Dubai market evidence

Island 2 vs Zaabeel First: Which Costs More?

A side-by-side comparison of Island 2 and Zaabeel First property prices from the historical DLD transaction record, broken down by property type.

The numbers for Island 2 and Zaabeel First

MetricIsland 2Zaabeel First
Median AED/sqm35,710 AED/sqm29,828 AED/sqm
Median priceAED 27MAED 3.3M
Sampled transactions7932,302
P25–P75 range19,181 AED/sqm – 57,529 AED/sqm27,473 AED/sqm – 32,246 AED/sqm
Apartment share64%100%

What the price gap means

Island 2 runs 20% above Zaabeel First on median AED/sqm (35,710 AED/sqm in Island 2 against 29,828 AED/sqm in Zaabeel First). That gap is widest for Apartment — 3 Bed+, where Island 2 runs 302% above Zaabeel First. The headline number is driven by that unit type rather than a uniform premium across the board.

Citywide medians mix property types unevenly, so a headline gap can reflect what is being sold rather than a like-for-like premium. The per-type table above compares only the property types with enough sampled sales in both areas.

Beyond price, Island 2 is anchored by Buj Khalifa Dubai Mall Metro Station metro, Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa, while Zaabeel First is anchored by Al Jafiliya Metro Station metro, Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa.

This is sales transaction evidence only and ends 2026-07-27. It covers sales, not rentals, and is market reference, not valuation or investment advice.

Price by property type

Property typeIsland 2 txIsland 2 AED/sqmZaabeel First txZaabeel First AED/sqmGap
Apartment — 2 Bed17108,236 AED/sqm30727,778 AED/sqm+290%
Apartment — 3 Bed+16109,654 AED/sqm8527,294 AED/sqm+302%

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