra-high-net-worth individuals worldwide.

FAQs

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