# Abu Dhabi?????



## lisajoneseey (Oct 14, 2008)

Hey everyone,

Due to the current situation ive been asked to consider a position in AD rather than my preferred choice of Dubai.

Ive done a bit of research and its seems AD is a nice place and a bit more relaxed than Dubai. That sounds great, I can live with that.

However, im concerned that accomdation in AD may be a little more expensive and more difficult to come by than in Dubai. (info from previous threads).

I will be grateful if any of you in AD can give me the benefit of your experience and how you have got on in the search for accomodation.

Id expect to be earning around 30k/mth. I wouldnt want my accomodation costs to eat up half of this??

Thanks all.


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## mazdaRX8 (Jul 13, 2008)

Abu Dhabi is GREAT! very clean, no traffic (well very organized traffic) no crappy detours, very easy roads to remember (its one giant square/rectangle grid), very relaxed too.

Bad points are its not a touristy place and not much places to go out. Rent is also a little higher than Dubai due to the limited space. Abu Dhabi city is much smaller than the City of Dubai. Parking is a nightmare because there are more people with cars than parking spots... so they park at exits, the middle "line" of a parking lot, on the sidewalk, etc. Good luck if you get a monster SUV like a tahoe/armada.

I am not sure if there are any online AUH search sites, but you can always look at Gulf news online and search in the Abu Dhabi region!


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## Sparkysair (Jul 16, 2008)

*Hi there, hopefully I can help with this one *



lisajoneseey said:


> Hey everyone,
> 
> Due to the current situation ive been asked to consider a position in AD rather than my preferred choice of Dubai. *Unsurprising - the AD job market seems far more stable at the mo than Dubai*
> 
> ...


*My company has links with some good agents and they circulate available properties on an almost daily basis by email. I haven't seen a 1 or 2 bed come up for a couple of weeks but there are a couple of 3 beds today for 290/300k. Maybe there would be other new starters you could share a bigger apartment with?

Just to give you an idea, I gave up on AD and moved in to a brand new, super luxury 1 bed in Dubai Marina a couple of weeks ago. It's part furnished and includes all appliances, is 3G wired and has a 42in plasma tv. My rent is 150k pa and if I could find something similar in AD I think it would probably cost me 220k+. On the down side - the commute is an hour and a half!

I hope I don't put you off too much but it's really better to be fully aware of the accommodation shortage in AD. If you can find the right job in Dubai, go for that. If you can't, AD is commutable!  *


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## lisajoneseey (Oct 14, 2008)

Thats very useful guys, youve reignited my enthusiam for the UAE.
Im encouraged by the thought of commuting and will check for shuttle buses etc.
I heard AD was a bit quiter but of course you have to consider the nightlife and Dubai seems to win there.

Thanks.


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## titirangi (Aug 14, 2008)

Sparkysair said:


> *Hi there, hopefully I can help with this one *
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Would you mind sharing name of the agents? - about to start looking in AD and feeling a little lost.


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## AussieLouise (Feb 9, 2009)

titirangi said:


> Would you mind sharing name of the agents? - about to start looking in AD and feeling a little lost.


Hey there, Im moving over to UAE shortly from Australia and would love to find another westerner to share an apartment with. Like you, I have been looking for accommodation and have had no luck, and the ones iv seen have seemed a bit suss or way too expensive. I have thought about living in Dubai and commuting to AD everyday but a recruiter advised me not too because it can take up to 4hours and not to mention dangerous on the roads. But the accommodation seems 10times more value for money, more modern and more facilities around. It would be interesting to see how you go and we should keep in touch incase we end up going there around the same time!! Good Luck! Louise


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## HelenG (Oct 21, 2008)

One of my former colleagues has recently moved out to Dubai, although he got placed on a site in Abu Dhabi. He tried looking for accommodation there but has finally given up because it was too expensive and is now moving into Discovery Gardens. I think it all depends on where in AD you are going to be working and how much you value the night life. Personally I'd prefer to travel further to work but have the social venues on my doorstep.


