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: $1,318 in Dakar versus $1,944 in Doha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,218 in Dakar versus $3,080 in Doha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,117 in Dakar versus $4,216 in Doha.

Living in Dakar costs roughly 32% less than in Doha, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dakar is 1% below, Doha is 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.43 F CFA 3,111

$6.76 QAR 24.61

-19.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 F CFA 29.9K

$54.0 QAR 197

-3.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 F CFA 5,843

$6.96 QAR 25.35

46.55%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.62 QAR 42.29

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.90 QAR 39.66

Cappuccino

$4.37 F CFA 2,506

$4.97 QAR 18.10

-12.07%

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

$0.89 F CFA 511

$0.86 QAR 3.13

3.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 F CFA 619

$0.33 QAR 1.20

227.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 F CFA 1,549

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 F CFA 2,581

Milk (1 liter)

$2.57 F CFA 1,473

$2.04 QAR 7.44

25.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 F CFA 384

$1.64 QAR 5.95

-59.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 F CFA 926

$2.20 QAR 8.01

-26.36%

Eggs

$2.76 F CFA 1,581

$2.67 QAR 9.70

3.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 F CFA 7,263

$11.57 QAR 42.12

9.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 F CFA 5,410

$7.91 QAR 28.80

19.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.61 F CFA 6,081

$10.73 QAR 39.04

-1.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 F CFA 1,602

$2.03 QAR 7.40

37.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 F CFA 1,135

$1.62 QAR 5.91

22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 F CFA 1,480

$1.53 QAR 5.56

68.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 F CFA 1,226

$1.39 QAR 5.06

53.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 F CFA 881

$1.03 QAR 3.77

49.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 770

$1.12 QAR 4.07

19.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 F CFA 613

$1.34 QAR 4.86

-20.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 F CFA 468

$0.48 QAR 1.75

70.83%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.16 QAR 37.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 QAR 6.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 QAR 10.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.55 F CFA 891

$6.35 QAR 23.12

-75.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.02 F CFA 9,752

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 F CFA 647

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 F CFA 1,280

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 F CFA 207

$0.57 QAR 2.08

-36.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.0 F CFA 45.2K

$32.81 QAR 119

140.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 F CFA 1,476

$2.24 QAR 8.15

15.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.80 F CFA 1,605

$2.13 QAR 7.77

31.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.55 F CFA 10.1K

$13.68 QAR 49.81

28.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 F CFA 1,020

$0.59 QAR 2.15

201.69%

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

$36.9K F CFA 21.1M

$22.2K QAR 80.9K

66.01%

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

$50.1K F CFA 28.7M

$20.4K QAR 74.3K

145.21%

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

$140 F CFA 80.0K

$93.4 QAR 340

49.49%

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

$9.57 F CFA 5,482

$37.55 QAR 137

-74.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.00 F CFA 28.1K

$88.7 QAR 323

-44.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 F CFA 31.8K

$120 QAR 435

-53.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.51 F CFA 12.3K

$31.64 QAR 115

-32.02%

Cinema Ticket

$8.75 F CFA 5,013

$12.46 QAR 45.34

-29.78%

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

$268 F CFA 153.3K

$802 QAR 2,918

-66.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,349 F CFA 4.2M

$11.6K QAR 42.3K

-36.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 F CFA 39.0K

$61.1 QAR 223

11.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.58 F CFA 25.0K

$55.1 QAR 200

-20.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 F CFA 60.1K

$100 QAR 365

4.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 F CFA 73.6K

$90.2 QAR 328

42.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 F CFA 533.3K

$1,638 QAR 5,963

-43.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 F CFA 211.3K

$1,064 QAR 3,872

-65.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 F CFA 1.1M

$2,901 QAR 10.6K

-34.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$933 F CFA 534.2K

$2,098 QAR 7,636

-55.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,047 F CFA 2.9M

$4,212 QAR 15.3K

19.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 F CFA 827.4K

$2,509 QAR 9,134

-42.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 F CFA 240.8K

$3,128 QAR 11.4K

-86.56%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Doha: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $931 in Dakar and $1,638 in Doha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Doha pays 644% 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: $52.0 in Dakar vs $54.0 in Doha. Groceries flip the comparison at $279 vs $212, 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 48% in total monthly costs ($1,318 vs $1,944 including rent). Dakar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 644% 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: $931 in Dakar versus $1,638 in Doha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,318 per month in Dakar versus $1,944 in Doha – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dakar runs roughly 141% less than in Doha. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,318 in Dakar versus $1,944 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 48% less than in Doha. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.