# cheap monthly rentals??



## abbyann789 (Aug 8, 2014)

Hi everyone, 

I'm moving to Dubai at the beginning of next month. I have been given a DHS3000 per month housing allowance and I really can't spend much more than that on rent until my husband joins me in dubai a few months later. I've been sending out soooo many emails to people in regards to renting a room via dubizzle with no responses. I will be working in health care city and my husband says that International city is not particularly safe, especially for a young american woman. 

Does anyone have a suggestion of what to do? I have emailed so many people and the only places I can seem to afford are in international city. 

Thanks in advance 👍


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

3000AED a month is nothing.

$3000 dollars is closer to the mark, but not particularly good.

Emails will get you very little - what happens with most people is that their employer pays for them to stay in a hotel for the first month while their paperwork gets sorted out, which then allows them to rent lower cost/longer term apartments, and they do this face to face.

Has whomever gave you the budget of 3000AED per month ever actually lived here or are you an 'advance party' for your husband ? Or are they a local company used to hiring labourers ?


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## Simey (Dec 4, 2012)

The economics of short term renting is that it is much more expensive per month than an annual lease. The landlord has to cover the gaps between tenants and the cost of frequently having to advertise for tenants, as well as increased wear and tear due to tenants who are less invested in the property as a home. 

Aed 3000 is not going to cover much in the way of housing in Dubai for an annual lease and still less a monthly place. Think of your allowance as a contribution towards you rent, not the whole check. Or start looking for a roommate.

I hope you and your husband are prepared for the cost of living here. It's roughly on a par with Manhattan, with similar compromises on neighborhood if Manhattan isn't in your budget.


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## abbyann789 (Aug 8, 2014)

twowheelsgood said:


> 3000AED a month is nothing.
> 
> $3000 dollars is closer to the mark, but not particularly good.
> 
> ...




I'm going up before my husband because I have been offered a job, and I fear if I do not go soon they will offer the position to someone else. My husband is still here in south africa finishing up a project before going. 

The employer only originally offered 2000AED and I said that wasn't enough to live on. Especially when you are going to a country you have never been to as a single woman. So what areas are cheaper other than IC?


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## abbyann789 (Aug 8, 2014)

Simey said:


> The economics of short term renting is that it is much more expensive per month than an annual lease. The landlord has to cover the gaps between tenants and the cost of frequently having to advertise for tenants, as well as increased wear and tear due to tenants who are less invested in the property as a home.
> 
> Aed 3000 is not going to cover much in the way of housing in Dubai for an annual lease and still less a monthly place. Think of your allowance as a contribution towards you rent, not the whole check. Or start looking for a roommate.
> 
> I hope you and your husband are prepared for the cost of living here. It's roughly on a par with Manhattan, with similar compromises on neighborhood if Manhattan isn't in your budget.



Oh we are very aware of the prices, we are just kinda short on money at the moment and really can't afford a yearly rental. When he moves up here his job will have a MUCH higher housing allowance, it's just between now and then I'm not sure what to do. 

I've been looking for roommates on every corner of the Internet, no one seems to respond to emails in dubai!


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## Simey (Dec 4, 2012)

abbyann789 said:


> I'm going up before my husband because I have been offered a job, and I fear if I do not go soon they will offer the position to someone else. My husband is still here in south africa finishing up a project before going.
> 
> The employer only originally offered 2000AED and I said that wasn't enough to live on. Especially when you are going to a country you have never been to as a single woman. So what areas are cheaper other than IC?



If the job does not pay enough for you to pay your own living expenses, then in your situation I would not take the job.


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## abbyann789 (Aug 8, 2014)

Simey said:


> If the job does not pay enough for you to pay your own living expenses, then in your situation I would not take the job.


I'm not particularly qualified, and I really really like the sounds of this job. They have offered me an assistant manager position and when they open more locations next year, they are sending me to manage one. Also they have said they will give me a raise after 3 months, so there's that. I think they are expecting my husband to pay for most our rent, by the sounds of it. But we are very equal he and I, we split everything, especially bills, so I'm not sure what to say to the employer.


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## abbyann789 (Aug 8, 2014)

Still asking initial question, where is a cheap and safe area that is a possibility given my situation? The most I can spend is 4 000aed MAX. And not international city


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## nagib_91 (Mar 14, 2014)

try JVC /Motor City/Sports city


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## Simey (Dec 4, 2012)

It's true also that by and large people are not as responsive to emails. Also nobody uses voice mail. Texts are better but if you call and don't get an answer just call again later. People don't seem to regard themselves as having any obligation to stay connected.

