That's what I was going to recommend. If your single with no "baggage", I would recommend sharing a house with 2 or 3 others and splitting your rent and all other bills 2 or 3-way.
It works out to be really cheap, and its quite social & great fun too especially if you all work for the same company.
My two dirhams.
That would be a good solution except that technically it is illegal. In an attempt to stop the practice of 45 people living in a 2 bedroom villa, the authorities in Dubai are now enforcing a ban on unrelated people sharing accommodation.
I wonder now if EK cabin crew are all going to get their own apartments.