Dubai Logistics City

Dubai Logistics City: The World's Most Connected Supply Chain Hub and Investment Gateway

TL;DR — At a Glance

| Feature | Details | |---|---| | Developer | Dubai South Properties | | Location | Dubai South, Adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) | | Status | Ready / Operational (Continuously Expanding) | | Property Types | Commercial Logistics, Warehousing, Office + Integrated Residential (South Square) | | Residential Price Range | AED 1,100,000 – AED 2,599,200 | | Title | Freehold | | Key USP | World's largest airport in development, seamless sea-air connectivity, EZDubai e-commerce zone | | Best For | Logistics sector investors, aviation workers, Dubai South residential investors |

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1. Introduction: The Infrastructure That Will Define Dubai's Next Half-Century

Dubai Logistics City (DLC) — the Logistics District within the Dubai South master development — is not simply a business park or industrial zone. It is one of the most strategically conceived and comprehensively executed multi-modal trade infrastructure projects in human history: a 27 square kilometre dedicated logistics and supply chain free zone purpose-built to sit at the literal centre of the world's future trade flows, adjacent to what will become the world's largest international airport.

Understanding the investment case for Dubai Logistics City — whether for the commercial facilities themselves or for the surrounding residential properties that house its workforce — requires understanding the scale of the vision that Dubai South represents. Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), which Dubai Logistics City directly serves, is currently under the most ambitious airport capacity expansion in aviation history. When complete, DWC will handle 160 million passengers and 16 million tonnes of cargo annually — making it the world's largest airport by every measure, and the anchor of a regional economic zone that will dwarf anything currently existing in the Gulf.

Dubai Logistics City is the operational infrastructure that will enable this vision — the warehousing, the distribution centres, the bonded logistics facilities, and the corporate headquarters that the world's leading supply chain operators will need to capitalise on DWC's unprecedented connectivity.

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2. Location & Connectivity: The Multi-Modal Hub That No Other Location Can Match

The defining characteristic of Dubai Logistics City's location is its multi-modal integration: a single logistics zone with simultaneous, dedicated access to air, sea, and road freight — a configuration that no other logistics hub in the world can fully replicate.

Multi-Modal Connectivity at Dubai Logistics City

| Mode | Connection | Details | |---|---|---| | Air Freight | Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) | Directly linked via dedicated airside logistics corridor | | Sea Freight | Jebel Ali Port (world's largest man-made port) | 15 minutes via bonded customs road — creating an uninterrupted sea-air connection | | Road Freight | Emirates Road (E611) | Immediate access — direct connection to GCC road network | | Road Freight | Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E311) | Immediate access — connection to UAE motorway network |

Distance & Travel Times

| Destination | Travel Mode | Approx. Time | |---|---|---| | Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) | Direct Airside | Immediate | | Jebel Ali Port (Customs Road) | Truck | 15 minutes | | Expo City Dubai | Driving | 10 minutes | | JAFZA (Jebel Ali Free Zone) | Driving | 20 minutes | | Abu Dhabi | Driving | 75 minutes | | Sharjah (Airport and Port) | Driving | 60 minutes | | Dubai Marina | Driving | 30 minutes | | Downtown Dubai | Driving | 35 minutes |

The Sea-Air Synergy: The 15-minute bonded road connection between Jebel Ali Port (the world's largest man-made port and the 9th busiest container port globally) and Dubai Logistics City creates the world's most efficient sea-air logistics corridor. Cargo arriving at Jebel Ali can be transferred to DWC air cargo facilities, customs-cleared, and loaded onto an outbound aircraft without the delays, additional customs procedures, or security complications that would apply at any other sea-air transfer point in the world. This makes Dubai Logistics City the only location from which global operators can genuinely offer a seamless, single-customs-authority sea-air service across every major global trade route simultaneously.

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3. Commercial Infrastructure: World-Class Facilities for Global Operators

Dubai Logistics City offers Grade A commercial infrastructure designed to meet the most demanding requirements of the world's leading logistics and supply chain operators.

Commercial Facility Types

| Facility Type | Characteristics | |---|---| | Grade A Warehouses | Modern, temperature-controlled or ambient, clear-span, with full dock-leveller, CCTV, and fire suppression infrastructure | | Distribution Centres | Large-scale facilities optimised for high-throughput e-commerce or retail distribution operations | | Light Industrial Units | Flexible spaces suitable for manufacturing, assembly, or value-added logistics services | | Corporate Office Parks | Modern A-grade offices for logistics management, freight forwarding, and regional headquarters | | EZDubai E-Commerce Zone | Dedicated 920,000 sq m zone for global e-retailers and fulfillment operations |

EZDubai — The E-Commerce Revolution Hub: EZDubai is Dubai Logistics City's most significant recent addition — a purpose-built e-commerce zone offering infrastructure specifically designed for global online retailers seeking a Middle East and Africa distribution base. At 920,000 sq m, EZDubai provides space for fulfillment centres, last-mile distribution hubs, returns processing, and the corporate offices that support multi-channel retail operations across the MENA, South Asia, and East Africa markets.