Getting established in Dubai means being here physically and being available to do a lot of running around personally for the first few weeks and months. It's not something you can really do remotely unless you have a company here that puts a good PRO at your disposal - and even then it's hard. 

The first few months are also very expensive as there are lots of fees etc. You should budget on 2-3 times your normal monthly burn rate for the first couple of months.


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

I would recommend you skip the job, tell the employer that you would be happy once your other half is here but that its nowhere near enough for you to live on. I know the temptation must be great but you will simply run up debts and this isn't a country you want to do that in.

Remember that promises, not in writing, and in your employment contract are meaningless here. You'll find yourself working six days a week at a guess, with very long hours because you have to and when you walk out on the job, you'll be classified as an absconder and won't be able to work for one or two years. And they might come after you for repayment of Visa fees etc.

Give it a miss - its not worth the risk and stress, for a coulpe of months and if the job is real, then they will want new managers in the future anyway.


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## abbyann789 (Aug 8, 2014)

It's so extremely frustrating as I LIVE by my email. I even struggle to get my employer to respond to my emails! For 3 months until I got this job I would apply for 15+ jobs on dubizzle every day and I can still count on one hand the amount of responses I got. 

If you can post to dubizzle, surely you can respond to an email? Especially if it's a home listing by the owner???


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## abbyann789 (Aug 8, 2014)

I spent 3 months applying for jobs 15 times a day.. and this amazing sounding one finally wants me and it is so frustrating! I really don't want to let it slip because it could be another 3 months before another job even bothers to respond to my CV


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

abbyann789 said:


> I spent 3 months applying for jobs 15 times a day.. and this amazing sounding one finally wants me and it is so frustrating! I really don't want to let it slip because it could be another 3 months before another job even bothers to respond to my CV


You will find a different reaction when you have a local mobile number and can ring them directly.

You currently fit into the 'too difficult' category as you are overseas and unable to come in the next day so to speak.

Email is impersonal and the whole culture here is based around face to face relationships.


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## Asimfrombombay (Sep 20, 2013)

Try Bur Dubai. Its comparatively cheaper than other places in Dubai.


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

There is a lot of demand for shared property in Dubai at the moment, regardless of the asking price. People are reluctant to commit or they'd rather save more from their salary. From posting the ad the person has probably had 20 calls and let the room out before they've even read your email.

As for your job, make sure you get everything in writing 100%. People, including employers, are largely dishonest and feed people lines about pay rises and promotions all the time. If it's not in your contract it's *NOT * going to happen.


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## BedouGirl (Sep 15, 2011)

Mr Rossi said:


> There is a lot of demand for shared property in Dubai at the moment, regardless of the asking price. People are reluctant to commit or they'd rather save more from their salary. From posting the ad the person has probably had 20 calls and let the room out before they've even read your email. As for your job, make sure you get everything in writing 100%. People, including employers, are largely dishonest and feed people lines about pay rises and promotions all the time. If it's not in your contract it's NOT going to happen.


And even if it is, and the word 'review' is used, that doesn't mean it will happen. Why not consider renting a room here until your husband arrives? Look on the share section of Dubizzle to see what's available. Truthfully, even at AED 4K per month, I think you'll struggle to find anything halfway decent, even in a share situation.


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## Hugo80 (Aug 9, 2014)

How is your transportation arranged from work to accommodation?

You will not have your own place in Dubai with 4000 AED in a month for short term rental (few months)

no option left except having a shared accommodation in an apartment ,like having master bedroom where you share only kitchen with others or renting in Sharjah.

My advise is to ask the company to provide you hotel accommodation for first month or so until you find suitable place, defiantly people on dubizzle want to rent immediately and would not close a deal over seas.

Good luck in Dubai


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## uberkoen (Sep 12, 2013)

Ignore the haters!

Look, if you know what you're up against then I say go for it! The thing about Dubai is a lot of people start out low and then within a few years end up earning good. Not everyone gets a good salary to start off with and if people started listening to posters on this forum no one would ever come to Dubai

In your case I would suggest when you come here you initially move into a hotel. There are some cheap ones available around Al Barsha region and are close enough to a Metro Station.

After that you look through Dubizzle for Ad's. You will not be able to get your own place with that amount of money however, you could look into apartment sharing i.e renting a room in an apartment.

You won't get much luck via E-mails and I would not recommend arranging anything without actually seeing it first. So, once you come here give yourself a week or two to look through ad's and visit the places and then settle on renting a room in an apartment.

