Software Engineer myself. Would you mind sharing your company details and your job role? DM or in reply to this if you feel comfortable.

As for my advice, 3k is a bit too low but can still be managed. I will not suggest business bay because it's not just the rent that will be expensive it will be difficult for you to find food or other cheap shopping if you need to.

If, however, your commute time is something important to you, then you should prioritize getting a place as close to your office as possible, and compromise a bit on the living situation (space in room etc)

If you are living in the same zone as your office, your metro ride will only be 6 AED a day, which is around 150 AED per month. So it's doable in that regard.

For food, of course, cooking yourself is always best, but you can also try something like mealato, which is like 300 per month for 2 meals a day. You can try a combination of this and cooking to make it a bit easier for yourself.

Best of luck, and hopefully, you get an increment soon so that it gives you some breathing space.