Accommodation in Abu Dhabi

The vast majority of expats rent apartments in the city. Expats have only been allowed to buy property since 2005 and only long-term expat residents will go through the complex and expensive process of doing so.

As of early Augusty 2010 a wider availability of cheaper housing options are now available in the Emirate for letting. 

Lease rates are on the decline, and newer areas of the city may even experience a brief oversupply that will further increase affordability.

Furthernmore, the rate gap between on-island and off-island property - like Khalifa A and B and Mohammed Bin Zayed City, is also widening significantly.
 

Nonetheless, rental prices are still expsnive, especially in the the on-island locations that are still high in demand; the most popular areas are Bateen, Karam and Khalidia for houses, and Corniche for apartments.

Ensure you factor accommodation costs into any employment package you are offered. A simple studio apartment can cost around Dhs5,000 per month. Rental is paid annually in advance. Motivate your landlord to provide your monthly rent cheques postdates and provided up-front so the amount is deducted each month rather than in one lump sum.

 

Another option for those with families or sufficient resources is to live in a villa within a compound. These complexes normally include gym facilities, swimming pools, and the apartments are often fully furnished.
 

Renting an apartment is different in Abu Dhabi and the U.A.E. than most Westerners are used to. Most landlords demand six or even twelve month's rent up front. This obviously can be a burden to the newly arrived and fresh expats have to get a bank loan or a salary advance from their employer to secure a residence..

A nice two bedroom apartment can run up to 140,000 AED (~$38,000 USD) per year in Abu Dhabi although rents and conditions are softening somewhat due to the worldwide recession. A word of caution, if you pay upfront and things don't work out with your new job here and you have to move back home, you may lose the prepaid rent. Tread cautiously and get things in writing.

The best bet is to negotiate free or subsidized housing from the employer as part of your contract. That way you remain debt-free. I will talk about that later as it is very important to avoid financial obligations here for your first couple of years.