Rents for budget apartments and villas are on the rise in Abu Dhabi but good deals are still available, depending on where you look.
Rent for budget villas and apartments rose by close to 8 per cent in the first half of 2023, according to the latest Bayut property report.
The cost of renting a luxury villa in the UAE capital has increased by 11 per cent, according to the same study.
Khalifa City A is an attractive option for those looking for a bargain, with the average annual rent for a studio at a pocket-friendly Dh28,000,with one-bedroom apartments at Dh42,000 and two-bedroom flats at Dh61,000.
The most popular areas to rent affordable apartments in Abu Dhabi, according to the Bayut report, are in Khalifa City A, Al Khalidiyah and Al Muroor.
If you are in the market for a luxury apartment, the most sought after are on Al Reem Island, Al Raha Beach and the Corniche area.
Those seeking affordable villas are most likely to search in Mohamed bin Zayed City, Khalifa City and Madinat Al Riyadh.
The most popular locations to own a luxury villa are in Al Raha Gardens, Yas Island and Al Mushrif.
"Abu Dhabi has plenty of coastlines to choose from, so it is not surprising that high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) are drawn to the islands, such as Yas Island, Saadiyat Island and Al Reem Island," said Fibha Ahmed, sales director of Bayut and Dubizzle.
"These islands offer stunning views, luxurious amenities, and a vibrant lifestyle.
"On the other end of the market, Mohammad Bin Zayed City (MBZ City) has become a preferred location for renting affordable villas as its prices remain stable, due to its proximity to the center of Abu Dhabi and the Abu Dhabi International Airport.
"Khalifa City, on the other hand, which is similarly located in the outskirts, is the most popular for budget-friendly rental apartments and has seen a decline in property prices by 5.26 per cent, most likely due to more residents choosing to renew instead of moving."
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Where to rent in the capital
Khalifa City A
Khalifa City A, located on the main motorway to Dubai, is the most popular and cheapest area to rent in Abu Dhabi, according to the report. The area has developed into a sprawling residential area, dotted with schools and nurseries.
The going rate for two bedrooms in the area is Dh61,000.
The price for one-bedroom units in Khalifa City A is Dh42,000 while rents for studios tend to cost Dh28,000.
Al Khalidiya and Muroor
Al Khalidiya is also popular for reasonably priced units. One and two-bedroom properties start from Dh33,000 and Dh40,000, according to rental website Property Finder. Studio apartments tend to cost from Dh20,000 to Dh40,000.
One and two-bedroom apartments in Muroor are available from Dh32,000 and Dh42,000. The rent for studios starts from Dh23,000.
Al Reem Island
Al Reem Island, located 600m from the capital's city centre, is the most sought-after area for luxury apartments.
The mixed-use development, with its combination of luxury apartments, penthouses and villas, is one of Abu Dhabi’s fastest growing residential communities.
You can expect to rent a one-bedroom apartment from Dh45,000 upwards, while a two-bedroom can be rented from Dh54,000.
A three-bedroom townhouse can be rented from Dh130,000 upwards.
Al Raha Beach
Al Raha beach apartments and villas have attracted residents who want to live closer to the beach and far away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre.
A one-bedroom apartment starts from Dh40,000, while two-bedroom flats are available from about Dh63,000.
Three-bedroom townhouses start from Dh192,000.
Yas Island
Known as Abu Dhabi’s entertainment centre, Yas Island is home to Ferrari World, Yas Water World and Warner Brothers theme park. Many new residential communities have also sprung up, making it a quickly expanding community.
Rents for a two-bedroom apartment start at Dh72,000.
One-bedroom units are available from Dh50,000.
A four-bedroom house is available to rent from Dh255,000 in Yas, while five and six-bedroom homes cost from Dh270,000 and Dh340,000.
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Haircare resolutions 2021
From Beirut and Amman to London and now Dubai, hairstylist George Massoud has seen the same mistakes made by customers all over the world. In the chair or at-home hair care, here are the resolutions he wishes his customers would make for the year ahead.
1. 'I will seek consultation from professionals'
You may know what you want, but are you sure it’s going to suit you? Haircare professionals can tell you what will work best with your skin tone, hair texture and lifestyle.
2. 'I will tell my hairdresser when I’m not happy'
Massoud says it’s better to offer constructive criticism to work on in the future. Your hairdresser will learn, and you may discover how to communicate exactly what you want more effectively the next time.
3. ‘I will treat my hair better out of the chair’
Damage control is a big part of most hairstylists’ work right now, but it can be avoided. Steer clear of over-colouring at home, try and pursue one hair brand at a time and never, ever use a straightener on still drying hair, pleads Massoud.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Other ways to buy used products in the UAE
UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.
Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.
Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.
For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.
Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.
At the high-end of the pre-used spectrum, resellers such as Timepiece360.ae, WatchBox Middle East and Watches Market Dubai deal in authenticated second-hand luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Hublot and Tag Heuer, with a warranty.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
Your rights as an employee
The government has taken an increasingly tough line against companies that fail to pay employees on time. Three years ago, the Cabinet passed a decree allowing the government to halt the granting of work permits to companies with wage backlogs.
The new measures passed by the Cabinet in 2016 were an update to the Wage Protection System, which is in place to track whether a company pays its employees on time or not.
If wages are 10 days late, the new measures kick in and the company is alerted it is in breach of labour rules. If wages remain unpaid for a total of 16 days, the authorities can cancel work permits, effectively shutting off operations. Fines of up to Dh5,000 per unpaid employee follow after 60 days.
Despite those measures, late payments remain an issue, particularly in the construction sector. Smaller contractors, such as electrical, plumbing and fit-out businesses, often blame the bigger companies that hire them for wages being late.
The authorities have urged employees to report their companies at the labour ministry or Tawafuq service centres — there are 15 in Abu Dhabi.
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
