Design Quarter Dubai Design District

Design Quarter at d3 is Meraas's three-tower residential scheme inside the Dubai Design District, between Downtown, DIFC and Business Bay. The three towers hold 558 homes between them: 1 to 3 BHK apartments, 3 BHK duplexes and penthouses, from about 795 to 3,304 sq ft, each with one or two balconies and a utility room. The source listing shows it from AED 1.87 million, about Rs 4.82 crore at Rs 25.75 per dirham; Meraas prints from AED 1.8 million and one portal AED 2.02 million.

Meraas has been part of Dubai Holding since June 2020 and publishes eight handed-over residential projects with exact dates, which makes it the most checkable developer in this batch. An internal inspection on 11 June 2026 put Design Quarter at 32.3% complete, with facade and glazing under way on Towers A and B, against a Q2 2027 handover on record. This page prints the three prices, the three payment plans in circulation, and what a third-built tower with a year to run means for your schedule.

At a glance

Price and unit pricing

The three entry prices are AED 220,000 apart, a normal release-and-floor spread rather than a conflict. What matters is where they sit: d3's residential stock trades at AED 1,800 to 2,400 per sq ft in 2026, with an average near AED 2,200 and higher-end developments at AED 2,800 to 3,800. All three figures land inside the main band, and the listed price at about AED 2,352 is near its top. For comparison, Business Bay averages AED 2,300 to 2,770 and Downtown considerably more, so d3 is priced as a slightly cheaper central alternative.

Payment plan and total cost

This is the one real conflict on the page. Metropolitan prints a 60/40 plan with a 20% booking fee and the last 40% at completion. Other sources print a 70/30 with a 10% booking fee, and an 80/20 with 20% on booking plus the 4% DLD fee. The difference between a 10% and a 20% booking amount on this purchase is about AED 187,000, so get the SPA version in writing before you transfer anything.

No source prints a service charge for the building. Central Dubai apartment districts run from about AED 15 per sq ft in Business Bay to AED 40 and above in Downtown; a low-density Meraas scheme in d3 will sit in between. On 795 sq ft, every AED 5 per sq ft is about AED 4,000 a year. Ask Meraas for its estimate.

Location and connectivity

Dubai Design District is the creative and design campus on the Business Bay side of Al Khail Road, with the Dubai Canal at its edge and Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary across the water. It is a working district of design studios, showrooms and offices with very little residential stock, which is the investment case for this project.

• Dubai Design District (d3): the campus around the towers
• Dubai Canal: a short walk
• Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, DIFC: about 10 minutes each
• Business Bay and its metro station: next door
• Dubai International Airport: about 15 to 20 minutes

What it is like to live in: central, quiet at weekends, and short on the everyday things a family needs. Schools and large supermarkets are a drive away in Business Bay or Al Quoz. The tenant it suits is a professional who works in d3, DIFC or Downtown and wants a short commute.

Amenities and specifications

Each home has one or two balconies and a utility room, in a scheme Meraas presents as design-led to match the district. Appliance brands, flooring and parking allocation are not itemised in the public sources. Meraas's delivered work at City Walk and Port de La Mer is the reference for its finish standard, and both can be visited. Final as per the SPA.

About the developer

Meraas was founded in 2007 and became part of Dubai Holding in June 2020, which puts Dubai Holding Real Estate's land bank of over 752 million sq ft behind it. It has delivered more than 80 million sq ft of property and over 3,500 residential units, and it built City Walk, La Mer, Bluewaters Island, the Coca-Cola Arena (opened 6 June 2019) and Ain Dubai (opened 21 October 2021). Unusually for Dubai, it publishes eight handed-over residential projects with exact dates, from Port de La Mer on 28 November 2021 to Bulgari Ocean Mansions on 15 November 2024. That published record is what makes its Q2 2027 claim worth taking seriously, and what you should hold it to.

For overseas buyers

Buying from abroad. On the AED 1.87 million entry price the 4% Dubai Land Department transfer fee is about AED 74,800 (USD 20,400), and registration, trustee and agency charges take the all-in cost to roughly 6% to 7% over the price. Most overseas buyers pay through the developer's plan rather than a UAE mortgage. The ownership rules, fees and non-resident lending for every passport are in our Dubai buying guide; the notes below work the numbers for an Indian buyer.

Ownership. d3 is freehold; an Oqood during construction and the DLD title deed at handover, in your own name.

Remitting. About AED 1.95 million all in is roughly USD 530,000, just over a couple's combined USD 500,000 annual LRS limit, so plan it across two financial years; the staged payment plan makes that straightforward. Tax collected at source applies above the annual threshold and is creditable in your Indian return.

Golden Visa. A 1 BHK at AED 1.8 to 1.87 million is just under the AED 2 million threshold; the AED 2.02 million figure and any 2 BHK clear it. If the visa is the goal, ask for a unit priced at AED 2 million or above.

Yield and tax. d3 gross yields run 6 to 7% on 2026 guides, with some estimates to 8%, supported by high occupancy from people who work in the district. On AED 1.87 million a 1 BHK needs about AED 112,000 a year for 6%. No UAE tax; in India the rent is income from house property with the 30% deduction, and the asset goes in Schedule FA.

Exit. Off-plan resale needs Meraas's NOC and a minimum paid share; check the SPA. After handover, 558 units in a district with almost no other residential supply is a favourable position for a seller, which is the strongest part of the investment case here.

