DUBAI, June 7: Following a recent crackdown on illegally partitioned housing units in Dubai, many low-income expats have been forced to relocate, with a growing number moving to Sharjah and other neighbouring emirates in search of more affordable rent. While these moves offer financial relief, they come at the cost of longer commutes, overcrowded living conditions, and disrupted routines.
For thousands of workers, partitioned flats — often cramped, shared spaces just large enough for a bed and a fan — were far from ideal but offered proximity to jobs, public transport, and basic amenities. Their sudden removal has left many scrambling for alternatives.
"Saving on Rent"
Mohammed Irfan, who works at a restaurant in Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT), was paying AED 1,400 for a partitioned space in Al Rigga. After a recent raid on the building, he moved to Sharjah’s Abu Shagara, where he now pays AED 700 to share a room with two others.
“I save money, but I spend more than 90 minutes each way commuting,” Irfan said. “Earlier, I could walk to the metro in minutes. Now, I take a bus, then the metro, and sometimes even a taxi from the station. Everything was within reach in Dubai — groceries, the pharmacy, the metro. Now, it all feels much harder.”
He now wakes up earlier to accommodate the long commute and arrives at work already fatigued.
"We Had to Split — It Was Too Crowded"
Mary, a sales assistant at Al Ghurair Mall in Deira, previously shared a 2BHK flat in Muraqqabat with 13 others, paying AED 800 per bed space. After the crackdown, her group split up. She has relocated to Al Nahda, Dubai, paying AED 1,000 to share a room with three others. “There are fewer people in the room now, but expenses and travel time will go up,” she said.
"No Privacy, But This Is All I Can Afford"
Rupa, who works at a beauty salon, used to pay AED 600 for a shared space close to her workplace. She is currently staying temporarily with a friend while searching for affordable housing, possibly in Al Nahda, Sharjah, for AED 850 per bed space.
“My commute will increase. The salon was just a minute away before,” she said. “If it becomes too difficult, I might need to find a new job closer to home.” Despite the situation, Rupa remains grateful for whatever accommodation she can find. “I don’t earn much. This is the best I can manage.”
"My Daughter’s School Is Now Far"
Farida, a single mother, had to move to Sharjah with her teenage daughter after being asked to vacate their Deira flat. While the new AED 1,200 partitioned room is larger than their previous AED 1,500 space in Dubai, the distance to her daughter’s school poses a challenge.
“School holidays are coming, so it's manageable now. But once classes resume, I’ll need to either figure out transport or transfer her to another school,” Farida explained.
"We Need Legal, Affordable Housing"
Javed, a salesman, moved into a shared villa in Sharjah after being evicted from his Deira accommodation. He now pays AED 500 for a bed space shared with eight others.
“With this crackdown, it’s pointless to look for new housing in Dubai. It will only happen again,” he said. “Most of us live paycheck to paycheck. We can’t afford AED 2,000 in rent. There should be proper, legal low-cost housing for people like us.”
"I Sleep in a Storeroom"
Shahid, a delivery rider, now sleeps in a converted storeroom in a shared flat in Sharjah for AED 450. The room has no ventilation, and even the fan barely works. “I had to buy a cooler, but it doesn't help much in this heat,” he said. “Still, I’m out all day delivering. I just came back to sleep.”
He noted that his previous room in Dubai was partitioned but better maintained. “Now, I don’t complain. I just need to save on rent.”
