# Accomodation in Dubai - working in Abu Dhabi



## biscuit63 (Aug 15, 2011)

Hi Guys

We are arriving into the UAE in October from Melbourne, Australia. We would like some advice on our unfurnished accommodation options please from anyone who has lived in Dubai for a while. I will be working on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi (near Khalifa City) but think accommodation costs will mean it will be cheaper to live in Dubai and commute. We are thinking of the JBR area as its to the southwest of the city (maybe shortening that commuting time?) and seems to have access to eating and drinking places easily. 

We do not have kids and would like to spend around 120,000 AED. We would like access to a gym too. Is this price realistic? What will it get us? We would like a modern unfurnished 2 bedroom apartment. We have picked JBR only because of what the various books have said, but want to know what others think. Is it a good place to start out? Does it shorten the commute at all? Is there gym access? Is it a fun place to be? Can we walk to coffee shops here? Any particular apartment block recommendations?

Any honest and helpful estate agent recommendations would be welcome. Also can you let us know how you found your accommodation? Did you sign up with one particular agent or use the internet and arrange inspections? Thank you to all those helpful people out there willing to share what you know.

We look forward to meeting some new friends! cheers

Gary


----------



## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

You can try any of the buildings in Marina as many are in better shape than JBR and the same price. 120K is a good budget for a 2 bed. 

Probably 80% of people commuting to AUH live in JBR, Marina, JLT or Discovery Gardens which are all in the South of Dubai.
The whole area below JBR is full of eating places and cafes but it may get boring after a while


----------



## Ogri750 (Feb 14, 2008)

+1 for above.

You wait until you see the amount of vehicles heading south from Dubai in the morning and then back again in the evening. That will give you an idea of just how many people do the daily grind to AD


----------



## Bigjimbo (Oct 28, 2010)

Don't forget the Palm!


----------



## biscuit63 (Aug 15, 2011)

Bigjimbo said:


> Don't forget the Palm!


Will look into the Palm...can I afford it?

Please PM me if you can help with any advice so I can catch up with you when we come over.....cheers


----------



## M.A.K (Sep 14, 2011)

I am currently in the Real Estate business in Dubai and a good 2 Bed apartment in JBR would cost you around 100000- 120000 depending on the floor, view and size. Its a good idea to arrive early and stay for a week in a hotel apartment while you look at a few places because this would be your home for a year and so its not a good idea to hurry it up.


----------



## BedouGirl (Sep 15, 2011)

You might find it worthwhile to look at Khalifa A, there are properties there going for very reasonable rents - cheaper than JBR and no long journeys.


----------



## BedouGirl (Sep 15, 2011)

You may want to look at Khalifa A - I understand there are some reasonably priced places there, cheaper than JBR, etc. Plus no long drives. The joys of an iPad and duplicate posts - sorry !


----------



## rutherford (Jan 17, 2011)

HI

I work near Khalifa A also (are you working at Masdar too?) and I'd just like to suggest the Greens. 105k gets me (and my wife) a very nice, spacious 2 bed with great facilities and amenities nearby. It also has the advantage that the whole development is FINISHED; no patches of sand that will eventually turn into building sites with dust and noise and trucks.

Also when doing the commute regularly, just 5-10 mins each way can really make a difference. In that sense the Greens has the advantage that it's very easy to get onto Sheik Zayed (the main road through Dubai) very quickly. I think a little more so than JLT/JBR. It sounds trivial, but it does make a difference.

Finally, I lived for 2 weeks temporarily in Khalifa City when I first arrived. The novelty of living somewhere that 'promises the world but still looks like the moon' wears off very quickly. It won't be ready for another 3 years and unless you are a really 'home-y' couple you will miss having places to go to, eat etc in the vicinity.

Good luck with the move.


----------



## cami (Aug 11, 2010)

biscuit63 said:


> Hi Guys
> 
> We are arriving into the UAE in October from Melbourne, Australia. We would like some advice on our unfurnished accommodation options please from anyone who has lived in Dubai for a while. I will be working on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi (near Khalifa City) but think accommodation costs will mean it will be cheaper to live in Dubai and commute. We are thinking of the JBR area as its to the southwest of the city (maybe shortening that commuting time?) and seems to have access to eating and drinking places easily.
> 
> ...


i don't want to ruin your joy, but perhaps you should check with your hr if they still give you accommodation allowance for units located in dubai - that is, if you are paid that by your company. some companies don't give a rat's %$# where you live and will pay your allowance into your salary in various ways while some others may be really picky and ask you to show an abu dhabi location renting contract. i've heard of people who chose beatiful places in dubai (A LOT cheaper than ad ones), even paid the realtor's comission only to find out from their hr people they could not rent out in dubai. 

just an idea. good luck!


----------



## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

Wow, is that really what the prices are for a 2 bed apartment that end of town? 

