(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Offering a quiet lifestyle and affordable houses, Mohammed Bin Zayed City has turned out to be an ideal area for many expat and Emirati families.
More commonly referred to as MBZ City, the quaint suburb is located on the edge of Abu Dhabi and it is easily reachable within a 30-minute drive from Abu Dhabi city, convenient for those commuting to Al Ain, Dubai or Abu Dhabi Island.
Named in honour of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the 45sq-km residential community has spacious, colourful villas, ranging from two to six-bedroom units that are either situated independently or within compounds of four to six homes.
The area also has mid-rise residential buildings, gardens and recreational facilities. And most of the homes have their own swimming pools, private parking and large gardens.
The villas are often rented out as one unit, especially to local families and high-income expats, but others are split to accommodate middle-income households.
"I am after peace and quietness, and this is why I chose to stay in this area of Abu Dhabi," said Pakistani expat Tareq Mohammed.
"I have stayed here with my family for more than six years now. And I must say the area offers a peaceful, secure environment for families."
Shopping is also not a worry for the residents, as they have modest shopping centres within the neighbourhood.
The Mazyad Shopping Mall, for one, may not be a fancy leisure spot but it does cover a family's necessities. It has a supermarket, a pharmacy, sports shop, gym, caf, food court and other decent dining outlets. The mall has some hotel apartments, too.
Capital Mall, located near Mazyad, is another shopping option.
And if something can't be found in those two malls, families can easily head to the nearby commercial area of Mussafah Shabia. This hub hosts a variety of restaurants, coffee shops, pharmacies, gyms, schools and places of entertainment.
There are also several clinics and hospitals in the area for the residents' healthcare needs.
For Indian expat Farooq Abdul Qadr, convenience and affordability set MBZ City apart from other residential districts. Parking spaces are free and education institutions are everywhere, he said.
"My son goes to an Indian school located just a few minutes away from my home. It's convenient for us." Qadr said.
Within the city, there are nurseries and schools offering different curriculums - Indian, British or the UAE. It's also home to the Abu Dhabi campus of Al Ain University.
When it comes to rent, Qadr considers the place "budget-friendly". "I came here in 2017 because the rents are lower compared to the other places in the city. I am paying Dh35,000 annually for a one-bedroom apartment," he said.
Renting a studio in MBZ City costs Dh25,000 annually, while one and two-bedroom units range from Dh35,000 to D65,000. The annual rent for a four-bedroom villa, on the other hand, can go up to Dh150,000, while five and six-bedroom villas are priced between Dh160,000 and Dh200,000.
Must know
1-Entirely residential
The area is almost completely developed, with only a few villas, apartment buildings and residential plots under construction.
Residents can choose to live in spacious, colourful homes with two to six bedrooms, or in mid-rise residential towers with a host of recreational facilities.
2-Shopping needs covered
MBZ City may not be home to big, fancy malls but it has modest shopping centres that cover a family's necessities. One of them is the Mazyad Shopping mall, which has a supermarket, a pharmacy, a sports shop, a gym, caf, food court and other decent dining outlets. Capital mall is another shopping option.
3-Plenty of schools
Considering the number of educational institutions in the area, it's easy for families with school-age children to choose to live in MBZ City. There are nurseries, as well as schools offering different curriculums such as Indian and British. It also hosts the Abu Dhabi campus of Al Ain University.
Ismail Sebugwaawo
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