Pros

• Meraas inside Dubai Holding, with published handover dates for eight delivered projects
• 558 homes in three towers, low density for central Dubai
• Inside the d3 rate band of AED 1,800 to 2,400 per sq ft
• Almost no competing residential supply in the district
• 6 to 7% gross yields on 2026 d3 guides
• Golden Visa from a 2 BHK or a AED 2 million-plus 1 BHK

Cons

• Three payment plans in circulation, with booking from 10% to 20%
• 32.3% built in June 2026 against a Q2 2027 date
• Two handover dates, Q2 and October 2027
• Three starting prices
• No project number or escrow bank printed
• Not a family neighbourhood; schools and supermarkets are a drive

Who this is for

• Buyers who want a central address from a government-backed developer
• Investors who want low density in a supply-starved district
• Golden Visa buyers choosing a 2 BHK at the district rate

Who should look elsewhere

• Anyone who needs keys sooner; compare the finished Regalia or Park Gate Residences
• Yield-first investors; a Binghatti Aquarise studio returns more
• Families who want schools and shops on foot

Our verdict

The safest developer in this batch at a fair district rate. AED 1.87 million (about Rs 4.82 crore) buys a 1 BHK at about AED 2,352 per sq ft in a 558-home Meraas scheme with almost no competing supply around it. Get the payment plan in writing, treat late 2027 as the working date given 32.3% at June 2026, and take a 2 BHK if the visa matters. See all Dubai projects we track and our full project list.

Run this project's numbers yourself. The calculator opens on the price and unit size above; change the currency, the rent or the mortgage and it recalculates the fees, the cash you need on day one and the net rent.

FAQs

What is the price of Design Quarter at d3?

The source listing shows it from AED 1.87 million, about Rs 4.82 crore at Rs 25.75 per dirham. Meraas and Metropolitan print from AED 1.8 million and one portal AED 2.02 million. On a 795 sq ft 1 BHK the listed price is about AED 2,352 per sq ft, inside the d3 range of AED 1,800 to 2,400.

What is the payment plan for Design Quarter at d3?

Sources disagree. Metropolitan prints a 60/40 plan with a 20% booking fee; other sources print a 70/30 with a 10% booking fee, and an 80/20 with 20% on booking plus the 4% DLD fee. Get the version that will go into your SPA in writing before paying.

When is the handover for Design Quarter at d3?

Q2 2027 on Meraas, Metropolitan and Bayut; the source listing prints October 2027. An inspection on 11 June 2026 put construction at 32.3%, with facade and glazing under way on Towers A and B.

How many units and towers?

Three residential towers holding 558 units between them: 1 to 3 BHK apartments, 3 BHK duplexes and penthouses, from about 795 to 3,304 sq ft, each with one or two balconies and a utility room.

Is Design Quarter at d3 registered with the DLD?

All off-plan sales in Dubai are DLD-registered with an escrow account. None of the sources we checked prints the project number or escrow bank; ask Meraas and confirm on the Dubai REST app.

Does a purchase qualify for the Golden Visa?

A 1 BHK at AED 1.8 to 1.87 million is just under the AED 2 million threshold; the AED 2.02 million figure and any 2 BHK clear it.

What rental yield does d3 give?

Gross yields run 6 to 7% on 2026 guides, with some estimates to 8%, supported by high occupancy from people who work in the district. On AED 1.87 million a 1 BHK needs about AED 112,000 a year for 6%.

What has Meraas delivered?

Over 80 million sq ft and more than 3,500 residential units, including City Walk, La Mer, Bluewaters Island, the Coca-Cola Arena and Ain Dubai. It publishes eight handed-over residential projects with exact dates, from Port de La Mer in November 2021 to Bulgari Ocean Mansions in November 2024. It has been part of Dubai Holding since June 2020.

Can a foreign national buy at d3?

Yes. The district is freehold and the DLD issues the title deed in your name. About AED 1.95 million all in is roughly USD 530,000, so a couple remits it across two financial years under the USD 250,000 per person per financial year LRS (the Reserve Bank of India's Liberalised Remittance Scheme) limit. Buyers of any other nationality can own on the same terms: Dubai's designated freehold areas are open to all nationalities, there is no residency requirement and no local partner, and the Land Department issues the title deed in your own name.

Ask Realty Hunting for the Design Quarter price list by tower and floor and the exact payment plan Meraas is writing into SPAs this month; we will also pull the latest construction percentage before you book.

Compare with other Dubai projects

Also in Downtown Dubai: Shapoorji Pallonji Imperial Avenue (from AED 1.7 M, ready), Binghatti Sky Blade (from AED 1,674,999, handover 2027), Volta (from AED 1.67 M, handover 2028) and W Residences (from AED 1.67 M, off-plan). See every Business Bay project with prices and handover dates.

More by Meraas: City Walk Northline (from AED 1.87 M, handover 2027), Meraas Bluewaters (from AED 2,290,000, ready) and Meraas Central Park (from AED 1.41 M, off-plan).

A similar budget elsewhere in Dubai: Deyaar DWTN Residences (from AED 1.86 M, handover 2029), Sidr Residences (from AED 1.88 M, handover 2027) and Sidr Residences Tower 3 (from AED 1,858,000, handover 2027).

Read next: Property for Sale in Downtown Dubai: Prices and Real Yields · Off-Plan Property in Dubai: How It Works · Dubai Property Payment Plans: 1% Monthly, Post-Handover and More · The Cost of Buying Property in Dubai. Every Dubai project we track is listed on the Dubai section.