Callista by Zoya

Buyer guide

Callista by Zoya buyer guide

Price and size

The cheapest studio costs AED 626,000. The most expensive costs AED 697,000. That works out to roughly AED 1,780 to AED 1,890 per sq ft.

Is that cheap or expensive? A Metropolitan report on Dubai South apartments for the first half of 2026 shows an average resale price of about AED 1,356 per sq ft. Callista sits above that. New buildings almost always cost more per sq ft than older resale homes, so do not read it as a warning sign. Read it as a reminder to compare the same size, the same area and the same handover date before you decide.

Floor plans are not on this page yet. The developer has not released them to us. Use the form below and we will send them as soon as they exist.

What you will pay, step by step

Take the cheapest studio at AED 626,000. This is our own calculation from the developer’s plan:

• On booking, 20%: AED 125,200
• During construction: 28 monthly payments of 1%, which is AED 6,260 a month (AED 175,280 in total)
• Dubai Land Department fee, 4%: AED 25,040
• Admin fee: AED 3,500
• Cash you need before handover: about AED 329,020 (including both fees)
• On handover, 10%: AED 62,600
• After handover: 60 monthly payments of 0.7%, which is AED 4,382 a month (AED 262,920 in total)

The more expensive studios follow the same percentages, so the amounts rise in proportion. Our payment calculator lets you test other prices.

Two plain points. First, the plan runs for a very long time. You will still pay for five years after you get the keys. Second, the registration and admin fees come on top of the price. Many buyers forget them when they plan their budget.

Can the rent cover the payments?

Many buyers choose a post handover plan so that a tenant helps pay. Let us test that idea honestly.

The Metropolitan report puts the average yearly rent for a studio in Dubai South at AED 41,970. That is about AED 3,497 a month. On the AED 626,000 studio, that means a gross yield of roughly 6.7%.

Your post handover payment is AED 4,382 a month. That leaves a gap of about AED 885 a month, before you pay service charges, agent fees, repairs or empty months.

What does this mean for you?

• Rent can cover most of the payment, but not all of it.
• You should keep a monthly buffer in cash.
• If your studio sits empty for two months, you must pay those instalments yourself.

Please treat these numbers as a guide. The rent figure covers Dubai South studios in general, not Callista, and the report does not say it includes Madinat Al Mataar. Callista’s real rent will depend on the finished building, the furnishing and the market in 2029.

Who is Callista for?

It may suit you if:

• You want a small, lower priced way to own property in Dubai.
• You like paying in small monthly steps instead of a big lump sum.
• You can wait until December 2029 for the keys.
• You can afford a monthly buffer after handover.

It may not suit you if:

• You want rent or a place to live in the next two years. Choose a ready home.
• You need a bigger home. Callista has studios only.
• You want the Golden Visa. The visa needs property worth AED 2 million or more, and Callista studios cost far less.
• You dislike long payment plans.

Not sure which route fits you? Our guide on how off plan buying works in the UAE explains the basics.

About the developer: what we know and what we do not

Zoya Developments is a newer name in Dubai. Broker profiles say the company has about 14 years of development history and began selling in Dubai in 2024. We could not find a Zoya project in Dubai that has already been handed over. The developer’s projects list handovers between 2027 and 2029.

That does not make Zoya a bad choice. It does mean you carry more uncertainty than you would with a builder that has finished many Dubai towers. Before you pay a deposit:

1. Ask Zoya for its delivery plan and the date of its first handover.
2. Check the project on the Dubai Land Department project status page.
3. Confirm the escrow bank on the approved escrow trustees list.
4. Read the Sale and Purchase Agreement for the clause on delays.

See our Zoya Developments page for the company’s other projects.

Where Callista is

Callista sits in Madinat Al Mataar, a district beside Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South. The developer lists these drive times:

• Al Maktoum International Airport: about 5 minutes
• Expo City Dubai: about 10 minutes
• The Outlet Village: about 10 minutes
• Dubai Parks and Resorts: about 15 minutes
• Palm Jumeirah: about 20 minutes
• Mall of the Emirates: about 25 minutes

These are developer estimates. Traffic changes them, so test the drive at rush hour before you buy.

The airport story, told honestly. Dubai plans to expand Al Maktoum Airport for up to 260 million passengers a year. The National reported on 15 June 2026 that the first phase targets 2032, with Dh55 billion of further contracts due by the end of 2026. Callista hands over in December 2029, about three years earlier. So the area may look quite different in 2029 than in 2032. Sources also disagree on the second runway. One report says it is complete, and another says it opens by the end of 2027. Check the latest news before you rely on either claim.

Read more about the district on our Madinat Al Mataar page.

Callista and Calisi: two names, two projects

Many people mix these up. Callista by Zoya is a studio project in Madinat Al Mataar with handover in December 2029. Calisi by Zoya is a different Zoya project in Dubai South with two bedroom homes, and it has sold out. Make sure you read the right project name in every brochure, advertisement and contract.

How Callista compares with nearby choices

Two other projects in Madinat Al Mataar are on sale right now:

• Golden Woods Albab Views starts from AED 507,295 with handover in December 2027.
• Marquis Horizon starts from AED 1,301,700 with handover in June 2028.

Callista costs more than the first, hands over later and offers a longer post handover plan. It costs much less than the second. Compare unit size, handover date and the total you will pay, not just the starting price.

Before you pay a deposit: a short checklist

• Do I have the AED 329,000 or so I need before handover?
• Can I afford the monthly payments for 28 months, then 60 more?
• Do I have a buffer of at least AED 900 a month for the rent gap?
• Did I check the developer, the project status and the escrow account?
• Did I read the delay clause in the contract?
• Did I get the floor plan and the service charge estimate in writing?
• Do I know what happens if I sell before handover?