Comparison
Apartment or townhouse: which suits your budget and plans
An apartment suits buyers with a total budget of AED 1M–3M who want the widest choice of developers and locations and prefer shared upkeep.
- Dubai Oqood registration
- 2% seller + 2% purchaser
- Dubai service charge lookup
- DLD Service Charge Index
- Binghatti's first villa community
- Tilal Binghatti, May 2026
Selected opportunities 01
Off-plan projects available now
Compare them like for like: the price where the developer has confirmed it, the payment plan, the handover date and what to weigh.
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Architectural render Apartment
Palm Central Private Residences
1–5 bedrooms
Price on requestCurrent price being re-confirmed- Payment plan
- Schedule on request
- Handover
- Not yet stated
Why selectedBeachfront apartments and penthouses in three buildings at the centre of Palm Jebel Ali, between Fronds M and N, with direct beach access.
ConsiderPalm Jebel Ali is still being developed, so check which roads, schools and shops will be open when you move in.
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Architectural render Apartment
The Woods Abode
1–2 bedrooms
Price on requestCurrent price being re-confirmed- Payment plan
- Schedule on request
- Handover
- Not yet stated
Why selectedApartments facing parks at the front and rear, in a masterplan where about half the land is open and green space.
ConsiderSobha Sanctuary is planned for around 20,000 families, so nearby phases may still be under construction after handover.
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Apartment
Binghatti Starfall
Studio–2 bedrooms
From AED 759,999Indicative developer price- Payment plan
- Schedule on request
- Handover
- Not yet stated
Why selectedNear Al Jaddaf Metro station on the Green Line, with an observatory deck and telescopes for residents on the amenity podium.
ConsiderThe Etihad Rail stop planned for Al Jaddaf is a future project, so do not rely on it when you decide.
Last checked 16 Sep 2026 Request price list and plan -
Architectural render Apartment
Arancia Yards 2
1–3 bedrooms
Price on requestCurrent price being re-confirmed- Payment plan
- Schedule on request
- Handover
- Not yet stated
Why selectedFour low-rise buildings around a sunken garden, with 4-metre living-room ceilings in select ground-floor homes.
ConsiderIt sits beside the first Arancia Yards phase, so compare prices and payment plans for both before choosing.
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Architectural render Townhouse
Palm Central Townhouses
4 bedrooms
Price on requestCurrent price being re-confirmed- Payment plan
- Schedule on request
- Handover
- Not yet stated
Why selectedFour-bedroom townhouses on the ground floor with private garages, opening onto the landscaped deck and the beach.
ConsiderYou share facilities and service charges with a 212-home development, so ask for the estimated service charge.
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Architectural render Apartment
Arancia Yards
1–3 bedrooms
Price on requestCurrent price being re-confirmed- Payment plan
- Schedule on request
- Handover
- Not yet stated
Why selectedLow-rise homes with 3.1-metre ceilings and private terraces, in the first phase of a masterplan that keeps over 70% of its land open-air.
ConsiderThe school, clinic and mosque are part of the masterplan, so check which will be open by handover.
Apartments vs townhouses 02
Which suits you: apartment or townhouse
- 01
Choose an apartment if
your total budget is AED 1M–3M, you want the widest choice of developers and locations, and you prefer shared building upkeep to a private garden you maintain. All eight covered developers have launched apartments.
- 02
Choose a townhouse if
your total budget is AED 3M–6M, you need more internal space or a private outdoor area for family stays, and you can wait for your cluster in a phased master community.
- 03
If you are between the two bands
moving from the top of the apartment band to the bottom of the townhouse band raises instalments and percentage-based fees in proportion. Compare the whole payment schedule, not the booking amount.
Apartments vs townhouses 03
Apartments and townhouses side by side
AED 1M–3M
AED 3M–6M
Towers and mid-rise buildings, often in mixed-use districts
Rows or clusters within master communities
All covered developers
Mainly DAMAC, Nakheel and, since May 2026, Binghatti
The emirate's standard percentage rules
The same percentage rules
Building service charges; check comparable buildings on Dubai's Service Charge Index
Community charges; ask for the estimate and check the index where the project is listed
Usually completes as one building
Master communities are built in phases; check the date for your cluster
Only after handover, and not guaranteed
Only after handover, and not guaranteed
Expert consultation
Find the UAE home that fits your plans.
