If you're wondering how to rent a house or apartment in the UAE, rest assured that the process is straightforward, although rent prices are high. The UAE is well-known for its competitive pay, yet a large portion of these salaries goes toward covering the high cost of living. In the UAE, the average rent for a studio apartment is between 30,000 and 50,000 AED (8,100 to 13,600 USD) per year. Apartments with one or two bedrooms cost between 70,000 and 100,000 AED (19,900–27,220 USD).
Rent for a Standard Housing Unit
Several expats prefer to rent a villa or property in the United Arab Emirates. The minimum rent in Dubai is 193,180 AED (52,590 USD) for a three-bedroom home and 298,640 AED (81,300 USD) for a five-bedroom home. In Abu Dhabi, a three-bedroom home costs 168,180 AED (45,785 USD) and a five-bedroom home costs 305,910 AED (83,280 USD).
Renting in the United Arab Emirates as a Foreigner
Rental contracts in the UAE are typically one year in duration and are notoriously difficult to terminate. Fortunately, housing regulations favor both landlords and tenants, which means that you are protected if your landlord decides to terminate your contract early. There are both furnished and unfurnished apartments available.
The decision comes down to a matter of time and money. A furnished apartment is substantially more expensive than an unfurnished property, yet affordable furniture is readily available in stores throughout the UAE. However, if you want to stay in the UAE for less than a year, unfurnished may be the better option due to the ease of move-in/move-out.
The majority of employers in the UAE will give accommodation or a stipend for housing to their employees. With so many options, searching for your own apartment can be stressful, which is why many expats choose to use an agent.
