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: $1,470 in Dakar versus $2,146 in Doha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,312 in Dakar versus $3,347 in Doha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Dakar versus $4,548 in Doha.

Living in Dakar costs roughly 31% less than in Doha, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dakar 7% above, Doha 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.22 F CFA 2,943

$10.74 QAR 39.11

-51.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.8 F CFA 31.5K

$73.3 QAR 267

-23.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.44 F CFA 6,446

$8.41 QAR 30.62

36.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.13 QAR 44.16

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.59 QAR 49.46

Cappuccino

$3.56 F CFA 2,006

$5.88 QAR 21.41

-39.46%

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

$1.25 F CFA 707

$0.92 QAR 3.35

35.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 F CFA 501

$0.44 QAR 1.62

102.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 F CFA 1,470

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 F CFA 2,467

Milk (1 liter)

$2.85 F CFA 1,604

$2.17 QAR 7.89

31.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 F CFA 434

$1.44 QAR 5.23

-46.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 F CFA 996

$1.93 QAR 7.03

-8.29%

Eggs

$2.54 F CFA 1,431

$3.58 QAR 13.04

-29.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.81 F CFA 10.0K

$11.43 QAR 41.61

55.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.26 F CFA 5,220

$7.93 QAR 28.85

16.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.35 F CFA 6,395

$11.18 QAR 40.69

1.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 F CFA 1,886

$2.15 QAR 7.84

55.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 F CFA 1,136

$1.80 QAR 6.54

11.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 F CFA 1,674

$1.56 QAR 5.67

90.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 F CFA 1,054

$1.21 QAR 4.41

54.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 F CFA 784

$1.00 QAR 3.62

39.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 F CFA 556

$1.03 QAR 3.76

-3.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 F CFA 642

$1.42 QAR 5.18

-19.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 F CFA 378

$0.54 QAR 1.97

24.07%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.35 QAR 34.03

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 QAR 6.98

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 QAR 8.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 F CFA 1,225

$6.51 QAR 23.70

-66.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.05 F CFA 10.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 F CFA 911

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 F CFA 1,897

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 F CFA 215

$0.57 QAR 2.08

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.3 F CFA 45.8K

$26.90 QAR 97.9

202.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 F CFA 1,270

$1.94 QAR 7.07

15.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.25 F CFA 1,267

$1.99 QAR 7.26

13.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.99 F CFA 10.1K

$13.82 QAR 50.3

30.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 F CFA 946

$0.54 QAR 1.96

211.11%

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

$52.4K F CFA 29.5M

$27.3K QAR 99.3K

92.05%

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

$49.8K F CFA 28.1M

$22.2K QAR 80.9K

124.39%

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

$213 F CFA 119.9K

$89.0 QAR 324

139.03%

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

$11.99 F CFA 6,756

$35.75 QAR 130

-66.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.19 F CFA 26.6K

$86.7 QAR 316

-45.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.17 F CFA 26.0K

$129 QAR 470

-64.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.08 F CFA 13.6K

$18.63 QAR 67.8

29.25%

Cinema Ticket

$8.72 F CFA 4,916

$12.52 QAR 45.57

-30.35%

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

$330 F CFA 186.1K

$691 QAR 2,515

-52.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K F CFA 6.1M

$9,960 QAR 36.3K

8.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 F CFA 33.6K

$61.4 QAR 224

-2.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.50 F CFA 26.8K

$52.2 QAR 190

-9.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 F CFA 50.5K

$106 QAR 385

-15.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 F CFA 56.4K

$88.3 QAR 322

13.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$841 F CFA 474.1K

$1,976 QAR 7,194

-57.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 F CFA 250.8K

$1,192 QAR 4,339

-62.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,781 F CFA 1.0M

$3,503 QAR 12.8K

-49.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$957 F CFA 539.4K

$2,325 QAR 8,461

-58.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,987 F CFA 2.8M

$4,104 QAR 14.9K

21.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,582 F CFA 891.6K

$2,415 QAR 8,790

-34.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$352 F CFA 198.4K

$3,183 QAR 11.6K

-88.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.75

5.88

48.81%

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

Last update for Dakar: August 31, 2026

Last update for Doha: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $841 in Dakar and $1,976 in Doha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Doha pays 804% 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: $56.0 in Dakar vs $73.0 in Doha. Groceries flip the comparison at $307 vs $217, 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 46% in total monthly costs ($1,470 vs $2,146 including rent). Dakar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 804% lower in Doha. 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: $841 in Dakar versus $1,976 in Doha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,470 per month in Dakar versus $2,146 in Doha – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dakar runs roughly 202% less than in Doha. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,470 in Dakar versus $2,146 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 46% less than in Doha. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.