Vacancy rate is AD is less then 1 % and in the near term rents are unlikely to come down from their ridiculous highs in AD .
Driving to AD on a daily basis seems like a bit much on the nerves for me but desperate times call for desperate measures. Driving time is about 1 hour if going to the AD airport, add another half hour ( at least) to reach downtown.
There are options closer to AD in the outlying areas but you will find few fellow expats there. Should you choose to live in Dubai anyway I would suggest the Green Community as the closest neighborhood.
Good luck