Al Karama Area Guide (2026): Rent, Bed Space, Park and Market

About Al Karama

Al Karama (Karama) is an older residential district on the Bur Dubai side of the city, between Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Street, BurJuman and Zabeel Park. It is mostly low-rise blocks of flats with shops on the ground floor, many of them run by wasl, a Dubai property company. The name means "dignity" in Arabic. For other parts of the city, see all our Dubai area guides.

Is Karama in Bur Dubai? Yes. Karama is part of Bur Dubai, the older side of the city south of the creek, but it is its own community with its own name and number (318). Listing sites file it under Bur Dubai, so search "Al Karama" or "Karama" to see only homes here.

If you are thinking of renting a flat, a room or a bed space in Karama, this Al Karama area guide gives you what you need to decide: what flats really rent for, the buildings people ask about, what rooms and bed spaces cost, Karama Market, Karama Park, the restaurants, the Metro, the bus station and parking.

*This guide was last updated on 3 November 2026, using Dubai Land Department records up to 1 November 2026. Dollar ($) and pound (£) amounts use AED 3.6725 to the US dollar and AED 4.9249 to the British pound (XE mid-market rate); your bank's rate will differ.

Karama Location and Map

Karama sits in the middle of old Dubai, between the busy roads around BurJuman and the green of Zabeel Park. These are its edges:

• West: Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Street (still often called Trade Centre Road), with Al Mankhool across it. ADCB Metro station is on this side.
• North: BurJuman and Khalid Bin Al Waleed Road, with Umm Hurair beyond.
• East: Umm Hurair Road, with Oud Metha beyond.
• South: Sheikh Rashid Road, with Zabeel Park and the Dubai Frame across it, and Al Jafiliya to the south-west.

Two streets cross the middle of Karama: Za'abeel Street runs north to south, and Kuwait Street runs east to west, from ADCB station past Karama Centre.

By road, the middle of Karama is about:

• 2.8 km from BurJuman.
• 5.6 km from DIFC.
• 7.9 km from Dubai International Airport.
• 8 km from The Dubai Mall.

The first map shows where Karama is in Dubai.

The second shows Karama close up, with the Metro stations, Karama Centre, Karama Park, Lulu Hypermarket and, just outside, BurJuman and the Dubai Frame.

Karama Highlights

Here is Karama in short, from the homes and the rents to the food and the Metro.

Rent in Karama

Every home for rent in Karama is a flat, and about half of all flats rented here have two bedrooms. A one-bedroom flat rents for about AED 64,300 a year ($17,500 · £13,100) and a two-bedroom flat for about AED 83,900 ($22,800 · £17,000). A studio costs about AED 44,000. You can also rent a room, a partition or a bed space (see the next section).

*This guide was last updated on 3 November 2026, using Dubai Land Department records up to 1 November 2026. Dollar ($) and pound (£) amounts use AED 3.6725 to the US dollar and AED 4.9249 to the British pound (XE mid-market rate, 2 November 2026); your bank's rate will differ.

Apartments for rent in Karama

Karama is a busy place to rent but a small one to search. More than 14,000 contracts were signed or renewed here in the last 12 months, but only about 180 flats were advertised on Property Finder when this guide was last updated. Most tenants stay and renew, and many flats are let without a public advert. Only two furnished flats were advertised, so plan to bring or buy furniture.

The building you choose decides most of what you pay. These are the buildings and blocks with the most contracts, with what new tenants paid in the last 12 months*:

Our pick for value is Hamsah or Al Mabrooka 1. A one-bedroom flat in either rented for about AED 56,000, about AED 8,000 less than the Karama average, and each had dozens of contracts, so the figure is reliable. If you want a newer building with a pool, choose wasl hub, and expect to pay about AED 9,000 more.

See homes for rent:

• Property Finder: apartments for rent in Karama

Studios for rent in Karama

A studio in Karama costs about AED 3,700 a month on a yearly lease. Studios are fewer here than in newer areas: about one flat in seven rented here is a studio, and about 40 were advertised when this guide was last updated*.

A studio in Karama costs about the same as in Discovery Gardens, where our guide puts it at AED 44,400. The difference is the place: Karama is in the middle of the city, a short walk from two Metro lines.

See homes for rent:

• Property Finder: studios for rent in Karama

One- and two-bedroom flats for rent in Karama

Two-bedroom flats are the most common home in Karama: more than 7,300 were rented in a year. One-bedroom flats are harder to find: only about 14 were advertised when this guide was last updated*, against about 73 two-bedroom flats. Many people searching for a 1 BHK end up taking a two-bedroom flat and sharing it.

If you already live here, renewing is much cheaper than moving. A tenant renewing a two-bedroom flat paid about AED 72,600 on average, about AED 11,300 less than a new tenant.

See homes for rent:

• Property Finder: one-bedroom flats, two-bedroom flats, three-bedroom flats

Villas and townhouses for rent in Karama

Karama has no villas or townhouses: every home is a flat in a block. For a house, look at Jumeirah Park or Mudon, further out.

