Dubai South: The perfect place to live, if only you could find an ATM!

Dubai South is soaring to new heights as one of the UAE’s most vibrant, family-focused destinations. With modern residential buildings, elegant villas, lush parks, peaceful mosques, and everyday essentials like Lulu Supermarket and Quick Supermarket, it’s no wonder that Dubai South - spanning 145 square-kilometre - has already attracted tens of thousands of residents — with plans to welcome 1 million in the future and generate 500,000 jobs.

The lifestyle here is thoughtfully designed. From well-connected roads to green open spaces and everyday conveniences, the community balances comfort and ambition. Just five minutes from the residential core, an ENOC petrol station serves as a neighbourhood hub, surrounded by popular eateries like KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut. In Pulse Residences, there is also Domino’s Pizza, Royal Dining Restaurant, Shawarma Al Karmel, and more — making dining out or grabbing a quick bite effortless.

As the area continues to flourish, residents are now hoping for one more key addition: access to ATMs. Despite the community’s impressive growth, the absence of nearby banking facilities has become a noticeable gap. Whether it’s needing cash on a weekend or making a quick withdrawal, many find themselves driving 15–20 minutes to surrounding areas like Dubai Investment Park (DIP) or Ibn Battuta Mall.

Though life in Dubai South is largely digital and card-friendly, there are still moments — from emergency purchases to cash-only services — when physical banking access matters.

For many residents, it's not a setback — it's simply the next milestone in Dubai South’s incredible journey toward becoming one of the city’s most complete, future-ready communities.

We spoke to four residents who shared how they manage without ATMs, the workarounds they’ve adopted, and why they believe the addition of basic banking services will make this thriving community even stronger.

Dubai South resident Mohamed Ayman shares his take on life without ATMs in one of Dubai’s fastest-growing neighbourhoods. For Ayman, a 39-year-old Egyptian logistics quality lead, life in Dubai South has been largely positive. After living in Dubai South for two years, he has witnessed the rapid transformation of the area — from expanding residential zones to the arrival of supermarkets, restaurants, and parks that make daily life comfortable and family-friendly.

But for all the convenience Dubai South offers, there’s still one thing missing: access to a nearby ATM. “Maybe none of the residents raised a formal request to install one,” Ayman says thoughtfully. “Or if a request was made, banks could easily place one in Lulu Supermarket — it’s such a central location.”

Living in Pulse Residence for the past two years, Ayman’s nearest ATM is a 20-minute drive away in Dubai Investments Park (DIP). When he has time, he swings by Ibn Battuta Mall — not just for shopping, but to access banking services.

“Most of the time, I pay for everything online,” he explains. “Luckily, all the shops here accept cards. But I always make sure to withdraw some cash on my way home, just in case.”

The absence of ATMs may not affect him daily, but there are moments when it becomes a real challenge. “One time, I ordered something, but the delivery guy didn’t have a card machine. I had to cancel the order,” he recalls. “Another time, I had to drive all the way to DIP. If I don’t have the time, I’ll borrow cash from a friend or neighbour and transfer the money to them through my banking app.”

When asked if local businesses or banks have provided any alternatives, Ayman shakes his head. “As far as I know, there haven’t been any. No mobile banking units, kiosks, or cashback services. Nothing.”

With the population in Dubai South growing rapidly — and more residential towers rising across the skyline — Ayman, like many of his neighbours, wonders when financial services will catch up.

“Honestly, I don’t know if there’s a plan in place. But with the number of people moving in, I really hope it happens soon.”

Born and raised in Dubai, Aalim Aslam shares why access to ATMs should be part of Dubai South’s next chapter. For Aslam, a 26-year-old Indian expat who’s lived in Dubai all his life, moving to Dubai South almost three years ago was a natural next step. The community is new, spacious, and full of promise — exactly the kind of place a young professional would want to call home.

“I think the current focus is on building out the residential and commercial spaces to be ready for the population that’s coming in,” Aslam says. “But it’s honestly surprising that not a single ATM has been installed in all of Dubai South. That should be one of the essentials in a thriving community.”

Living in Palma Residence, Aslam has learned to manage without direct access to cash machines by adapting his routines. Most days, he takes care of banking tasks while at work. “There’s not much choice, really. I handle my withdrawals and deposits during office hours. It works during the week, but weekends can be tough if I need cash urgently.”

The nearest ATM? Still in DIP, like most of his neighbours. And if he needs to visit a branch, that’s where he heads. “There aren’t any other options. No mobile ATMs, no cashback services. Thankfully, almost all stores in the area now accept card payments, so that’s helped a lot.”

For Aslam, the lack of ATMs hasn’t caused major issues — but it has caused inconveniences.

“Depositing money is definitely harder than it should be. You want the option of having some cash on hand — especially in emergencies or for smaller service providers who may not accept cards.”

While he hasn’t heard of any official updates or plans to install ATMs, Aslam remains hopeful. “It’s one of the few things missing in Dubai South. Adding just a few machines would go a long way in making the area even more livable and complete.”

Another longtime Dubai South resident, who wished to remain anonymous and chose to go by the name Ed wonders why financial services haven’t kept pace with the community’s rapid growth.

For nearly four years, Ed has seen the area evolve from a budding residential district to a fully developed, family-focused community.

He lives in MAG 5 Boulevard, a place he calls home, with wide streets, fresh developments, and a sense of peace that’s hard to find in a bustling city. But despite the impressive progress, he still finds it puzzling that there’s no ATM in sight.

With no ATMs in the community, Ed has had to make adjustments — relying heavily on online banking and mobile payments.

“That’s what gets me through most days. But when I need cash, there’s no option but to leave the area. It takes planning — sometimes I drive to Motor City or Ibn Battuta Mall just to withdraw money [travel time around 30 minutes].”

The situation becomes particularly inconvenient during emergencies or when he deals with service providers or small vendors that only accept cash. “No alternatives have been offered — no mobile ATMs, kiosks, or even cashback services at shops. And that’s a real gap, especially considering how much the community has grown. We’re all hoping the right people are paying attention and will address this issue as soon as possible. It would make a big difference.”

Indian expatriate Daniel, 34, has called Dubai home for 21 years — and moved to Dubai South in 2023, drawn by the promise of a well-planned, modern community. As a Resource Planning Officer, he appreciates structure, efficiency, and foresight — values that Dubai South largely embodies.

“The number of residents here has gone up significantly,” Daniel says. “But there still isn’t a single ATM available anywhere in the area.”

To manage, Daniel sticks to a routine: he withdraws cash while commuting to work, where he has access to ATMs. But the workaround doesn’t always help, especially when emergencies strike on weekends or late nights. “I’ve had to drive nearly 20 minutes to DIP just to get some cash. That’s not ideal, especially when you need it urgently.”

Daniel lives in Views Building, Dubai South, for two years, and like many of his neighbors, he hasn’t seen any signs of progress or announcements regarding ATM installations.

For now, he — and many others — continue to navigate around the issue, hoping the growing community eventually catches up with its financial infrastructure needs.

We want to hear from you! If you’re a resident of Dubai South: Where do you go for ATM access? How do you manage your financial needs?

Share your thoughts and suggestions with us — your voice matters! Email us at readers@gulfnews.com