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## AussieLouise (Feb 9, 2009)

HelenG said:


> One of my former colleagues has recently moved out to Dubai, although he got placed on a site in Abu Dhabi. He tried looking for accommodation there but has finally given up because it was too expensive and is now moving into Discovery Gardens. I think it all depends on where in AD you are going to be working and how much you value the night life. Personally I'd prefer to travel further to work but have the social venues on my doorstep.


Exactly, I completely agree! I would much prefer to be close to the social scene then having to travel an hour and a half to go to a bar if i lived in AD! Is discovery gardens closer to AD? I heard Jurimirah Lake Towers is about 45mins away from AD which is pretty good. But I would love to live at Jurimirah Beach Residence, everything seems to be there and booming with expats! Seems like companies atm arent wanting to pay for accommodation so its best to be where its cheaper and where its all happening.


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## Trusty (Sep 10, 2008)

We have had many colleagues trasferring to AD from our Dubai office, definately seems a little more stable there right now. Most are car-sharing, some are looking at the Marina or the MUCH cheaper option of Discovery Gardens to commute in much less time - no one is looking to move there quite yet. Discovery Gardens is still a distance away from things in Dubai, you will have a bit of a cab ride after a night out (thankfully, they are relatively cheap).


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## Ogri750 (Feb 14, 2008)

JLT & JBR are pretty much opposite each other across Sheihk Zayed Road.

Discovery Gardens is a bit closer, but not hugely.

45 mins to AD......all depends where in AD you have to travel to. I travel from Arabian Ranches to just past AD airport and that is 1hr 10mins. If I had to travel to say, Al Reem Island, that would be closer to 1hr 45mins.


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## Sparkysair (Jul 16, 2008)

Discovery Gardens / Marina / JLT to the AD turn off before Maqtar bridge is about 1 hour. I work on 15th street and it takes me about another 35 minutes in the mornings (on a good day!). The evenings are quicker unless there's an accident - around 1 hour 10 minutes door to door. The traffic on-island in AD is terrible so it will really vary where your office is.


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## qwert97 (Jun 2, 2008)

Sparkysair said:


> Discovery Gardens / Marina / JLT to the AD turn off before Maqtar bridge is about 1 hour. I work on 15th street and it takes me about another 35 minutes in the mornings (on a good day!). The evenings are quicker unless there's an accident - around 1 hour 10 minutes door to door. The traffic on-island in AD is terrible so it will really vary where your office is.


Spot on. It takes exactly the same time to Maqta bridge that is partly due to ongoing problems at Raha beach. In evening if you hit the road by 4.45 pm and is in the Jebel ali area by 5.30 then no problems. After 5:45 jebel ali becomes busy.


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## methedevdas (Mar 4, 2009)

To be True to you.. now Abu dhabi is getting more Expensive then Dubai. Specially the Residence. the only thing which is see cheaper in taxi, there must be more lot things i like in abu dhabi that its not crowed as Compare to Dubai. at 11 Pm in night you can see silent and pleasure atmosphere in most streets of Abu dhabi but not as compare to DUBAI.


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## mayotom (Nov 8, 2008)

Sparkysair said:


> Discovery Gardens / Marina / JLT to the AD turn off before Maqtar bridge is about 1 hour. I work on 15th street and it takes me about another 35 minutes in the mornings (on a good day!). The evenings are quicker unless there's an accident - around 1 hour 10 minutes door to door. The traffic on-island in AD is terrible so it will really vary where your office is.


Lets say if my office was on Electra St, or Zayed the 1st street, how long would the commute be


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## Sparkysair (Jul 16, 2008)

Depends how fast you drive! I could do it in 50 mins to Maqtar bridge then it would probably take another 40 mins min through the traffic. So, around an hour and a half on a good day. Definitely doable, particularly if you can car share.


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