My Dubai Rent takes you inside a reader's home to have a look at what they pay each month, see who they live with, and ask what they like and don't like
Ramya Lakshmi has moved house three times since relocating to Dubai in 2015, but one thing has remained constant: her rent.
From a one-bedroom to a two-bedroom and now a three-bed apartment, the 42-year-old has been able to upsize her apartment without having to dig deeper for the privilege.
Despite adding more square metres to her living quarters with each move, her yearly rent has remained between Dh79,000 and Dh80,000.
Living with her husband behind Mall of the Emirates in Barsha, Ramya, a home-relocation specialist from India, rediscovered her artistic flair during the pandemic and, after moving to a three-bedroom property last year, she turned one of the spare bedrooms into an art studio.
Here, she invites The National into her home to take a look around.
Where do you live?
I live in Nema Residence in Barsha 1. We moved to Dubai in 2015 and have always lived in this area.
The apartment we are in now is the second apartment we have lived in this particular residential block.
The exterior of the building is a bit dated and it doesn't have amenities like a pool or gym, but we love it for the apartment.
Tell us about the property you live in
We are thinking about buying a townhouse at some point in the future. But for now, we will stay put
Ramya Lakshmi
Firstly, it’s a big apartment for two people and two cats, but we’ve been in the building for three years and we love the extra space. We were in a two-bedroom rental before moving to a bigger apartment on the fourth floor.
The layout is such that all the bedrooms are on one side of the property and the kitchen and living room are on the other side.
We turned one of the spare bedrooms into an art studio-cum-meditation room. It’s my little sanctuary in the house and, when people visit, they always joke about wanting to rent the space. We also turned the maid's room into a little gym.
How much do you pay per month?
We pay Dh80,000 a year, which is a little over Dh6,500 a month. Between two people, it's not bad and it's in a good location.
We’ve somehow managed to pay close to the exact same rent for all three apartments in the seven years we have lived here, despite upsizing each time. I guess it gives insight into the changing rental market over the years.
Tell us about the features of the space
My husband and I tend to stay at home. We cook, chill out, paint and watch movies, so when we moved into this apartment I really wanted to create a space that we wanted to spend time in.
I would describe the decor as eclectic. A dear friend of mine once told me that a paint job is an easy and inexpensive way to spruce up your home, so we painted all the rooms in the house different colours.
The master bedroom and living room are a light moss green, the art studio is a sandy beach tone, and the other spare bedroom is turquoise, my favourite colour.
This is the first time we have ever painted a rental property and it has really elevated the feel of the place. It’s a home now.
As for the decor, I have lots of different bits from my travels to Europe, Malaysia, India and Sri Lanka. The house is filled with books, paintings and souvenirs.
The art studio is my favourite spot in the house. I go in there to meditate and paint. It has a cool vibe. I spent a lot of time curating the space with little things from my travels and it has a real resort feel with warm tones and wooden blinds.
How did you find the apartment?
It was during the pandemic and the security guy in our building said that many people were moving out and he asked if we were planning to extend our contract. Our renewal was coming up, so I decided to visit the fourth floor and look at one of the vacant three-bed apartments.
I loved the layout and it took a while to convince my husband to move, but once we realised it was pretty much the same price as our then flat, we just went for it.
My husband was sceptical at first, but now he loves the extra space. We also have a large balcony that wraps around several of the rooms and he enjoys spending time out there tending to the plants.
Do you plan on staying here for a while?
For another year at least. We have spent so much time curating the apartment to make it warm, welcoming and peaceful, so to think about moving soon isn’t an option. I love it here.
We are thinking about buying a townhouse at some point in the future. But for now, we will stay put.
What do you like about the area?
It’s convenient. There are cafes nearby, coffee shops, Mall of the Emirates is close and we have pharmacies and health clinics on our doorstep. We have cats too, so things like a local vet is a priority for us.
I love Barsha Pond Park too. It’s only an eight-minute walk from our apartment and we go there a lot when the weather is nice.
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
What went into the film
25 visual effects (VFX) studios
2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots
1,000 VFX artists
3,000 technicians
10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers
New sound technology, named 4D SRL
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Founders: Ines Mena, Claudia Ribas, Simona Agolini, Nourhan Hassan and Therese Hundt
Date started: January 2017, app launched November 2017
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Private/Retail/Leisure
Number of Employees: 18 employees, including full-time and flexible workers
Funding stage and size: Seed round completed Q4 2019 - $1m raised
Funders: Oman Technology Fund, 500 Startups, Vision Ventures, Seedstars, Mindshift Capital, Delta Partners Ventures, with support from the OQAL Angel Investor Network and UAE Business Angels
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 390bhp
Torque: 400Nm
Price: Dh340,000 ($92,579
'Brazen'
Director: Monika Mitchell
Starring: Alyssa Milano, Sam Page, Colleen Wheeler
Rating: 3/5
Florence and the Machine – High as Hope
Three stars
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Black Panther
Dir: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o
Five stars
