DAMAC Hills vs DAMAC Hills 2: which community suits you

DAMAC Hills and DAMAC Hills 2 are two separate communities, not two phases of the same one. DAMAC Hills is the established golf community around Trump International Golf Club Dubai, closer to the city and priced higher. DAMAC Hills 2, formerly called Akoya Oxygen, sits much further out in Dubailand and offers villas and townhouses at a lower price, in exchange for a longer drive to almost everything.

If you want a shorter commute, a British-curriculum school inside the gates and a golf course, DAMAC Hills is the better fit. If you want the most space for your money and do not mind driving, DAMAC Hills 2 is worth a look. The names confuse many buyers, and listings sometimes mix them up, so always check which community a property is actually in.

DAMAC Hills and DAMAC Hills 2 at a glance

Company figures come from DAMAC's own update, reported by Khaleej Times in September 2026.

DAMAC Hills: the established golf community

DAMAC Hills was marketed first as Akoya by DAMAC and later renamed. It covers 42 million sq ft, wrapped around an 18-hole course designed by Gil Hanse that opened in early 2017 as Trump International Golf Club Dubai. It is the older and more finished of the two, and by DAMAC's account most of it is now complete.

What it offers residents:

• A school inside the community. Jebel Ali School, a British-curriculum school from Foundation Stage to Year 13, is within DAMAC Hills, according to Bayut's area guide.
• Green space. Bayut lists about 4 million sq ft of parkland, plus a skate park, petting farm, dog park and equestrian facilities.
• Shops and daily needs: supermarkets such as Carrefour and Spinneys, restaurants and the golf clubhouse.
• Road links: Hessa Street and Al Qudra Road, with Emirates Road and Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road a short drive away.

The downsides are the ones that come with any suburban Dubai community. Public transport is limited, so you will drive. The nearest metro station, Jumeirah Golf Estates, is about a 14-minute drive. Some parts of DAMAC Hills still have construction under way, which means noise and site traffic for a while.

DAMAC Hills villas and apartments

DAMAC Hills villas and townhouses trade mainly on the resale market today, because the community is largely built. New stock comes mostly as apartments. Developments named in area guides include Golf Panorama, Golf Vista, Artesia, Carson and The Park Villas.

The current launch in the community is DAMAC District, and it is the cheapest way into a DAMAC master community this year.

DAMAC District will not reach the AED 2 million Golden Visa threshold on its own. It suits investors who want a lower entry price inside an established community, and buyers who like the idea of a home and an office at the same address. Our guide to studio apartments for sale in Dubai covers what studios like these tend to rent for and to whom.

DAMAC Hills 2: more space, further out

DAMAC Hills 2 was launched as Akoya Oxygen and renamed later. It lies in the southern part of Dubailand, close to Jebel Ali to Lehbab Road and its junction with Emirates Road. That is well beyond DAMAC Hills, and the distance shapes everything about it.

Area guides on the main listing portals describe it as a community of more than 30 clusters, mostly townhouses and villas with a smaller number of apartments. Each cluster has its own pool, play area and sports courts. There is a clinic, supermarkets and a handful of restaurants inside the community.

The appeal is price. For a family that wants a three or four-bedroom house with a garden, DAMAC Hills 2 has long been one of the more affordable ways to get one in Dubai. The cost is time. Listing portals estimate about 40 minutes by car to Downtown Dubai and Dubai International Airport outside rush hour, and most daily trips beyond the community need a car.

Two things to weigh before buying there:

• Supply in 2026. DAMAC says more than 1,500 villas are due for handover in DAMAC Hills 2 this year. A large batch of similar homes reaching the market at once can hold back rents and resale prices for a while.
• Commute and schools. Check the drive to your workplace and your children's school at the hours you would actually travel, not on a quiet weekend.

We do not currently list a DAMAC Hills 2 launch on this site. If you are considering a resale home there, the shortlist form can put you in touch with a licensed broker who covers it.

Which one suits you

For investors, the logic is similar. DAMAC Hills has the stronger location story and a more mature rental market. DAMAC Hills 2 has a lower entry price but more competing supply in 2026. Neither is a holiday-let location in the way the coast is; both rent mainly to residents on annual leases. Our guide to Dubai rental yields explains how to compare gross and net returns, and the rental yield calculator runs the numbers for a specific unit.

The neighbour worth comparing: DAMAC Lagoons

If DAMAC Hills appeals but you want new-build with a payment plan rather than resale, look next door. DAMAC Lagoons is the Mediterranean-themed lagoon community beside DAMAC Hills, covering 49 million sq ft. Two apartment launches there sit between DAMAC District and the villa communities on price:

• Lagoon Views: 1 to 2-bed apartments from AED 1,625,000 (about €401,000), 1% monthly plan, handover Q2 2027.
• Valencia, DAMAC Lagoons District: 1 to 2-bed apartments from AED 1,520,000 (about €375,000), 60/40 plan, handover Q3 2029, in the walkable district with offices and DAMAC Mall.

DAMAC Hills

DAMAC District

From AED 808,000 ≈ €200k

Q3 2029

Studio – 2 BR · 60/40 with 1% monthly instalments

DAMAC Lagoons

Lagoon Views

From AED 1,625,000 ≈ €401k

Q2 2027

1–2 BR · 1% monthly plan

DAMAC Lagoons

Valencia, DAMAC Lagoons District

From AED 1,520,000 ≈ €375k

Q3 2029

1–2 BR · 60/40

Our guide to DAMAC Lagoons vs DAMAC Islands compares the lagoon communities, and the DAMAC Properties review covers the developer's track record. If you are set on a house, villas for sale in Dubai looks at the off-plan villa options.