Deira vs Bur Dubai for a monthly stay comes down to budget against choice. On HotelApartments.com, Bur Dubai is cheaper for every apartment size we can compare: a studio’s median asking price is AED 5,500 a month (9 units) against AED 8,000 in Deira (7 units), and a one-bedroom’s is AED 8,100 (6 units) against AED 13,750 (20 units). Deira has twice the choice, with 49 units in 16 buildings to Bur Dubai’s 24 in 12, and more of them close to a metro station.
The two neighbourhoods face each other across Dubai Creek, linked by the metro and by abra. The figures below are the median monthly asking prices of the units live on our site on 27 October 2026. Every unit in both areas has a 30-night minimum stay, and we show a median only where an area has at least five units of that size.
Deira vs Bur Dubai: monthly prices compared
| Median monthly asking price (AED) | Deira | Bur Dubai |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | 8,000 (7 units) | 5,500 (9 units) |
| 1 bedroom | 13,750 (20 units) | 8,100 (6 units) |
| 2 bedrooms | 18,000 (15 units) | 12,500 (6 units) |
| 3+ bedrooms | 35,000 (7 units) | 3 units, from 15,800 |
| All units | 15,000 (49 units) | 9,500 (24 units) |
| Lowest asking price | 5,000 | 4,500 |
| Buildings | 16 | 12 |
Source: live listings and market rates on HotelApartments.com, 27 October 2026. These are asking prices for stays of 30 nights or more and can change with your dates; VAT, the Tourism Dirham and any supplement may be added.
Deira’s higher medians come from its building mix more than from the neighbourhood. Nine of its units are at Hilton Dubai Creek Hotel and Residences, at AED 15,000 to 45,000 a month, and branded residences such as Swissotel Living Al Ghurair (AED 18,500 to 35,000) and Hyatt Place Dubai Al Rigga Residences (AED 19,800 to 25,300) sit in the same list as Movenpick Hotel and Apartments Al Mamzar, from AED 5,000. Bur Dubai’s list is mostly hotel-apartment buildings: its lowest asking prices are studios at Golden Sands Hotel Apartments 3 (AED 4,500) and Golden Sands Hotel Apartments 5 (AED 5,000), and four Savoy buildings list studios at AED 5,500 to 9,000.
Deira and Bur Dubai are both known for their traditional souks.
Is Deira or Bur Dubai better for getting around?
Both sides of the Creek are on both metro lines. On RTA’s network map, the Red and Green Lines meet at Union station in Deira and at BurJuman in Bur Dubai, and the Green Line crosses the Creek between Al Ras in Deira and Al Ghubaiba in Bur Dubai, one stop apart. On our listings, Deira’s apartments are closer to a station:
- Deira: 21 of the 43 units we could check are within 500 metres of a metro station in a straight line, and all 43 are within a kilometre. The stations nearest to them are City Centre Deira, Al Rigga, Airport Terminal 1, Gold Souq, Salah Al Din, Baniyas Square, Al Qiyadah and Al Garhoud.
- Bur Dubai: 4 of its 24 units are within 500 metres of a station, and 20 within a kilometre. The nearest stations are Sharaf DG and ADCB.
- To the airport: Deira’s Red Line stations run to Airport Terminal 1 and Airport Terminal 3.
- Across the Creek: RTA’s traditional abra between Bur Dubai Abra Station and Deira Old Souq Abra Station (route CR1) costs AED 1 per passenger per trip, cash only, from 6 am to midnight.
Distances are straight lines from each listing’s map location to the nearest station on RTA’s current network, using OpenStreetMap coordinates; walking routes are longer. We left out six Deira units whose map location we couldn’t verify.
What do you get in the apartment?
| Units whose listing includes | Deira (49 units) | Bur Dubai (24 units) |
|---|---|---|
| Fully equipped kitchen | 49 | 24 |
| Washing machine | 44 | 24 |
| Free car parking | 43 | 22 |
| Swimming pool | 45 | 24 |
| Housekeeping twice a week | 42 | 21 |
| Housekeeping three times a week | 3 | 0 |
| Housekeeping once a week | 2 | 3 |
Both areas have the kitchen and washing machine a month-long stay needs, and in Bur Dubai every unit we list has both. Two Deira listings don’t state a housekeeping frequency, so ask.
