# Best area to live for an Abu Dhabi commute?



## fievel (Dec 7, 2010)

Hello all,

May be relocating out to the UAE for a job in Abu Dhabi, but family needs to stay in Dubai so it looks like I'll be doing the morning commute.

What are the best areas for easy access to the highway to minimise travel time/hassle (will most likely get a driver)? We will need 4 bedrooms and our budget is around 250k.

Thanks!

Fievel


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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

Easiest access to Abu Dhabi would be JLT and Discovery Gardens but I am not sure about whether you would find many 4 bds there.
Marina would be next best. 
The Greens Community is also preferred by some AUH commuters even though its on another highway and its often full of trucks.


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

Jumeirah Islands 
Emirates Hills
Springs/Meadows
The Lakes

All nice residential areas that are right for your budget.


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## wandabug (Apr 22, 2010)

Green Community.
Jumeirah Islands.
Meadows.


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## bigbang70 (Apr 9, 2010)

Al Ain It's very green, and the cost of living is about half of Dubai or Abu Dhabi...


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## fievel (Dec 7, 2010)

Thanks, meadows in particular looks like quite a nice area. Does anyone know roughly how much the utilities/extra costs on a 4/5 bedroom villa there would be on average monthly?


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## desertdude (Nov 22, 2010)

Personally I'd stick as close to Abu Dhabi as I can and one of the biggest reasons I'm staying at Disco Gardens. Easy access to and from Abu Dhabi. Even moving down a little further down to the greens or barsha can add anywhere up to 20 mins on your journey as really the traffic starts from Jebel Ali on most days in the evenings. 

And every minute more you spend after having gone up to AD then work and then back is a minute you don't want to spend trapped in your car and can be exhausting. From DG to AD it takes around 1, 1 1/2 max depending on traffic getting in and out of AD. 

Add to that a lot of time if god forbid there is an accident on the highway which unfortunately are common, but not as common as they were a year back.


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## fievel (Dec 7, 2010)

I'd be leaving the house at around 7am, leaving AD 6pm. I don't drive myself so will be getting a driver (not sure what he'll do all day in AD..) and a car with comfortable seats so I can read (main part of my job).

Coming from a decent part of London I don't think I could swing my wife on Discovery gardens, the closer to an American suburb the better!


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## wandabug (Apr 22, 2010)

Disco Gardens is not for western families.
Utilities/ TV Package/ Internet etc ..allow dhs.2000-3000 per month.
Beware of big lawns - watering it will cost you dearly.


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

fievel said:


> I'd be leaving the house at around 7am, leaving AD 6pm. I don't drive myself so will be getting a driver (not sure what he'll do all day in AD..) and a car with comfortable seats so I can read (main part of my job).
> 
> Coming from a decent part of London I don't think I could swing my wife on Discovery gardens, the closer to an American suburb the better!


I also want a reading job! 

If you want the American suburban feeling then I really recommend Jumeirah Islands Jumeirah Islands, Emirates Hills, or The Lakes/Springs/Meadows. They are the closest to the exit to Abu Dhabi. Anything beyond that and you might get stuck in the Al Barsha/Mall of Emirates traffic that desertdude mentions. 

The Green Community Green Community - Where living comes naturally is really nice as well but the traffic can get pretty bad. Is also a bit isolated, but very, very nice.


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## Dozza (Feb 17, 2009)

Nice Villa on the Palm is within your budget. Traffic on & off the Palm is good at all times of the day

Green Community is where our office is based, traffic in & out is an absoloute nightmare during morning & evening time - Due to this I wouldnt even consider moving here. There is a huge bridge under construction which will eventually ease some of the traffic congestion, problem is there is no sign of the completion in the near future


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

There is a villa area that is behind the ibn battuta mall. Not talking about the gardens area. It is behind the gardens area. There is a road that goes back around the gardens and then there is a turn off in that area into a secure area. The villas are quite nice. I do not know the name though  

Agree, discovery gardens is no place a westerner should live unless you are trying to save money. I have no say in the matter but if I did, no way would I live here. I HATE the place.


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## desertdude (Nov 22, 2010)

Jebel Ali Village, one of the oldest if not the oldest gated communities in Dubai. I can remember it as far back as 25 years. Got a local pub, gym, supermaket, swimming pool and all.


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## desertdude (Nov 22, 2010)

On second thought I think Jynxy could be talking about the newer villas on the road with Jebel Ali Hospital on it. Those are called Al Muntazah Complex, never seen them come up for rent anywhere though


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

No, these are not old at all. They are currently being built. Lots are being finished right now. If you go to the first round about from the mcdonalds/enoc station on the corner of ibn battuta, and go right, past the school, they are down there. They are actually quite nice.


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## desertdude (Nov 22, 2010)

Ah ! those were the planned extension of the old Jebel Village, not happening anymore like most projects here, are on indefinite hold. They have been at like that for almost two years now, don't think they will be completed anytime soon in the future.

Same with the Furjan villas opposite the @ss end of DG.


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

OH I have a friend who lives in there. There are always little worker guys in there doing stuff  so I assumed the others ones were being worked on as well. Hers (her parents) is very very nice.


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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

Jynxgirl said:


> Agree, discovery gardens is no place a westerner should live unless you are trying to save money. I have no say in the matter but if I did, no way would I live here. I HATE the place.



Correction: DG is no place _anyone_ should live in unless they are trying to save money


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## rsinner (Feb 3, 2009)

Tropicana said:


> Correction: DG is no place _anyone_ should live in unless they are trying to save money


:clap2:


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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

Then again parts of DG, at least some of the Zen areas look great compared to International City.......


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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

Jynx is talking about the Gardens.

If you enter DG via the first exit, you have DG on your left and Gardens on yoru right. If you ever travel on the back roads of IBN mall, you will see the Gardens area.


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## desertdude (Nov 22, 2010)

No she's not 



Jynxgirl said:


> There is a villa area that is behind the ibn battuta mall. Not talking about the gardens area. It is behind the gardens area.


Besides The Gradens arn't villa's. G+1 apt buildings


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

Yea, no. The gardens are apartment buildings. I guess I will have to ask what they call them. I figured that the other villas were being worked on and more becoming available. There are people working on them. ??? I swear it. If it behind the gardens apartment buildings, a secure area that you have to drive into and a little gate guard who lets you through. They are quite nice.


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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

Thought this would be the best place to post this for DesertDude.

Why oh why did you shift to immoral Dubai leaving the heaven that is Sharjah??

_It’s a shame that though Dubai has made an impact on the world map, all sorts of crimes are creeping into its mainstream society. Drugs, killing, shooting, brothels, maid abuse, extra-marital affairs, nudity in malls and on streets, robbery… the list is simply endless. This is one of the main reasons why I don’t want to shift to Dubai despite falling rents. I feel Sharjah is a better place, where rules are set and followed by one and all. 
Afreen Tolani, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates _


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