In the first-of-its-kind analysis of moving trends in Abu Dhabi, ServiceMarket, the UAE’s leading marketplace for moving and home services, crunched numbers to reveal areas that witnessed the most moving-in and moving-out activity in the capital. Thousands of Abu Dhabi moving requests placed through ServiceMarket in 2017 were considered for this study, which highlights many interesting moving trends across Abu Dhabi. If you’re planning to move to one of the most popular areas in Abu Dhabi, then be sure to check out this annual Abu Dhabi moving trends report. 
Top 10 most popular areas in Abu Dhabi in 2017
So, which residential areas in Abu Dhabi had the highest influx of residents? With 14.46% of all move-in requests, Madinat Zayed was the most popular area in 2017, followed by Al Reem Island, Khalifa City, Al Khalidiyah and outskirts of Abu Dhabi. While established and densely-populated areas like Madinat Zayed and Al Khalidiyah are still very popular, newly developed contenders like Al Reem Island and Khalifa City have risen very close to the top position. A lot of people are also moving to the outskirts of Abu Dhabi, which are villages beyond Al Reef on the road to Dubai. These areas have become popular because they offer lower rents.
| Area | % of Move-In Requests on ServiceMarket in 2017 |
| Madinat Zayed | 14.46% |
| Al Reem Island | 13.88% |
| Khalifa City | 11.70% |
| Al Khalidiyah | 7.46% |
| Outskirts of Abu Dhabi | 6.12% |
| Al Reef | 4.96% |
| Mussafah | 4.55% |
| Al Nahyan | 4.11% |
| MBZC | 4.11% |
| Al Raha Beach | 3.84% |
Areas with the most moving-out activity
Four of the most popular areas in Abu Dhabi this year, namely Madinat Zayed, Khalifa City, Al Reem Island and Al Khalidiyah, also experienced the most moving-out activity. This could be because people tend to move a lot between these popular areas since they have many residential buildings. In addition, those who are looking for lower rents but don’t want to move their family away from the area where they’re already settled often choose to move to another home in the same area. Our analysis of moving trends in Dubai over the last couple of years has revealed similar trends.
| Area | % of Move-Out Requests on ServiceMarket in 2017 |
| Madinat Zayed | 22.50% |
| Khalifa City | 11.92% |
| Al Reem Island | 11.34% |
| Al Khalidiyah | 6.61% |
| Al Nahyan | 4.55% |
| Mussafah | 4.42% |
| MBZC | 4.29% |
| Al Reef | 4.11% |
| Al Raha Beach | 3.88% |
| Al Zahiyah | 3.48% |
Reasons behind these moving trends
Madinat Zayed holds the top position and Al Khalidiyah is also in the top five list because both of these areas are established and offer many amenities like an abundance of residential buildings, shops, schools and recreational facilities. It’s also the business hub of Abu Dhabi.
However, since newly developed areas such as Al Reem Island, Khalifa City, and outskirts of Abu Dhabi have more houses with gardens and compounds with large pools, they are now very close to the top position. Another reason could be that people are moving to these suburbs and outskirts of Abu Dhabi to avoid traffic and congestion. What’s more, people who work in Dubai prefer these areas as they can save an hour on their daily commute. In Dubai, Dubailand, a newly developed area, recently overtook the more established Dubai Marina, which had held the top position for two consecutive years.
Other interesting insights
- More than 75% of the influx of people took place in just 10 areas of Abu Dhabi,
- Al Reem Island and Khalifa City are very close to overtaking Madinat Zayed in popularity
- Madinat Zayed witnessed the most moving-in as well as moving-out activity as it is densely-populated and has many residential buildings
- There was more moving-out activity compared to moving-in activity in Madinat Zayed
- On the other hand, Al Reem Island experienced a net gain in 2017
- Around a third of Abu Dhabi residents just move from one residential building to another in the same area
You can easily avoid hidden costs, delays and hassles by using a reputable moving service in Abu Dhabi. Don’t forget to read reviews and get free quotes from multiple licensed movers and packers in Abu Dhabi through ServiceMarket.
