Moving from Dubai to Abu Dhabi to save money
Youssef Hassan3 min read3 views
Rated 4 out of 5
For three years I lived in Dubai and worked on projects across the emirate. In 2024, I accepted a role with a contractor on a large infrastructure project in Abu Dhabi. For three months, I commuted from Dubai. Then I moved. Here are the numbers and my honest experience.
The commute that did not work
My apartment was in Al Barsha, and the project office was on the Dubai side of Abu Dhabi. The drive was 75 minutes on a good day, 2 hours on a bad one. I spent around 1,200 dirhams a month on fuel and Salik tolls, plus the wear on my car. More importantly, I was leaving home at 5:45am and getting back after 7pm. My wife and I decided it was not sustainable.
Rent comparison
In Dubai, we paid 95,000 dirhams a year for a one bedroom apartment in Al Barsha, in a building with a gym and pool. Our landlord wanted to raise it to 105,000 at renewal.
In Abu Dhabi, we now rent a two bedroom apartment in Khalifa City for 78,000 dirhams a year, in a newer building with a gym and a small garden. So we have more space and pay 17,000 dirhams less. Compared with the proposed Dubai renewal, we save 27,000 dirhams a year.
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