My Dubai Rent takes you inside a reader's home to have a look at what they get for their money, how much they pay in rent and asks them what they like and don't like
The buzz and bustle of Dubai Marina is the reason why a couple of young content creators chose to live there.
Zhale Rousta, a digital content creator, was drawn to the neighbourhood from the moment she visited Dubai in 2007.
Ms Rousta and her husband Nima Farahbakhsh then moved to the UAE from Rasht, a coastal city in Iran, about a year ago.
After living in Business Bay, within a 15-minute walk of Burj Khalifa, the couple moved to Dubai Marina a month ago – where they say they can feel the vibe and energy of the city.
The 32-year-old, who produces videos and photo shoots on home decor and food for companies, told The National the two-bedroom apartment in her dream neighbourhood is the perfect fit.
Tell us about your home
I love working from cafes and this area is perfect. The building has a separate door to Marina Walk and I have hundreds of choices.
I like walking here, sitting and watching people, watching life.
It really boosts my mood and creativity.
On our apartment balcony, I sit with my laptop and watch as people run and walk. I see the cars, the metro, the tram, the boats and this calms me. I just like watching life.
Why this area in particular?
I travelled to Dubai about 17 years ago and I have loved the Marina since.
We moved to Dubai a year ago and this is our second home.
Our first was in Business Bay near the metro station.
We both love crowded places, being among people. Although we loved Downtown, we were saving up for a year for this area.
We were thinking of coming to live in the Marina since we visited Dubai.
And here we are after 17 years of loving this place.
Is it value for money?
We pay Dh110,000 and have been lucky because it’s a two-bedroom with a huge balcony and large kitchen in a great building.
When we first saw this building, I was instantly in love with this place because it has very big windows.
I record videos of cooking on YouTube and the kitchen is big enough for this.
There is a lot of wardrobe space and both bathrooms have their own showers.
The living room is very cosy and there are huge windows to the balcony with a perfect view.
The bedrooms have a view of the water as well.
It’s great value for money.
How have you made the apartment your home?
I study architecture and this is my area of speciality.
I designed it with a few sharp colours but mostly beige and muted colours for the walls and furnishings.
The table and floor lamps that a friend in Iran has designed gives the colour as do the many plants I have.
We chose to give it a homey and cosy feeling.
Are there other advantages to living here?
We develop content for brands and do photo shoots, so we need as much natural light as possible.
Although it’s a crowded neighbourhood, it’s silent inside the house.
When I close the windows it’s a comfort zone for me.
Is it a sociable neighbourhood?
My husband is outgoing and makes a lot of friends.
It is a friendly neighbourhood.
What are the disadvantages of where you live?
I don’t think there is any downside to living here.
UK’s AI plan
- AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
- £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
- £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
- £250m to train new AI models
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About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
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1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 281
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 247
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 222
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull 177
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 138
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 93
7. Sergio Perez, Force India 86
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UFC%20FIGHT%20NIGHT%3A%20SAUDI%20ARABIA%20RESULTS
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The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
Zayed Sustainability Prize
RESULT
Huddersfield Town 1 Manchester City 2
Huddersfield: Otamendi (45' 1 og), van La Parra (red card 90' 6)
Man City: Agüero (47' pen), Sterling (84')
Man of the match: Christopher Schindler (Huddersfield Town)
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
