Moving to Abu Dhabi: Tips for Expats

The United Arab Emirates has been an incredibly popular destination for expats for a number of years. Dubai, the emirate which is the most open, tourist-friendly emirate, focused on attracting expats, is the main magnet for immigrants and foreign investors. By contrast, the capital of the UAE was not that friendly to visitors for a long time. Abu Dhabi’s role was purely administrative and economic. The capital accounts for 87% of the country’s area. This is where the bulk of the UAE’s oil resources are located. 

However, the situation started changing in 2019. The emirate opened up its real estate market. Today the capital is actively competing with Dubai for foreign investors. For the time being expats account for less than 40% of the population. However, this figure is constantly growing. Read on to learn about the benefits of the capital for potential residents and discover how Abu Dhabi differs from Dubai in terms of lifestyle.

• Abu Dhabi: Brief Introduction
• Main Areas in Abu Dhabi
• Ins and Outs of the Real Estate Market
• Things to Do in Abu Dhabi
• Education in Abu Dhabi
• Cost of Living: Dubai vs Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi: Brief Introduction

The capital of the UAE is located in the southern part of the country, on the same coast of the Persian Gulf as Dubai. However, the coastline here is freckled with islands (283 in total). Most of the city is located on these islands connected to the mainland by several road bridges. Initially Abu Dhabi was not the capital of the country; until the 1960s it was just a small fishing village. After the discovery of large oil fields, the settlement became the economic centre of the country and was assigned the status of the country’s capital in 1996. Today Abu Dhabi is a large modern metropolis with rich infrastructure. 

For the first twenty years, only UAE citizens could live in the emirate. Foreigners were prohibited from buying real estate in the city and its suburbs. However, in 2019 the authorities decided to develop the emirate not only through oil sales, but also through foreign investments, including in real estate, tourism and industry. Foreigners, regardless of their nationality, can register companies in Abu Dhabi, obtaining a resident visa. In addition, business in the UAE, with the exception of banks and oil-related companies, is tax-free.

Abu Dhabi offers a very high standard of living to anyone moving here: comfortable homes, rich infrastructure, no crime, and lots of places for entertainment. However, before moving to Abu Dhabi, you need to familiarise yourself with the specifics of the capital city. 

Main Areas in Abu Dhabi

The city consists of 57 districts, including commercial and tourist areas. We present here the places in Abu Dhabi which are most popular among expats.

Yas Island

Yas Island is the main tourist attraction of the capital: here you will find Ferrari World, Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi, Yas Water World, as well as the Yas Marina race track and the giant Du Arena, one of the biggest concert venues in the Middle East. Yas Mall, the second largest shopping centre in the UAE, is also located here, as is IKEA Yas Island, the largest store of the famous Swedish brand in the Arab world. 

The Yas Island coastline is home to luxurious hotels and the beaches attached to them. The area is very convenient for foreigners who have come to Abu Dhabi to relax and have fun: all the key tourist spots of the city can be found in one place. Anyone working or doing business in Abu Dhabi will not find Yas the best place to live: it is too far from the city centre. At the same time, Abu Dhabi International Airport is just 10 kilometres away, which is convenient for tourists. 

Saadiyat Island

If Yas can be called the entertainment hub of the city, Saadiyat aspires to be its cultural centre. As well as premium real estate and the best city beaches, here you can enjoy the Louvre Abu Dhabi art museum and the Manarat Al Saadiyat exhibition centre.  

The island is still under development: new luxury villas with private beaches will soon be joined by a branch of the Guggenheim Museum and several other historical museums. Today this is one of the most affluent and at the same time quietest area of the city.

Al Raha Beach

Al Raha is located on Abu Dhabi’s mainland. This area is famous first and foremost for its residential complexes and long waterfront with beautiful beaches and a large promenade. This neighbourhood is attractive to anyone who appreciates extensive infrastructure: in addition to a large number of properties, including flats and waterfront villas, Al Raha has restaurants, a shopping centre, hospital and an international school. The main drawback is the constant construction: the coastal area is still under development.

Corniche

Corniche is one of the most popular areas in Abu Dhabi due to its universality: here you can find real estate in different price segments and a large beach area. At the same time, Corniche is closer to the city centre than the areas mentioned above. It is popular with expats who want to combine a comfortable life with close access to business amenities. The main attraction is the eight-kilometre waterfront promenade. There is also a beach which has been divided into three sectors; one of them is intended solely for women with children.

Al Reem Island

This is one of the most prestigious areas of the city. Giant skyscrapers with luxury flats rise above the island with a mangrove forest below. You can travel through it on a boat, watching the animals. Another attraction of the island is Snow Abu Dhabi, an indoor snow park where visitors ski or walk through snow mazes in any weather, even if it is 40°C outside.

Ins and Outs of the Real Estate Market

For a long time non-residents of the United Arab Emirates had no right to buy housing in full ownership, or freehold. The only alternative was leasehold - a long-term lease for up to 99 years. These restrictions were lifted in April 2019. Subsequently Abu Dhabi's real estate market has become one of the fastest growing in the world. Key developers of the emirate offer dozens of new and modern residential complexes. Even more new buildings will be completed in future.

Buying a Property

The housing on offer in the capital includes skyscrapers with flats of different sizes and layouts, as well as luxury villas. In general, Abu Dhabi can be called a low-rise city: you will find far fewer skyscrapers here than in Dubai. Here you will find comfortable areas replete with low-rise and mid-rise blocks of flats. They are rare in Dubai. There is also a lot of waterfront housing in Abu Dhabi, both flats and villas. Owing to the abundance of islands, the coastline of Abu Dhabi reaches 700 kilometres.