Free Zone Benefits: All businesses operating within Dubai Logistics City's free zone framework benefit from:

• 100% foreign ownership — no UAE national sponsorship required
• 0% corporate income tax on qualifying activities
• 0% personal income tax
• 0% customs duties on import of goods (subject to applicable regulations)
• 100% repatriation of capital and profits
• No currency restrictions

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4. Residential Integration: Housing the Workforce of Dubai's Future

The extraordinary employment base being created at Dubai Logistics City — from warehouse operators and aircraft engineers to corporate executives and regional managers — requires quality residential accommodation in proximity. Dubai South Properties has integrated residential clusters within the broader Dubai South master plan to serve this growing population.

South Square and Associated Residential Clusters

South Square and similar residential developments within Dubai South provide accommodation designed for the Dubai Logistics City and DWC airport workforce:

| Unit Type | Size Range | Monthly Rent (Est.) | |---|---|---| | Studio | 400-500 sq ft | AED 3,500 – 5,000 | | 1 Bedroom | 700-900 sq ft | AED 5,000 – 7,500 | | 2 Bedroom | 1,000-1,300 sq ft | AED 7,500 – 11,000 |

Community Design Philosophy:

• Low-to-mid-rise residential blocks with landscaped pathways and parks
• Central community parks with water features and shaded areas
• Dedicated fitness centres, swimming pools, and children's play areas
• Essential retail and dining within the community footprint
• Short commutes to DWC, DLC, and Expo City — reducing private vehicle dependence

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5. Investment Analysis: The Long-Term Aviation Hub Play

Investing in residential property within or adjacent to Dubai Logistics City is fundamentally a macro bet on the most significant piece of aviation and logistics infrastructure being built anywhere in the world during the 2020s and 2030s.

The DWC Airport Expansion Impact on Residential Values

History provides a clear precedent for how major airport expansion affects surrounding residential property values. The area surrounding Heathrow Airport in London, Frankfurt Airport in Germany, and Dubai International Airport itself all saw sustained residential price appreciation as airport capacity expanded, employment grew, and surrounding infrastructure improved.

DWC's expansion to 160 million annual passengers will create employment for an estimated 120,000+ aviation, logistics, and support workers. These workers need housing. Residential supply within reasonable commuting distance is currently limited. As the airport expands and employment grows, demand for quality residential accommodation in Dubai South and adjacent communities will intensify dramatically.

Residential Market Projections (2025-2030)

| Metric | 2025 (Current) | 2027 (Projected) | 2030 (Projected) | |---|---|---|---| | DWC Annual Passengers | ~10M | ~25M | ~60M+ | | Dubai South Population | ~15,000 | ~40,000 | ~100,000+ | | Avg. 1BR Rent (AED/yr) | 55,000 – 75,000 | 70,000 – 100,000 | 95,000 – 140,000+ | | Avg. 1BR Sale Price (AED) | 1,100,000 – 1,400,000 | 1,400,000 – 1,800,000 | 1,800,000 – 2,500,000+ |

Why Investors Choose Dubai South Residential

1. Accessible Entry Prices: AED 1.1M-2.6M for freehold residential in a master-planned community with extraordinary long-term growth potential represents one of the most accessible investment entry points available in Dubai's freehold market.

2. Structural Demand Growth: As DWC expands, employment grows, and Dubai South's population increases, residential demand will intensify persistently. Current prices reflect the early stage of this trajectory — not its mature realisation.

3. Expo City Anchor: Expo City Dubai — repurposed from Expo 2020 as a permanent innovation and business district — provides an established employment and events anchor immediately adjacent to Dubai South, creating demand from a second distinct professional population.

4. Dubai Government Commitment: Dubai South is the UAE government's premier infrastructure investment priority for the next two decades. Government-backed master communities with this level of commitment consistently outperform privately developed alternatives.

5. Yield on Current Rents: Even at current rent levels — before the major airport expansion phases are complete — residential yields in Dubai South are competitive. As rents escalate with growing demand, yields for early investors will improve dramatically.

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6. Developer Profile: Dubai South Properties

Dubai South Properties is the real estate development arm of Dubai South — the government-backed master developer responsible for the 145 sq km Dubai South free zone. The company develops and manages all residential, commercial, and community infrastructure within the Dubai South jurisdiction, benefiting from direct alignment with the UAE government's strategic vision for the zone and the certainty of commitment that government-backed development provides.

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7. Conclusion: Invest in the Infrastructure of the Future

Dubai Logistics City is not a speculative bet on an uncertain future — it is an established, operational, and continuously expanding infrastructure asset serving the most significant airport development in aviation history. For commercial investors, the combination of a world-class logistics free zone, the EZDubai e-commerce platform, and the DWC sea-air advantage creates one of the most compelling commercial real estate opportunities globally. For residential investors, the opportunity to acquire freehold apartments in the community that will house DWC's 120,000+ future workforce — at current early-stage prices — represents one of Dubai's most compelling long-term capital appreciation plays.

Contact our investment team today to explore available commercial and residential opportunities within Dubai Logistics City and the broader Dubai South community.