I would suggest you look at places like JLT or Marina however, if those are a bit out of your budget the other option could be Discovery Gardens where you could take a 2 minute bus from to get the the Metro Station.

However, it also depends on where your job is. If your job is near the other end of Dubai you can find cheap apartments/rooms in places like Mirdif and Qusais. 

Also, Dubai Silicon Oasis might be worth looking into however, I'm not sure whether its near any metro station.

If you're not planning on getting a car anytime soon then I would recommend to be within walking distance from a metro station or on a bus route so that its easier for you to commute as taxi's can get expensive.


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## lxinuk (Mar 18, 2012)

Healthcare City is on the metro. silicon Oasis will neither be suitable or affordable.

Try Rashidya, Oud Metha, Umm Hurair, etc anywhere on the metro before you get to downtown.

Karama and Bur Dubai would be ok.

There is cheap youth hostel on the metro http://www.uaeyha.com if you wanted to try that. By the airport.
Not sure how long you can stay.

Be aware that the cheaper the place, the more dodgy the area, but on 3k if you want to do this there will e some risk, just take extra cafe.

Once in work you can network .

Make sure you have enough funds ready to get home if it goes pear shaped.


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## Simey (Dec 4, 2012)

The reason why we are advising the OP against taking this job has nothing to do with "hating." It has everything to do with the fact that the offer sounds dodgy and financially she has indicated inadequate resources to avoid potentially serious trouble. I personally would never advise a person to make a significantly risky decision. 

It's not just physical security - though that is paramount - but as others have pointed out, this is not the kind of country where you want to run up debt or risk employment blacklists. The OP is an American and not having lived here, may not appreciate just how biased the system is against employees here. It's very, very different from the kind of protection a US citizen or green card holder in the US takes for granted. 

Since the OP has a husband coming with apparently a decent package, the smart thing is to arrive at the same time or even a little afterwards and not expose both of them to risks that may have a long lasting impact. After all, if the OP runs into legal trouble (including debt, which can have criminal law repercussions) or finds a bad and exploitative employer who blacklists her when she tries to quit, that's going to make things quite difficult for both of them when they are reunited as a couple.


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

uberkoen said:


> Ignore the haters!


Unless they're 16 or under, I'd ignore anyone using the term "haters"


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## uberkoen (Sep 12, 2013)

Absurd.

How can you assume all of these things when all the OP asked was where she can find some cheap rentals?

Why would she run into legal trouble? What makes you think she's not smart enough to know what the laws of the country are?

She never asked anyone for legal advise nor did she ask anyone input regarding when she should arrive or whether her salary is decent or not. All she asked for is whether anyone knows of any place where she can rent a cheap apartment temporarily. 

Let's stop assuming on our own and giving people random advise.


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## uberkoen (Sep 12, 2013)

Mr Rossi said:


> Unless they're 16 or under, I'd ignore anyone using the term "haters"


Ignoring would mean not acknowledging what I posted. 

You need some help learning how to ignore people or maybe a dictionary to better understand what the word means?


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## vantage (May 10, 2012)

uberkoen said:


> Absurd. How can you assume all of these things when all the OP asked was where she can find some cheap rentals? Why would she run into legal trouble? What makes you think she's not smart enough to know what the laws of the country are? She never asked anyone for legal advise nor did she ask anyone input regarding when she should arrive or whether her salary is decent or not. All she asked for is whether anyone knows of any place where she can rent a cheap apartment temporarily. Let's stop assuming on our own and giving people random advise.


No random advice, and, like most forums, a mixture of advice.
Positive and negative.
Ideally, the original poster will make a balanced decision, based on research here, and elsewhere.
No-one is right or wrong here, and your advice has no more validity than anyone else's.

I don't see any 'hate' in this thread either, though you have managed to stir a little bile....


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

uberkoen said:


> Ignoring would mean not acknowledging what I posted.
> 
> You need some help learning how to ignore people or maybe a dictionary to better understand what the word means?


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## uberkoen (Sep 12, 2013)

There you go again.

Here this might help you a bit

Ignore | Define Ignore at Dictionary.com

Let me know if it's still a bit difficult for you to understand this. I might be able to find something easier for you.


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## uberkoen (Sep 12, 2013)

vantage said:


> No random advice, and, like most forums, a mixture of advice.
> Positive and negative.
> Ideally, the original poster will make a balanced decision, based on research here, and elsewhere.
> No-one is right or wrong here, and your advice has no more validity than anyone else's.
> ...


It's a bit pointless to tell her that she should come with her husband when she has already stated that it's not an option.

