Cost of living in Doha
Tax-free packages and near-free fuel, in a city built for cars where almost everything runs on employer sponsorship.
Build your own budget
Monthly spending by category: Housing $1,600, Food $568, Transport $47, Utilities $249, Healthcare $39, Lifestyle $187, Other $87.
1-bed, city centre Median advertised rent for this unit type Estimated $1,600
Salary and tax in Doha
| Gross salary (USD/yr) | Income tax | Social contributions | Take-home / month | Effective rate | Left after costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $0 | $0 | $3,333 | 0.0% | $556 |
| $75,000 | $0 | $0 | $6,250 | 0.0% | $3,473 |
| $120,000 | $0 | $0 | $10,000 | 0.0% | $7,223 |
| $200,000 | $0 | $0 | $16,667 | 0.0% | $13,890 |
- No personal income tax for individuals.
People who actually live in Doha
Quality of life
A year of weather in Doha
Average monthly temperature in Doha: January 18.6 degrees, February 19.3 degrees, March 22.4 degrees, April 27.1 degrees, May 32.3 degrees, June 35.5 degrees, July 36.8 degrees, August 36.3 degrees, September 34.3 degrees, October 30.6 degrees, November 25.8 degrees, December 20.8 degrees. The shaded band is the average daily high and low.
Where these numbers come from
Share of this budget, weighted by money rather than by field count, that rests on a published source rather than our model.
- Measured0%
- Taken directly from a published source. No modelling in between.
- Derived27%
- Anchored to a measured source, then adjusted. The adjustment is stated.
- Estimated73%
- Modelled from regional relationships. Nobody measured this one.
Prices in Doha
| Item | USD | QAR |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (monthly rent) | ||
| One-bedroom, city centre | $1,600 | QAR 5,824 |
| One-bedroom, outside the centre | $1,150 | QAR 4,186 |
| Three-bedroom, city centre | $3,200 | QAR 11,648 |
| Three-bedroom, outside the centre | $2,100 | QAR 7,644 |
| Buy price per m², city centre | $3,600 | QAR 13,104 |
| Bills | ||
| Utilities, 85m² apartment | $240 | QAR 874 |
| Home internet, 60 Mbps+ | $56 | QAR 204 |
| Mobile plan | $37 | QAR 135 |
| Food | ||
| Groceries, one adult per month | $374 | QAR 1,361 |
| Meal at an inexpensive restaurant | $7.64 | QAR 28 |
| Three-course dinner for two | $61 | QAR 222 |
| Coffee | $3.44 | QAR 13 |
| Beer in a bar | $7.64 | QAR 28 |
| Transport | ||
| Monthly transit pass | $25 | QAR 91 |
| Taxi, per km | $0.60 | QAR 2.18 |
| Petrol, per litre | $0.55 | QAR 2.00 |
| Health, family & lifestyle | ||
| Health insurance, per adult | $220 | QAR 801 |
| Doctor visit, out of pocket | $80 | QAR 291 |
| Full-time childcare, one child | $950 | QAR 3,458 |
| International school, per year | $20,000 | QAR 72,800 |
| Gym membership | $80 | QAR 291 |
| Cinema ticket | $13 | QAR 47 |
Prices are held in USD and converted at the August 2026 snapshot rate. Last reviewed 2026-08-01. Every figure carries its own provenance — see where these numbers come from.
Living and working here
Employer-sponsored residence permits only. No personal income tax.
1 USD ≈ QAR 3.64
Asia/Qatar
arid climate
Compare Doha with…
Getting set up in Doha
The things people end up arranging in the first month in Doha — usually in roughly this order. We have picked services that work before you have local residency, which is the constraint that catches most people out.
- AiraloesimData eSIM for the first weeks before you get a local number.
- SafetyWinginsuranceHealth and travel cover written for people living outside their home country.
- WisetransferMoving money between currencies without the bank spread.
- RevolutbankingA multi-currency account that works before you have local residency.
- Kiwi.comflightsOne-way and multi-city routing for a move rather than a return trip.
- Booking.comstaysSomewhere to land for the first month while you look at flats.
These are affiliate links: if you sign up, we may be paid a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change what any of them costs, and it has no bearing on the numbers anywhere else on this page — those come from the model, not from anyone paying us.
Know what things really cost here?
No submissions yet. Yours would be the first.
We publish the median, not the mean — one mis-keyed rent should not move the number.
Frequently asked
How much money do you need per month to live in Doha?
A single adult renting a one-bedroom in the centre and living moderately needs roughly $2,777 a month, of which $1,600 is rent. A couple sharing that flat needs about $3,628, and a family of four in a three-bedroom outside the centre with childcare needs about $7,198.
Is Doha expensive?
On our index Doha scores 44 where New York is 100 — about 56% below New York for the same household. The average local net salary of $3,600 a month covers 1.3× that budget.
What salary do you need in Doha?
To cover the single-adult budget of $2,777 a month after tax, you need roughly $33,500 gross a year — before any saving. Add 30–40% on top if you want to save meaningfully.
How much is rent in Doha?
A one-bedroom in the centre averages $1,600 a month, $1,150 outside the centre. A three-bedroom runs $3,200 central and $2,100 further out.
Can you work remotely from Doha?
Employer-sponsored residence permits only. No personal income tax.
Sources
- World Bank – ICP price level & PPP indicators— price levels, purchasing power normalisation
- OECD – Prices and purchasing power parities— price levels, household consumption
- Open-Meteo historical climate archive— climate
- exchangerate.host / ECB reference rates— currency conversion
Figures are modelled estimates built for comparison between cities, not a quote for any individual. Read the full methodology.