Deira or Bur Dubai for families?
Deira has more family-size apartments: 15 two-bedroom units (median AED 18,000) and 7 with three or more bedrooms (median AED 35,000), and its largest listing sleeps eight. Bur Dubai has 6 two-bedroom units (median AED 12,500) and 3 three-bedroom units at AED 15,800 to 17,500, at Suha Mina Rashid Hotel Apartments, Al Raya Hotel Apartments and Golden Sands Hotel Apartments 10; its largest listing sleeps six. For a family on a budget, Bur Dubai’s three-bedroom units ask less than half of Deira’s three-bedroom median.
Which should you choose?
- The lowest monthly price: Bur Dubai. Its studio median is AED 5,500, and studios start at AED 4,500.
- The most choice: Deira, with 49 units in 16 buildings, from AED 5,000 to branded residences.
- A short walk to the metro: Deira, where nearly half the units we could check are within 500 metres of a station.
- Frequent flights: Deira, on the Red Line to both airport terminals.
- Three bedrooms on a budget: Bur Dubai, though it has only three units of that size.
- Bringing a car: either; most units in both areas list free parking.
Compare buildings, not just the side of the Creek In Deira, one-bedroom units on our site range from AED 6,300 to AED 22,000 a month; in Bur Dubai, from AED 6,600 to AED 18,000. The building moves the price more than the neighbourhood.
Before you book a month in Deira or Bur Dubai
- Ask for the total. Our monthly prices are estimates, and 423 of our 448 Dubai listings say an event supplement can apply during major events and exhibitions.
- Check the fees. Hotel apartments are subject to 5% VAT, and the Tourism Dirham, where it applies, is charged per room for 30 nights at most.
- Plan the deposit. 391 of our 448 Dubai listings mention a security deposit, most often 10% of the total.
- Read the terms. Our reservation terms cover check-in ID and leaving early.
Browse all monthly rentals in Deira and in Bur Dubai, compare Dubai Marina, JBR and Business Bay, or send us your dates and we will suggest buildings on both sides of the Creek. For prices across the city, see how much a hotel apartment costs per month in Dubai.
Frequently asked questions
Is Deira or Bur Dubai cheaper?
On HotelApartments.com, Bur Dubai, for every size we can compare: median monthly asking prices of AED 5,500 for a studio, AED 8,100 for a one-bedroom and AED 12,500 for a two-bedroom, against AED 8,000, AED 13,750 and AED 18,000 in Deira, on 27 October 2026.
Is Deira or Bur Dubai better for a monthly stay?
Bur Dubai if price comes first; Deira if you want more choice, larger apartments or a short walk to the metro and the airport line. Both have hotel apartments with kitchens and washing machines, and every unit we list in either area has a 30-night minimum.
Are Deira and Bur Dubai the same area?
No. They are separate neighbourhoods on opposite sides of Dubai Creek, connected by the metro, by road and by abra. On our site they are separate areas, with 49 units in Deira and 24 in Bur Dubai.
How do you get from Bur Dubai to Deira?
By metro, the Green Line runs from Al Ghubaiba in Bur Dubai to Al Ras in Deira, one stop, and the Red Line links BurJuman and Union. RTA’s abra between Bur Dubai Abra Station and Deira Old Souq Abra Station costs AED 1 per trip in cash.
Is Deira close to the airport?
Deira is on the Red Line, which runs to Airport Terminal 1 and Airport Terminal 3. Five of the Deira units we list are closest to Airport Terminal 1 station.
How were these prices calculated?
They are the medians of the monthly asking prices of every unit live on HotelApartments.com in each area on 27 October 2026, excluding villas and our luxury collection. We show a median only where there are at least five units of that size.
Sources
- HotelApartments.com: live listings and market rates for Deira and Bur Dubai, and our reservation terms, read on 27 October 2026
- Roads and Transport Authority: Dubai Rail Network map (stations, lines and interchanges, read on 27 October 2026)
- Roads and Transport Authority: abra routes (route CR1, fare and hours)
- OpenStreetMap (station locations, © OpenStreetMap contributors)
- Visit Dubai: Deira and Bur Dubai (Dubai’s official tourism site)
- Federal Tax Authority: Real Estate VAT Guide (VATGRE1)
Prices and facts checked on 27 October 2026.
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