My 4 bed villa in Jumeriah 1 is less that 120k!


----------



## M.A.K (Sep 14, 2011)

Mr Rossi said:


> Wow, is that really what the prices are for a 2 bed apartment that end of town?
> 
> My 4 bed villa in Jumeriah 1 is less that 120k!


Well a 4 Bed Loft in JBR goes for around for 180k/annum and yes prices are a little down in your area.


----------



## Jumeirah Jim (Jan 24, 2011)

OP I suggest you try the dxb-AUH commute for a few weeks before signing a lease. I've been living in dxb and working in AUH for the last 6 months. The commute really wears me down. Do not under estimate just how bad that road is if you're traveling during peak times. 

Almost very day I see at least one serious accident and countless examples of mindless driving. For the previous 3 years I used to commute from the marina to DIFC and thought I saw bad driving then. That's nothing to what you see after leaving jebel ali. Bear in mind how dangerous the UAE roads are, how far you'll be driving each year then work out if you want to risk you're life in that way. Sounds melodramatic but truth is however good a driver you are commuting will be a daily risk, major stress, take at least 3 hours out of your day and quickly devalue your car ( best to lease) due to the kms you'll clock up. 

I'm moving to AD. Yes it's a bit more in rent but worth it for a better quality of life IMO.


----------



## beeniesmiles (Aug 8, 2011)

biscuit63 said:


> Hi Guys
> 
> We are arriving into the UAE in October from Melbourne, Australia. We would like some advice on our unfurnished accommodation options please from anyone who has lived in Dubai for a while. I will be working on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi (near Khalifa City) but think accommodation costs will mean it will be cheaper to live in Dubai and commute. We are thinking of the JBR area as its to the southwest of the city (maybe shortening that commuting time?) and seems to have access to eating and drinking places easily.
> 
> ...


hey gary! welcome to dubai!!!

even though alot of people are telling u to move to khalifa city to be closer to work, im telling u there is NOTHING to do around there and it will get really boring and really depressing-- REAL fast. your best bet would be to explore areas in the south of dubai- JBR JLT, the marina, the greens. i personally live in dubai marina and absolutely love love LOVE the area. there is SO MUCH to do, to eat, to experience, to enjoy, not to mention the beach is right there, and very easy access to AUH. i personally think your best bet would be the Marina as JBR is pricey but the units arent really anything to write home about (some are very poorly maintained and/or constructed). JLT is not bad also but they apparently were just grouped into the palm district cooling system so youre stuck paying extra bills. 

in any case, the marina is fantastic-- alot of dubai (even those living in the north/"old dubai") come down here to hang/eat/party/beach. i personally work in media city so the commute is fantastic but i do need to go to AUH weekly about once (much further in than khalifa city-- more by the abu dhabi marina mall) and the commute from the marina is easy as pie!!! 

someone else here mentioned that once u begin the commute you'll see how many people make this journey on adaily basis. in my opinion-- its better to brave the commute (which isnt really all that bad if u think about it compared to what alot of people do and accept as "normal" in places like new york where im from) but to be around lots to do and enjoy, than to have a 10 minute commute from a place that will kill u from boredom.

u have a very realistic budget, and you can definitely get a great property!
best of luck to you during your search and welcome again!

beenie


----------



## Jumeirah Jim (Jan 24, 2011)

Beenie I suggest you try the commute for a few weeks before saying it's nothing. The drive's ok at the weekend once in a while but v different day in day out. That's why I suggested to the op that they try it for a few weeks before deciding. 

There's more to AD than Khalifa city! AD's quieter than dxb but that doesn't mean it's dead. You can always drive up to dxb at the w/ends and there are loads of cheap hotel deals here. With Commuting I can never go out during the week in dxb as I'm in the car so many hours on top of a working day. 

If the op does choose Dubai then after living in the marina for 3 years I'd say it's only a good option if you like living in a high rise expat ghetto where you feel cut off from the rest of the city and have to pay tourist prices for most things. Nice at first but having lived in older Dubai I now realize how much I was missing out on...


----------



## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

Jumeirah Jim said:


> Sounds melodramatic but truth is however good a driver you are commuting will be a daily risk


Not melodramatic at all. A friend does the commute and fortunate enough to be able to leave 9am most days. Says it makes all the difference.


