Unless you’re an oil baron or a real estate tycoon, rental prices on the island may seem a little steep; the good news is that living off the island isn’t bad. Here’s what we love about it

1. The parking: There’s just about nothing more infuriating than sitting through an hour of traffic only to arrive at a building and spend another thirty minutes or more circling for a parking space – especially when you only spend five minutes doing business inside. Almost everywhere you go on the mainland, parking is plentiful and easily accessible. Reason enough to move.

2. The prices: You can literally save a third of the cost of rent in a place on the mainland over the island. Looking for a flat that comes with parking? Expect to pay up to AED 50,000 more per year. If you can afford the inconvenience, the savings you reap from living on the mainland are really worth the drive.

3. Yas Island: In the past, places like Khalifa City A didn’t have so much as street signs or lights. These days, though, some of the best events in the capital are coming to Yas Island, which is a stone’s throw away for anyone living on the mainland.

4. The airport: Years ago just about every trip out of the UAE began and ended with the often agonising drive to Dubai. Thanks to Etihad though, there’s no reason to ever fight your way through that traffic again. Anyone living on the mainland doesn’t even have to contend with the capital’s rising traffic, and unless you live in the Baniyas end of Khalifa City B, chances are you’ll never hear the airplanes flying overhead.

5. The traffic: Compared to the island, there’s practically no traffic in the communities on the mainland. Unless it’s raining cats and dogs, getting onto the highway is generally a piece of cake, and even the high congestion areas – like near the schools – are easy enough to negotiate most days.

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