Inside Dubai's Tallest Residential Towers — Where Living Above Floor 70 Is Normal
Dubai doesn't do modest. The city that built the world's tallest building, largest mall, and a palm-shaped island has applied the same logic to residential towers — and the results are structures that would be the tallest building in most countries but are just another address in the Marina or Downtown.
The four towers here represent the extremes: the tallest residential floors on Earth, the world's tallest spiral, and hotel-branded penthouses with private pools 200 meters above the desert. This is where the global ceiling for residential living actually sits.
- 1Dubai · Downtown Dubai
Burj Khalifa Residences
828 m108 floorsCompleted 2010SOMThe world's tallest building has 900 residential apartments on floors 19 through 108. Armani designed the hotel floors and lobbies; the residences above are finished in marble, dark wood, and floor-to-ceiling glass with views that extend to the Arabian Gulf on clear days. Living above the 100th floor of anything remains a Dubai-only experience.
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2Dubai · Dubai MarinaPrincess Tower
413 m101 floorsCompleted 2012Adnan Saffarini101 floors in Dubai Marina — the tallest residential building in the world when it completed in 2012, and still one of the tallest pure-residential towers anywhere. The Marina location means yacht clubs, beach access, and a tram station at your doorstep. Units are surprisingly attainable: studios from ~$250K.
View tower →- 3Dubai · Dubai Marina
Cayan Tower
306 m75 floorsCompleted 2013Skidmore, Owings & MerrillThe world's tallest twisted tower — 75 stories rotating 90 degrees from base to top. SOM designed it (the same firm behind One World Trade Center), and the twist isn't decorative: it reduces wind load and gives every floor a different orientation. Dubai Marina waterfront.
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4Dubai · Downtown DubaiAddress Residences Dubai Opera
299 m65 floorsCompleted 2020Skidmore, Owings & MerrillEmaar's 65-story twin-tower Address hotel and residence on the Dubai Opera plaza. The branded residence model perfected: Emaar Hospitality manages everything, the Dubai Fountain is your front yard, and the Opera House is a two-minute walk. The design by Jerde Partnership echoes the curve of a dhow sail.
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Frequently asked
- What is the tallest residential building in Dubai?
- By occupied residential floors, Burj Khalifa — with apartments up to the 108th floor. By height of a purely residential building, Princess Tower in Dubai Marina at 101 floors (414 meters).
- Can foreigners buy property in Dubai?
- Yes. Since 2002, freehold ownership is available to all nationalities in designated areas — including Dubai Marina, Downtown, and JBR. All four towers in this guide are in freehold zones.
- How much do apartments cost in Dubai's tallest towers?
- Dubai offers surprisingly wide price ranges. Studios in Princess Tower start around $250K. 1-bedrooms in Burj Khalifa from ~$500K. Address Opera 2-bedrooms from $1M. Penthouses in Burj Khalifa reach $15M+.
Dubai's next chapter includes several 100+ floor residential projects in the pipeline. The city treats height records the way other places treat park acreage — as core infrastructure.