----------



## beeniesmiles (Aug 8, 2011)

Jumeirah Jim said:


> Beenie I suggest you try the commute for a few weeks before saying it's nothing. The drive's ok at the weekend once in a while but v different day in day out. That's why I suggested to the op that they try it for a few weeks before deciding.
> 
> There's more to AD than Khalifa city! AD's quieter than dxb but that doesn't mean it's dead. You can always drive up to dxb at the w/ends and there are loads of cheap hotel deals here. With Commuting I can never go out during the week in dxb as I'm in the car so many hours on top of a working day.
> 
> If the op does choose Dubai then after living in the marina for 3 years I'd say it's only a good option if you like living in a high rise expat ghetto where you feel cut off from the rest of the city and have to pay tourist prices for most things. Nice at first but having lived in older Dubai I now realize how much I was missing out on...


welll you ARE right of course.......i dont do the commute daily, so i guess im not "qualified" to advise, but i know many from the marina who do and are very happy to do so as a trade off for being in dubai.

i dont think the marina is an expat ghetto, although i can sympathize with why you would say that. "old dubai" is fantastic, but the sad truth is, just like you said, being on this side of dubai and cut off from the other half really keeps u living in a bubble (of which i am guilty!)

its really up to the OP. what do you want? what kind of environment are you looking for?? there definitely IS alot to do in Abu Dhabi, and yes, there IS more to AUH than khalifa city! AUH is alot quieter, in general alot more conservative, but definitely a very up and coming area, not to mention as the capital, it is quite a hub of activity.investments generally are alot more "safer" / "better" in this area and alot of really amazing projects are going up. and did i mention ferrari park in yas island??


----------



## Jumeirah Jim (Jan 24, 2011)

I don't usually find the drive down in the morning too bad. I live in Jumeria and can leave at 7.30 and be in my office on Hamden St at 9. It helps that the traffic thins out after shahama/yas island turn off. 

The trouble comes in the evenings when it can regularly take 2hrs +. At the end of a bad/busy day that's the pits. Thursday nights are the worst and it took 2.5 hrs last week. The problems usually come at jebel ali when the AUH commuter traffic combines with the jebel ali commuters heading back into town. 

It's 80,000 ks (50,000 miles) a year..


----------



## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

And dont forget about the fines one racks up doing the drive... If you stay in the right, you will have to deal with people going 80 km to 140. It is like being stuck in a bad movie where they strategically put morons all over the road to piss you off... It gets very old. If you stay in the left, you better speed up and hope that a camera isnt near when someone is about to literally run you over. 

This weeks thursday night was HELL. 

Khalifa city has basic shopping and there are places to eat. Take a gander at al reef area as well. Not so many western people but then you will get more a feel of real uae. Having a villas that you can bbq at and a shared pool is awfully nice... for the same price as being stuck in the high rise tourist trap area with 3 hours of driving a day.


----------



## tornado009 (Sep 6, 2011)

better for to stay in Garden or Dubai marina or JLT and the rent its not that much there


----------



## biscuit63 (Aug 15, 2011)

Guys, thank you very much for your opinions and advice all of which is food for thought. I intend to go into a hotel for a few weeks in the AD area to settle into work then try a few weeks in Dubai in another hotel and try the communte before making any decisions. 

Unfortunately I currently live a 15 minute walk to work in Melbourne, and I must say I hate the thought of ANY commute, but my new work place will be near Mohammed Bin Zayed City (now I have a map Ive found it! ) and I cant see myself living that close to work there 

I suppose I am thinking more of what facilities my wife will have access to as I'll be at work all day and she would need good access to the gym, coffee shops and generally being able to be a lady of leisure lol....I think the Corniche sounds more her cup of tea but not with my accomodation allowance!!

Btw my allowance will be paid cash or into a bank on arrival with no stipulations on where I live or in what....so hence my thoughts on Dubai as Im not tied into being in AD.

thanks and any more infomation would be welcomed.

Gary


----------



## M.A.K (Sep 14, 2011)

biscuit63 said:


> Unfortunately I currently live a 15 minute walk to work in Melbourne, and I must say I hate the thought of ANY commute, but my new work place will be near Mohammed Bin Zayed City (now I have a map Ive found it! ) and I cant see myself living that close to work there
> 
> 
> Gary


I have always had a long commute to work and college but loving the morning 1 minute walks to work... nothing better...


----------



## Amame (Jan 11, 2011)

I'm about to start the same commute next month for around 5-6 months before I move completely to Abu Dhabi, and it seriously stress me out every time just thinking about it. Especially if the fog attack. I have told my boss already that if I see of the fog on the road, I will not go to work cos the chance is I will definitely die in my tiny Camry.


----------



## scoop114 (Sep 28, 2011)

I must say that I didn't mind the commute to Al Taweelah(EMAL Site) it at first, but as the project went on, I grew to truely dislike the drive. Especially after seeing a flying Landcruiser come across the embankment and nail a car directly. Come to find out the next day, it was 3 guys from our jobsite. All died. From that point on, it totally changed my view on the commute. After a hard days work, you're fighting for you life just to get home. This is not an exaggeration. 
If you're wired, have at it. But realistically, it's a daily chance. 
No comment on Khalifa City or locations in Abu Dhabi...even though I'll start work down there next week. However, I choose to live in AD for work during the week and commute to Dubai on the weekend if I want to. 
Good luck dude


----------