*This guide was last updated on 3 November 2026, using Dubai Land Department records up to 1 November 2026, and the homes advertised on Property Finder that day.

Bed Space and Rooms in Karama

Karama is one of the main places in Dubai to rent a bed space, a partition or a room. About 290 room adverts were up on Dubizzle when this guide was last updated*, and most were bed spaces near ADCB or Burjuman Metro.

What the words mean:

• Bed space: a bed in a room you share with others. The cheapest adverts start at about AED 500 a month.
• Partition: a part of a room closed off with a light wall, so you have your own small space.
• Private room: a room of your own in a shared flat.

Most adverts are for men or for women only, and many say who they want, such as "executive" or a nationality. Ask what the rent includes. Many adverts say DEWA and internet are included, but check.

Sharing a home is now regulated. Dubai's shared housing law, Law No. 4 of 2026, came into force in late summer 2026. Karama is one of the areas where shared housing is allowed, across the whole area. These are the law's main rules:

Before you pay for a bed space, a partition or a room:

• Ask whether the flat has a shared housing permit from Dubai Municipality.
• Visit at the time you would come home, to see how many people live there.
• See the room before you pay anything.
• Get a written agreement and a receipt for the deposit.

See rooms for rent:

• Dubizzle: rooms, partitions and bed spaces in Karama

*This guide was last updated on 3 November 2026, using the room adverts on Dubizzle that day. Dollar ($) and pound (£) amounts use AED 3.6725 to the US dollar and AED 4.9249 to the British pound (XE mid-market rate, 2 November 2026).

Property for Sale in Karama

Karama is not a freehold area, so foreigners cannot buy a home here. Only UAE and GCC nationals, and companies they own, can buy. In the last 12 months* no flats were sold in Karama at all: the Dubai Land Department recorded only two sales, both plots of land, and no homes were advertised for sale.

If you want to buy close to old Dubai, look at the freehold areas along the creek, such as Al Jaddaf and Dubai Creek Harbour. Our list of freehold areas in Dubai shows the rest.

*This guide was last updated on 3 November 2026, using Dubai Land Department records up to 1 November 2026.

Karama Market

Karama Market is the old shopping district in the middle of Karama: rows of small shops for bags, clothes, shoes, souvenirs and tailoring, at prices you can bargain on. People use the name for three places next to each other.

Is Karama Market still open? Yes. The shops are open every day, but there are no fixed hours for the whole market, because each shop is run on its own. Most are busy from late morning to late evening. Check a shop's hours on its map listing before you make a special trip.

Is Karama Market safe? Yes, it is a busy, ordinary shopping street. Karama was once known for copies of designer goods. Selling fakes is illegal in the UAE, and the police have raided shops here many times since 2001, so expect ordinary goods and bargains, not copies.

Tips for shopping here:

• Bargain: in the small shops, the first price is rarely the last one. Cash helps.
• Tailors: many shops alter or make clothes in a few days. Agree the price and the date before you leave the cloth.
• Gold and jewellery: buy only with a printed receipt that shows the weight and the carat.

Karama Park

Karama Park is a free local park in the middle of Karama, opposite the Lulu Centre on 16th Street. Dubai Municipality runs it. It is the place where people from the blocks around walk, play cricket and bring their children in the evening.

For a bigger park, Zabeel Park is just across Sheikh Rashid Road. It has big lawns, play areas and the Dubai Frame. Entry costs AED 5, paid with a Nol card, and Gate 3 is the nearest to Karama.

Restaurants in Karama

Karama is one of the best places in Dubai for cheap, everyday food from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Philippines. Most are small, simple places with low prices.

Good to know:

• Vegetarian: Saravana Bhavan, Woodlands and Sangeetha serve only vegetarian food.
• Filipino food: the cafés in and around Al Attar Centre are the Filipino heart of Karama.
• A drink with dinner: most restaurants in Karama do not serve alcohol. The bars are in the Park Regis Kris Kin Hotel, opposite BurJuman, open until 3 am.
• Places change often: check that a restaurant is still open before you go.

Supermarkets, Clinics, Mosques and Gyms in Karama

Daily needs are on the ground floors of the blocks, so most people walk to the shop, the pharmacy and the mosque.

Supermarkets in Karama

Lulu is the main supermarket in Karama. Your options:

• Lulu Centre: 16th Street, opposite Karama Park.
• Lulu Hypermarket: in the south-west of Karama.
• Lulu Supermarket: 6B Street.
• Day to Day: a discount shop for household goods, 2B Street.
• Small groceries: on the ground floor of almost every block.
• Just outside Karama: Spinneys in Al Mankhool, open 24 hours, and Carrefour in BurJuman.

Clinics in Karama

Aster Clinic Karama is the main family clinic, open every day from 8 am to 10 pm. Your options:

• Aster Clinic Karama: Al Waleed 5 Building, near Wall Street Exchange.
• Karama Medical Centre: Karama Centre.
• Pharmacies: Aster Pharmacy has several branches here, and small pharmacies are on most streets.
• Hospitals with emergency departments: Rashid Hospital, about 3 km by road on Oud Metha Road, and the American Hospital Dubai in Oud Metha.

