Living in Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi (2026): ADGM rules, transport, schools and homes

Living in Al Maryah Island means living in Abu Dhabi's financial district: high-rise and branded towers on a compact island with a mall, a hospital, two five-star hotels and a waterside promenade, a few minutes from the city centre. This guide covers daily life there and how buying a home works under ADGM's rules. See all projects and prices on our Al Maryah Island page.

It is written for buyers who would live in the home themselves, and for landlords who want to know what tenants look for. The area page covers the market; this guide is about living there.

Al Maryah Island, once called Sowwah Island, is a natural island between Abu Dhabi Island's city centre and Al Reem Island, linked to both by bridges. It is the home of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the emirate's international financial centre, and of many of the companies licensed there.

ADGM had more than 11,000 active licences when Mubadala and Aldar announced the island's expansion in December 2025, and almost 40,000 people were then based in the financial district. That shapes daily life: the island is busy on weekdays, with office workers on the promenade and in The Galleria, and quieter in the evenings and at weekends.

The figures show an island that faces the city. By road, The Galleria is about 6 km from the Abu Dhabi Bus Station and the Corniche, 8 km from Louvre Abu Dhabi, 14 km from Saadiyat Beach and 16 km from Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. The mainland is further: about 28 km to Khalifa City, 30 km to Yas Mall, 32 km to Masdar City and 33 km to Zayed International Airport. Dubai Mall is about 140 km.

Yes. Al Maryah Island is ADGM's home, and since 2023 ADGM's jurisdiction has also covered Al Reem Island. For a resident or buyer, that matters in three ways: who registers your home, which rules govern the sale, and how rents are set.

Registration. Property interests on Al Maryah and Al Reem islands are recorded by ADGM's Registration Authority in its Real Property Register, under the ADGM Real Property Regulations. A transfer takes effect only when it is registered, and registration is treated as conclusive proof of ownership.

Leases. Leases are registered with ADGM too, and changes to a lease must also be registered. Elsewhere in Abu Dhabi, tenancies go into Tawtheeq.

Rents. On 2 June 2026, ADREC held renewals at a 0% increase and re-lets at the previous contract's rent across the emirate, but excluded communities administered by ADGM. On Al Maryah, rents on renewal continue to be set by the market. Our guide to Abu Dhabi rents by area explains the freeze.

Yes. Al Maryah Island is one of the areas where foreign individuals and companies can own freehold in Abu Dhabi, and you do not need to live in the UAE to buy. Our guides to buying property in Abu Dhabi as a foreigner and can foreigners buy property in the UAE cover the wider rules.

Because the island sits in ADGM, ask the developer three things before you sign: which register the sale goes on, which off-plan rules protect your payments, and which fees you pay and when. Fees are on request from the developer and ADGM.

The steps look familiar, but the registry is ADGM's. You reserve, sign a sale and purchase agreement with the developer, pay to the project's account on the payment plan, and receive title at handover from ADGM's register.

Payment plans differ by tower and are on request from each developer. Many branded towers ask for a larger share at handover, so check how much you must pay before completion and how much at the end. Our guide to off-plan payment plans compares the common structures.

Golden Visa. Abu Dhabi grants a ten-year Golden Visa to owners of property worth at least AED 2 million. For an off-plan home, ask how the developer's paperwork will show the amount paid, and check eligibility with the visa authority. Our Golden Visa guide explains the rules.

On foot on the island, and by car or taxi off it. The island is compact, and its promenade, The Galleria and its offices are linked by walkways.

Walking. The 5.4 km promenade circles the island, with cafes and restaurants along the water and Highline Park and South Plaza on the way. The Galleria connects to several towers, so many errands need no car.

By car. The island has five car parks and valet parking at The Galleria. Bridges link it to the city centre and to Al Reem Island, and from Al Reem two marine bridges opened in March 2026 link directly to Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Highway (E12) towards Saadiyat, Yas and Dubai. The Department of Municipalities and Transport says those bridges carry up to 7,200 vehicles an hour and cut peak journeys by 60%, or 15 minutes.

Darb tolls. Crossing between Abu Dhabi Island and the mainland passes Darb toll gates on the main bridges. Since 1 September 2025, each crossing costs AED 4 from 7 to 9 am and 3 to 7 pm, Monday to Saturday, with no daily or monthly cap, and is free on Sundays and public holidays. Check the gates on your own route.

Taxi and bus. Taxi ranks are on the south-west side of The Galleria and the west side of Parking E, and there is a bus stop on the north-west side of The Galleria. Abu Dhabi Mobility runs the bus network, so check current routes before you rely on one.

Daily life centres on The Galleria and the waterfront. The island has the shopping, dining, gyms and healthcare of a city centre within a short walk.