Apartments vs townhouses 04
Which developers build each type
Apartments are the common ground. Binghatti's Mercedes-Benz Places in Binghatti City is reported at more than 13,000 units, mostly studios and 1-beds. Imtiaz's Beach Walk on Dubai Islands has 80 studio, 1-bed and 2-bed residences, and Ellington, BEYOND, Sobha, DAMAC and Nakheel have all launched apartment buildings in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Ras Al Khaimah.
Townhouses come from fewer names. DAMAC Islands 2 offers townhouses alongside villas, Nakheel launched townhouses at Bay Villas on Dubai Islands B and 4-5 bed townhouses at Palm Jebel Ali in June 2026, and Tilal Binghatti, launched in May 2026, includes 4-5 bed townhouses. Binghatti therefore has no completed townhouse record yet.
What you can hold us to
Six commitments behind every consultation.
A purchase this size deserves someone who shows you the full picture, including what could go wrong, before you commit a deposit.
How the firm is paid, and why it matters to you-
Every cost before you commit
Total price, registration fees and each payment stage, set out in your own currency before you pay anything.
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Honest about fit
Up to three options, and fewer if fewer fit. If off-plan does not suit your plans, you are told plainly.
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A second opinion on any offer
Bring an offer from a developer or another agent and have its cost, payment plan and contract points checked before you commit.
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Told how the firm is paid
Before you decide on anything, including whether a developer on your shortlist pays the firm.
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Checks before you see a home
Registration, the project escrow account, the developer’s record and a current price, checked before a home reaches you.
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Your time, your privacy
Video, phone, WhatsApp or email in your time zone. Your details are used only to reply, and launch emails only if you ask.
How it works 05
Three steps, no obligation.
No account, no fee, no pressure to proceed. You decide whether to go further.
- 01
Share your requirements
Your contact details, then property type, price range, emirate, objective and timeframe. It takes about two minutes, and no financial documents are needed.
- 02
Review suitable options
Up to three opportunities, each with its costs, payment timings, the reasons it was selected and what to consider. If fewer fit, you get fewer.
- 03
Discuss next steps
Talk to an adviser about the options, what to verify independently and what reserving involves. There is no pressure to proceed.
Questions 06
Answers before you share any details.
If your question is not answered here, an adviser can go through it with you during a consultation.
The percentage rules on the official pages apply to property sales generally rather than by type. In Dubai, the Oqood page lists 2% for the seller and 2% for the purchaser. Because fees are a percentage, a higher price means a higher fee.
DAMAC, in communities such as DAMAC Islands 2, and Nakheel, at Bay Villas on Dubai Islands B and Palm Jebel Ali. Binghatti launched its first townhouses at Tilal Binghatti in May 2026. For Sobha, Imtiaz, BEYOND or Ellington, ask the developer whether a townhouse project is available.
Neither is better in general, and no rental income, resale price or growth is guaranteed for either. The right choice depends on your budget, how you plan to use the home and the specific project, including its service charges and completion date.
Not necessarily, but master communities are built in phases, so different clusters can have different developer-stated completion dates. Check the date for the specific cluster in your SPA rather than the date for the community as a whole.
Apartment owners pay building service charges, and townhouse owners pay community charges plus the upkeep of their own outdoor space. In Dubai, check charges for comparable completed projects on DLD's Service Charge Index, and ask the developer for its estimate.
Expert consultation
Get the current price list and payment plan for Arancia Yards 2.
Tell us what you would consider. An adviser sends what is available now, with prices and payment plans for homes that fit.
- Every cost and payment stage set out
- Why each option was chosen, and what to weigh
- Free, with no obligation
Thank you. Here is what you shared.
An adviser will send the current price list and payment plan for homes that match what you shared.