Secondly, she has also already stated that she knows that the housing allowance is not enough and that is why she's looking for cheap accommodation.

Thirdly, she has stated that certain areas are unsafe for her and knows the risk that she is taking. She was asking for suggestions for relatively safe areas within her budget.

Fourthly, the fact that she stated that she would not go over her stated budget would imply that she knows that she has to stay within certain limits and is not planning on taking on debt. Why would anyone assume that she would get into legal trouble by piling on debt? 

Fifth, at no point did she state that she does not know the laws of the country and nor did she ask for advise regarding the laws of UAE. 

All she asked for was places to rent temporarily within her budget. If anyone knows of such a place recommend one otherwise just ignore the topic. 

What is the point of providing superfluous information when it has not been asked for and isn't even needed?


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

What are your thoughts on Ant & Dec and Cheryl Cole?


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## uberkoen (Sep 12, 2013)

Mr Rossi said:


> What are your thoughts on Ant & Dec and Cheryl Cole?


Geordies, in general, are known for their ability to fly, to perform millions of calculations per second and eat pasties for breakfast despite their IQ of 0.1. Many Geordies also have an ability to communicate with the dead during a full moon and a solar eclipse.


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## vantage (May 10, 2012)

uberkoen said:


> It's a bit pointless to tell her that she should come with her husband when she has already stated that it's not an option. Secondly, she has also already stated that she knows that the housing allowance is not enough and that is why she's looking for cheap accommodation. Thirdly, she has stated that certain areas are unsafe for her and knows the risk that she is taking. She was asking for suggestions for relatively safe areas within her budget. Fourthly, the fact that she stated that she would not go over her stated budget would imply that she knows that she has to stay within certain limits and is not planning on taking on debt. Why would anyone assume that she would get into legal trouble by piling on debt? Fifth, at no point did she state that she does not know the laws of the country and nor did she ask for advise regarding the laws of UAE. All she asked for was places to rent temporarily within her budget. If anyone knows of such a place recommend one otherwise just ignore the topic. What is the point of providing superfluous information when it has not been asked for and isn't even needed?


This is a forum, not a sparring ring.


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## uberkoen (Sep 12, 2013)

vantage said:


> This is a forum, not a sparring ring.


No one is sparring.

Just stating the obvious.

If someone wants to know about cheap apartments what's the point of telling her that camels have humps? What does that really achieve?


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

Nobody told her about camel humps although you seem to be developing one on your own quite well.

All we are doing is telling her about the pitfalls and dangers of her chosen route which you don't seem to wish us to do. It is not for you to lecture anyone on what they can and cannot offer in terms of advice. Most of your posts do seem to just be recycled advice from earlier postings by other people so I am not really sure of why the angst ?

Maybe thats an acceptable way to treat ladies in your country, but its not for Westerners. We call it being courteous - perhaps you could try it a bit and calm down ?.


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## uberkoen (Sep 12, 2013)

twowheelsgood said:


> Nobody told her about camel humps although you seem to be developing one on your own quite well.
> 
> All we are doing is telling her about the pitfalls and dangers of her chosen route which you don't seem to wish us to do. It is not for you to lecture anyone on what they can and cannot offer in terms of advice. Most of your posts do seem to just be recycled advice from earlier postings by other people so I am not really sure of why the angst ?
> 
> Maybe thats an acceptable way to treat ladies in your country, but its not for Westerners. We call it being courteous - perhaps you could try it a bit and calm down ?.


That was supposed to be a sarcastic comment.

It's not that I don't want her to be informed of this information but telling her not to come or wait till her Husband is just silly advice and completely not needed because she has already stated that it is not an option. Us desi's call that being sensible. Perhaps you could try it a bit?

There is no need for you to go down the racist track. Being courteous would be to provide someone the help they need and not tell them useless stuff and confuse them further. 

Do people in your country assume all women are stupid and don't know anything? Because I was assuming she was smart enough to know what she was getting into and was only asking certain information.


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## BedouGirl (Sep 15, 2011)

uberkoen said:


> That was supposed to be a sarcastic comment. It's not that I don't want her to be informed of this information but telling her not to come or wait till her Husband is just silly advice and completely not needed because she has already stated that it is not an option. There is no need for you to go down the racist track. Being courteous would be to provide someone the help they need and not tell them useless stuff and confuse them further. Do people in your country assume all women are stupid and don't know anything? Because I was assuming she was smart enough to know what she was getting into and was only asking certain information.


Please can we drop this now. It's leading nowhere and certainly not helping OP. Thank you.


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