• The Galleria Al Maryah Island has about 400 brands, with restaurants and cafes facing the water.
• Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, a multi-specialty hospital, is on the island, so specialist care is within walking distance.
• Hotels. Rosewood Abu Dhabi and Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi offer restaurants, spas and gyms.
• Sport. ACTIVE, a sports hub, is among the island's existing facilities, alongside the promenade for running and cycling.
• Culture and beaches. Louvre Abu Dhabi is about 8 km by road and Saadiyat Beach about 14 km.

Al Maryah is a business district first. Expect busy weekday lunchtimes, events on the waterfront and quieter evenings, and check what is under construction near any tower you consider, especially on the north side.

There are no schools on the island itself. Families look at schools on neighbouring Al Reem Island, across a short bridge, and on Saadiyat Island.

Private schools in Abu Dhabi are licensed and inspected by the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK). Schools families on Al Maryah commonly consider include Repton School Abu Dhabi and Nord Anglia International School Abu Dhabi, both on Al Reem Island, and schools on Saadiyat Island.

Treat this as a starting list, not a ranking. Check the latest ADEK inspection rating, the fees for your child's year group, whether there is a place and whether the bus serves your tower.

Apartments in high-rise towers, most of them branded. There are no villas or townhouses on the island, and the new supply is dominated by hotel and lifestyle brands.

What to compare. Branded towers come with hotel-style services, such as concierge, housekeeping and private dining, and those services are paid for through service charges. Ask for the expected service charge in writing, what it covers and whether services are optional. Our guide to branded residences explains how brands work, and our branded residences and penthouses pages list projects across the UAE.

Beyond the price, budget for the costs that come with a high-rise branded home. Most are set building by building, so ask for each one in writing before you buy.

• Service charges. The building's charge pays for the lobby, lifts, pools, gyms, security and the brand's services. Branded towers tend to offer more services, so ask what is included and what is billed separately.
• Cooling and utilities. Ask how cooling, water and electricity are supplied and billed in the tower, and whether cooling has a fixed capacity charge as well as a usage charge.
• Parking. Ask how many bays come with the home and what extra bays or visitor parking cost.
• Commuting. If you drive to the mainland at peak hours, each Darb toll crossing costs AED 4, with no daily cap.
• Letting. If you let the home, the lease is registered with ADGM, so ask what that costs and who pays.

For how these costs fit together over a year, see our guide to the true cost of buying off-plan, which applies the same headings to Dubai.

A large new district. On 8 December 2025, Mubadala and Aldar announced a joint venture to develop almost 500,000 sq m on the island's north side, its last undeveloped land.

The plan has a gross development value of more than AED 60 billion, with Aldar holding 60% and Mubadala 40%. It includes more than 3,000 waterfront residences, more than 450,000 sq m of Grade A offices, 40,000 sq m of retail and dining, a marina, a bay fountain, 2.5 km of air-conditioned walkways and more than 12,000 parking spaces, with 20% open space.

Three new bridges are proposed to link the north side to Al Reem Island and the mainland, which Mubadala says will put Saadiyat Island less than a 10-minute drive away. Enabling works are scheduled to begin in 2026, and no completion date has been given. For a resident, that means years of construction on the north side, and new shops, a marina and more road links when it is done.

Al Maryah suits people who want a central, walkable, high-rise life close to work in ADGM or the city centre. It suits less well families who want a garden, a villa or a school close by.

New homes on Al Maryah are branded towers at different stages, from upcoming to new launch. The table below is built from our project data and updates as we add or revise projects.

For neighbouring options, see Al Reem Island, which shares ADGM's rules, and for budgets across the UAE, our pages for AED 5 million to 10 million and AED 10 million to 20 million.

Use this list on any Al Maryah Island home:

1. The register. Confirm that the sale will be registered with ADGM's Registration Authority, and when.
2. The fees. Ask for every registration and transfer fee in writing, and who pays each one.
3. Where your money goes. Check the account named in the contract for your payments.
4. The service charge. Get the estimate in writing, with what the brand's services cost.
5. The view and the neighbours. Ask what will be built in front of the tower, especially on the north side.
6. Parking. Confirm the number of bays and any visitor parking.
7. The school run. Check ADEK ratings, fees and bus routes for schools on Al Reem and Saadiyat.
8. The commute. Drive it at rush hour, and count Darb toll crossings if you work on the mainland.

• ADGM. Abu Dhabi Global Market, the financial free zone covering Al Maryah and Al Reem islands.
• Registration Authority. ADGM's body that keeps the Real Property Register.
• ADREC. The Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre, which regulates property in the rest of the emirate. See our ADREC guide.
• Tawtheeq. Abu Dhabi's tenancy registration system outside ADGM.
• Darb. Abu Dhabi's road toll system.
• Branded residence. A home sold with a hotel or lifestyle brand's name and services.

If Al Maryah suits your work and budget, start with the project table above and the Al Maryah Island page, then compare it with Al Reem Island across the channel. If you would like a shortlist of branded towers on the promenade, or near a school on Al Reem, ask us and we will send one.