Al Karama Medical Fitness Center is Dubai Health's centre for the medical test you need for a residence visa. It is in Karama, on 19th Street, and it is one of several such centres in Dubai.

Mosques in Karama

Karama has mosques within a short walk of most blocks. Some of them:

• Easa Saleh Al Gurg Mosque: Khalid Bin Al Waleed Road, near Burjuman station. It holds more than 1,300 worshippers.
• Abdullah Al Zahri Mosque: 23rd Street.
• Smaller mosques: across the area; use a prayer-times app to find the nearest one.

Gyms in Karama

Karama has small local gyms, and a big 24-hour gym is just across the road in Al Mankhool. Your options:

• GymNation Bur Dubai: M Squared building, next to Spinneys in Al Mankhool, open 24 hours.
• wasl hub: its gyms are for residents.
• Small gyms: on the upper floors of some blocks. Visit before you sign up, and ask about the monthly fee.

Schools in Karama

Karama has a few schools inside, and several highly rated schools are next door in Oud Metha. Most children go by school bus or car.

KHDA is the Dubai government office that inspects private schools. Its ratings, from the top, are Outstanding, Very good, Good and Acceptable. The ratings below are from KHDA's latest inspections, in 2023-24.

Every school's fees are on the KHDA school directory. To compare family areas, read our guide to the best areas to live in Dubai for families.

Nurseries in Karama

Karama has several small nurseries licensed by KHDA. Some of them:

• Chubby Cheeks Nursery (Karama branch).
• Kinderville Early Learning Centre (Karama branch).
• Learn and Fun Early Childhood Center (Karama branch).
• Tappy Toes Nursery.

Ask the nursery which ages it takes this year, and visit before you pay the registration fee.

Getting Around Karama

Karama is one of the easiest places in Dubai to live without a car: two Metro lines and a bus station are on its edges. If you drive, most trips start on one of these roads:

• Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Street runs along the west side. It takes you south to the Trade Centre area and Sheikh Zayed Road.
• Sheikh Rashid Road runs along the south side, past Zabeel Park, towards Al Garhoud and the airport one way and Al Satwa the other.
• Umm Hurair Road runs along the east side, towards Oud Metha and Deira.

These are distances, not times. The roads around BurJuman are very busy at rush hour, so allow extra time.

Metro stations near Karama

The Karama Metro station is called ADCB, on the Red Line. It was named Al Karama until 2014, when it was renamed after Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank. You have three stations to choose from:

• ADCB (Red Line): on Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Street, the west edge. The nearest for west and central Karama.
• Burjuman (Red and Green Lines): at BurJuman, the north edge. You can change between the two lines here.
• Oud Metha (Green Line): the nearest for the east side, near Umm Hurair Road.

This is how far you walk:

Karama bus station

Al Karama Bus Station is on 45B Street, in the south of Karama, near Zabeel Park. Buses from here link Karama with other parts of the city. The bus stops called "Karama, Dubai Municipality Center" are on Kuwait Street. Routes and times change, so check them in the RTA's S'hail app before you rely on a bus.

Parking in Karama

Street parking in Karama costs AED 4 an hour, from 8 am to 10 pm, Monday to Saturday, and it is free on Sundays and public holidays. Parkin, Dubai's parking company, runs it.

How it works:

• The zone code: Karama is zone 318W. Pay in the Parkin app or by SMS, with the code on the sign next to the space.
• No peak price: Karama has the same price all day, unlike premium zones in other areas.
• Monthly parking: Parkin sells subscriptions for the Karama zone. Check the price in the Parkin app.
• At home: older blocks have few spaces, and the streets fill up in the evening. Ask whether a space comes with the flat before you sign.

Is Karama a Good Place to Live?

Yes, if you want a cheap flat or a bed space in the middle of Dubai, close to the Metro, with food and shops on your doorstep. It is not the right place if you want to buy, live in a new tower with a pool, or park easily.

A one-bedroom flat in Karama costs about the same as in Discovery Gardens, at the far end of the Red Line, but Karama is a few minutes from BurJuman, DIFC and the airport. It costs about AED 21,800 a year less than in JLT, where our guide puts a one-bedroom flat at AED 86,100. For something in the same old part of town, compare Bur Dubai and Deira.

For families: Karama has a few schools inside, and highly rated British, French and Indian schools are next door in Oud Metha. Karama Park is safe and busy in the evening. The flats are older and smaller than in newer areas, so visit at the time your family would be home.

Three bills to ask about before you sign:

• Cooling: ask whether the air conditioning is part of the DEWA bill or billed apart, and how much last summer's bills were.
• DEWA: you pay DEWA, the water and electricity bill, yourself unless the contract says otherwise. Bed-space and room rents often include it: ask.
• Parking: ask whether a parking space is in the rent, or whether you will pay for Parkin.