My 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
Deborah Bellis Wyborn was spending so much time relaxing in Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) at the weekends with friends that she wondered why she didn't just move there permanently.
So she took the plunge and moved out of Dubai, relocating to RAK, where she pays Dh70,000 in rent for a three-bedroom villa by the sea.
Ms Wyborn, who runs her own relocation company, Relocate MENA, said she has never looked back since moving seven months ago.
The 52-year-old from the UK invited The National into her home to see why she made the move from the city to the seaside.
Why did you choose to live here?
There were a number of reasons. I had lived in several gated communities in Dubai over the years but a lot of my friends had made the move to RAK.
I was spending a lot of time in RAK as a result, especially at the weekends when I would do a lot of travelling back and forth.
It meant the majority of my quality free time was spent here so I began thinking about moving permanently.
House prices in Dubai were going through the roof and when an agent contacted me to say there was this amazing property available in RAK, I didn't think twice.
How much do you pay in rent?
The landlord originally asked for Dh80,000 but I offered him Dh70,000 and he accepted.
I was living in a town house before in Damac Hills 2 and now the same property is being advertised for Dh150,000.
I was paying Dh70,000 for a five-bedroom until the landlord served me an eviction notice.
That's more than twice what I am paying to live by the sea with stunning views of Saraya Islands.
What is the community like where you live?
I live in Al Mataf and there's a real sense of community here. There are lots of Emirati families who live close to me so it definitely feels very traditional.
It's lovely here. It's super-quiet and relaxing. The scenery all around me is gorgeous.
I thought I would miss the hustle and bustle of life in Dubai but that hasn't been the case at all.
It's only about a 15-minute drive to the mall. When I lived in Damac Hills 2 it would often be an hour and 10 minutes' drive into the centre of Dubai.
I realised quickly that I wasn't really missing out on anything, especially as I work a lot from home anyway.
There's a real coffee culture here too. There are so many brilliant, little independent coffee shops everywhere.
At the weekends you'll see groups of people together in the most obscure places that you wouldn't ever think of going into, the reason is because the coffee there's so good.
You don't get many branches of Starbucks or Costa here.
What touches have you made to make yourself feel more at home?
My home's my haven. My house is full of plants and pillows, as well as cats.
Are you glad you swapped Dubai for Ras Al Khaimah?
I've got so much peace of mind living here. There are so many expats moving here from other emirates, especially those from the UK.
A lot of people are moving here because it offers a change of pace.
The cost of rent is so high in Dubai as well, which is another factor.
People don't want to pay those prices unless they absolutely have to. If you've lived here for a certain amount of time you'll want to save money where you can.
It's about the value of money for many.
Living here you get all the scenery of the sea and the mountains, it's only 20-minutes away from Oman.
It's just so relaxing to live here. Another advantage is that everything is so much cheaper here than in Dubai.
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The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
BOSH!'s pantry essentials
Nutritional yeast
This is Firth's pick and an ingredient he says, "gives you an instant cheesy flavour". He advises making your own cream cheese with it or simply using it to whip up a mac and cheese or wholesome lasagne. It's available in organic and specialist grocery stores across the UAE.
Seeds
"We've got a big jar of mixed seeds in our kitchen," Theasby explains. "That's what you use to make a bolognese or pie or salad: just grab a handful of seeds and sprinkle them over the top. It's a really good way to make sure you're getting your omegas."
Umami flavours
"I could say soya sauce, but I'll say all umami-makers and have them in the same batch," says Firth. He suggests having items such as Marmite, balsamic vinegar and other general, dark, umami-tasting products in your cupboard "to make your bolognese a little bit more 'umptious'".
Onions and garlic
"If you've got them, you can cook basically anything from that base," says Theasby. "These ingredients are so prevalent in every world cuisine and if you've got them in your cupboard, then you know you've got the foundation of a really nice meal."
Your grain of choice
Whether rice, quinoa, pasta or buckwheat, Firth advises always having a stock of your favourite grains in the cupboard. "That you, you have an instant meal and all you have to do is just chuck a bit of veg in."
MATCH INFO
Azerbaijan 0
Wales 2 (Moore 10', Wilson 34')
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 194hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 275Nm from 2,000-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: from Dh155,000
On sale: now
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
HWJN
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Race card
4pm Al Bastakiya Listed US$300,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
4.35pm Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,200m
5.10pm Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 $350,000 (Turf) 1,200m
5.45pm Burj Nahaar Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,600m
6.20pm Jebel Hatta Group 1 $400,000 (T) 1,800m
6.55pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 $600,000 (D) 2,000m
7.30pm Dubai City Of Gold Group 2 $350,000 (T) 2,410m
The National selections:
4pm Zabardast
4.35pm Ibn Malik
5.10pm Space Blues
5.45pm Kimbear
6.20pm Barney Roy
6.55pm Matterhorn
7.30pm Defoe
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Honeymoonish
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Elie%20El%20Samaan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENour%20Al%20Ghandour%2C%20Mahmoud%20Boushahri%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Sunday's Super Four matches
Dubai, 3.30pm
India v Pakistan
Abu Dhabi, 3.30pm
Bangladesh v Afghanistan
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
The%20specs
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