Cost of Living Comparison Between Dakar and Doha Cost of Living Comparison Between Dakar and Doha

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,327 in Dakar versus $2,003 in Doha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,194 in Dakar versus $3,069 in Doha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,061 in Dakar versus $4,134 in Doha.

Living in Dakar costs roughly 34% less than in Doha, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dakar is 1% below, Doha is 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.42 F CFA 3,058

$6.77 QAR 24.64

-19.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.3 F CFA 30.1K

$54.0 QAR 196

-1.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.21 F CFA 5,755

$6.78 QAR 24.69

50.59%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.76 QAR 42.80

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.10 QAR 40.40

Cappuccino

$4.43 F CFA 2,498

$4.98 QAR 18.14

-11.04%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 F CFA 484

$0.84 QAR 3.07

2.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 F CFA 615

$0.31 QAR 1.13

251.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 F CFA 1,450

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 F CFA 2,457

Milk (1 liter)

$2.52 F CFA 1,423

$2.04 QAR 7.44

23.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 F CFA 360

$1.63 QAR 5.92

-60.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 F CFA 906

$2.15 QAR 7.82

-25.12%

Eggs

$2.88 F CFA 1,625

$2.62 QAR 9.55

9.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.78 F CFA 7,209

$11.34 QAR 41.26

12.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 F CFA 5,357

$7.55 QAR 27.48

25.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 F CFA 6,069

$10.43 QAR 37.97

3.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 F CFA 1,536

$1.98 QAR 7.21

37.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 F CFA 1,121

$1.57 QAR 5.73

26.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 F CFA 1,473

$1.59 QAR 5.77

64.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 F CFA 1,174

$1.45 QAR 5.26

43.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 F CFA 844

$0.98 QAR 3.57

53.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 758

$1.07 QAR 3.88

25.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 F CFA 600

$1.38 QAR 5.03

-23.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 F CFA 460

$0.46 QAR 1.66

78.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.27 QAR 30.10

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 QAR 6.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 QAR 10.92

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.61 F CFA 908

$6.47 QAR 23.53

-75.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.38 F CFA 8,674

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 F CFA 667

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 F CFA 1,254

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 F CFA 204

$0.53 QAR 1.91

-32.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 F CFA 45.4K

$32.91 QAR 120

144.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 F CFA 1,514

$2.23 QAR 8.11

20.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.83 F CFA 1,598

$2.22 QAR 8.07

27.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.99 F CFA 10.1K

$13.60 QAR 49.50

32.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 F CFA 963

$0.59 QAR 2.16

189.83%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.1K F CFA 20.4M

$22.2K QAR 80.7K

62.71%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$49.2K F CFA 27.8M

$20.3K QAR 73.9K

142.53%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$138 F CFA 78.0K

$93.5 QAR 340

48.02%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.92 F CFA 5,597

$37.48 QAR 136

-73.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.4 F CFA 28.4K

$86.1 QAR 313

-41.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 F CFA 31.8K

$120 QAR 436

-52.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.41 F CFA 12.1K

$32.38 QAR 118

-33.88%

Cinema Ticket

$9.02 F CFA 5,086

$12.20 QAR 44.41

-26.07%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$272 F CFA 153.4K

$794 QAR 2,891

-65.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,169 F CFA 4.0M

$11.7K QAR 42.7K

-38.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 F CFA 38.7K

$62.3 QAR 227

10.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.93 F CFA 24.8K

$54.6 QAR 199

-19.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 F CFA 58.2K

$99.4 QAR 362

3.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 F CFA 74.1K

$90.2 QAR 328

45.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$914 F CFA 515.2K

$1,609 QAR 5,857

-43.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 F CFA 208.2K

$1,094 QAR 3,983

-66.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 F CFA 1.1M

$2,926 QAR 10.7K

-36.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$938 F CFA 528.9K

$2,079 QAR 7,567

-54.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,996 F CFA 2.8M

$4,471 QAR 16.3K

11.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,491 F CFA 841.1K

$2,709 QAR 9,860

-44.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$431 F CFA 243.2K

$3,111 QAR 11.3K

-86.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

6.08

35.69%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Dakar: June 1, 2026

Last update for Doha: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $914 in Dakar and $1,609 in Doha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Doha pays 621% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $53.0 in Dakar vs $54.0 in Doha. Groceries flip the comparison at $276 vs $208, with Doha cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Dakar vs Doha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dakar and Doha differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($1,327 vs $2,003 including rent). Dakar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Doha earns 621% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $914 in Dakar versus $1,609 in Doha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,327 per month in Dakar versus $2,003 in Doha – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dakar runs roughly 145% less than in Doha. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,327 in Dakar versus $2,003 in Doha, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dakar but tight or insufficient in Doha. The gap between the two cities makes Dakar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Dakar and Doha are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dakar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Doha. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.