No place else I'd rather be...

It's not just the fact that as you drive to Abu Dhabi from anywhere else in the UAE, one of the first things you notice is the abundance of trees. Its grid-based road system, the leafy by-lanes, a skyline that allows for the sky, the quality of life and a sense of community are just some of the things that newbie residents like about Abu Dhabi. Many swear by its down-to-earth existence.

For most people a new job is the foremost reason for making a change in their lives that involves moving a city. Henning A. Fries, the General Manager of Fairmont Bab Al Bahr, who moved to Abu Dhabi from Dubai, says, "I relocated with my new job. I simply could not see myself commuting for an extended period of time, especially since in hospitality there are no nine-hour days. Furthermore, I wanted to be connected to the community. It works both ways, if you want the community to be committed to your business you have to be part of the community."

A sense of community

Indeed, a sense of community is one of the best things about Abu Dhabi. Whether it is networking, learning Arabic or getting lessons in golf, there is likely to be someone who thinks just like you.

Aarti Bilimoria, a 22-year-old financial coordinator who moved to Abu Dhabi from Leicester in the United Kingdom, in August 2010, says, "Everyone is friendly. May be it is because we are all in the same boat, we make more of an effort. There are groups for everything. For those who are not working there are events during the day too."

Bilimoria finds that the small size of the city compared to places such as London makes it easy to commute whether by cab or by car.

Adds Sivakumar S., a senior project manager moved to Abu Dhabi from Bengaluru in India last year, "Access is very easy — whether it is grocery shopping, malls or the theatre. Even on buses it is easy to find routes." �

For Fries and many expats, the Abu Dhabi experience is more grounded. One expat on an internet forum, comparing it to other emirates says, "I've lived in Dubai and Sharjah. We're moving back to the UAE this August and we actively chose Abu Dhabi this time. Personally, I prefer it to Dubai. The physical nature of the city is more established. I've always felt that much of Dubai looks like it was planted last week (and in many cases it was). Abu Dhabi is greener, less high-rises, and more family-oriented."

The fact that there appear to be a higher number of UAE nationals visible may have something to do with this. "There are so many more touch points with the Emirati local community, which makes living here much more authentic," says Fries.

For many expat women this translates into dressing a little more wisely, rather than living in a beach resort all the time.

While the community is small enough to care, it seems large enough to matter. And one of the ways that shows is in the abundance of events. "There seems to be the emphasis on both variety and quality in terms of entertainment events. These events represent in most cases great value for money as ticket prices are reasonable and artists are truly world class — the music legend Stevie Wonder and the guitar great Eric Clapton. A lot of thought is put into the programming on what will appeal both to residents as well as attract international travellers," says Fries.

In fact, Bilimoria says her friends back home are surprised that she has more famous encounters than they do. The cultural scene also does wonders for shattering any stereotype. "Yas Island has become a centre for events. It is a good location and it puts Abu Dhabi on the map. We don't have to go to Dubai anymore."

In most cases, Bilimoria says that Abu Dhabi is comparable to her home town of Leicester — making friends, pace of life etc. But when it comes to rents, it is more like London.

Sivakumar, who had to compromise on the apartment he wanted after he got here, has a whole story to tell. "I was surprised that the rentals are so inflated. A small apartment rents for between Dh70,000 to Dh80,000. I had a requirement for a two-bedroom apartment but house-hunting is the most difficult thing I ever did. I realised that brokers were charging very high prices for no reason. I even asked someone why the rents were so high, he told me that they were charging three times as much three years ago. Finally, I was able to settle down in a single-bedroom apartment."

Key point to note

What added to his costs was the custom of key money. "Apart from paying the broker I had to pay the manager of the building. I am told key money is something that the previous tenants used to charge the new tenants in buildings with low rent. Now the same is being charged by the manager of the building," he says.

For the most part, for those who call Abu Dhabi home, the high quality of life makes up for this. For Sivakumar, there is much relief in the fact that the worst traffic jams are over in about 10 minutes. "People had warned me about the traffic, but it is not very stressful," he says.

For Fries, the fact that the city has not matured yet in terms of variety of facilities is offset by the fact that what has recently arrived on the market is equal, if not much better than elsewhere.

For most expats, life changes and yet remains the same. Bilimoria sums it up: "Unlike at home where everything shuts by 6pm, here things stay open until late. It is warm and you can do stuff. There is lavishness to life here. I am going out far more than I did. There is more disposable income. People can afford to do more. It is not like the UK, where you want to get home and get a good sleep. My life has changed a bit. There is a lot more time to do what I want to do."