Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Doha and Atenas

For one person, living is cheaper in Atenas: $1,548 a month against $2,149 in Doha, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Doha, Qatar
Atenas, Costa Rica
Doha
🇶🇦 Qatar
$2,149
/mo nomad
Atenas
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,548
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Doha and in Atenas

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Doha and in Atenas actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,149 per month in Doha vs $1,548 in Atenas, rent included.

  • Doha $2,149
  • Atenas $1,548

A couple spends around $3,429 per month in Doha vs $2,527 in Atenas, rent included.

  • Doha $3,429
  • Atenas $2,527

A family of three spends $4,709 per month in Doha vs $3,506 in Atenas, rent included.

  • Doha $4,709
  • Atenas $3,506

Doha costs about 39% more than Atenas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Doha and Atenas sit above the global median – Doha by 58%, Atenas by 14%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Doha
Atenas
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.36 QAR 34.05
$9.66 ₡4,361
-3.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.1 QAR 251
$56.4 ₡25.4K
22.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.88 QAR 28.70
$11.79 ₡5,321
-33.16%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$11.99 QAR 43.63
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$13.81 QAR 50.3
-
-
Cappuccino
$5.69 QAR 20.72
$3.83 ₡1,727
48.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 QAR 3.29
$2.77 ₡1,249
-67.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.41 QAR 1.48
$1.94 ₡875
-78.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.38 ₡1,525
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.44 ₡2,005
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Doha
Atenas
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.08 QAR 7.57
$2.39 ₡1,079
-12.97%
White Bread (500g)
$1.36 QAR 4.96
$3.07 ₡1,384
-55.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.92 QAR 6.99
$2.25 ₡1,016
-14.67%
Eggs
$3.38 QAR 12.29
$3.48 ₡1,571
-2.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.36 QAR 41.34
$10.74 ₡4,847
5.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.73 QAR 28.12
$9.55 ₡4,310
-19.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.07 QAR 40.28
$10.41 ₡4,701
6.34%
Apples (1kg)
$2.29 QAR 8.32
$4.52 ₡2,039
-49.34%
Banana (1kg)
$1.85 QAR 6.75
$1.62 ₡731
14.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.58 QAR 5.75
$2.65 ₡1,197
-40.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.26 QAR 4.60
$2.45 ₡1,107
-48.57%
Potato (1kg)
$0.98 QAR 3.55
$3.81 ₡1,719
-74.28%
Onion (1kg)
$0.97 QAR 3.52
$2.60 ₡1,173
-62.69%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.42 QAR 5.19
$1.12 ₡505
26.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.50 QAR 1.84
$3.11 ₡1,405
-83.92%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$9.69 QAR 35.27
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86 QAR 6.76
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 QAR 8.33
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.33 QAR 23.04
$6.04 ₡2,726
4.80%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$18.82 ₡8,497
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.63 ₡1,188
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.67 ₡1,204
-
🚌 Getting Around
Doha
Atenas
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.56 QAR 2.04
$2.21 ₡998
-74.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$32.40 QAR 118
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.89 QAR 6.87
$2.50 ₡1,126
-24.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.09 QAR 7.61
$1.57 ₡709
33.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.50 QAR 49.14
$8.68 ₡3,917
55.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.55 QAR 2.00
$1.50 ₡677
-63.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.2K QAR 88.1K
$33.7K ₡15.2M
-28.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.4K QAR 77.9K
$42.1K ₡19.0M
-49.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Doha
Atenas
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.6 QAR 304
$94.0 ₡42.4K
-11.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.81 QAR 123
$35.77 ₡16.1K
-5.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$88.0 QAR 320
$52.3 ₡23.6K
68.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Doha
Atenas
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$194 QAR 707
$47.83 ₡21.6K
305.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.58 QAR 67.6
$11.06 ₡4,995
67.99%
Cinema Ticket
$12.28 QAR 44.68
$7.55 ₡3,407
62.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Doha
Atenas
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$720 QAR 2,619
$975 ₡440.3K
-26.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,469 QAR 34.5K
$6,667 ₡3.0M
42.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Doha
Atenas
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.6 QAR 217
$72.0 ₡32.5K
-17.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.0 QAR 197
$54.2 ₡24.5K
-0.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.4 QAR 362
$126 ₡57.1K
-21.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7 QAR 305
$130 ₡58.8K
-35.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Doha
Atenas
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,014 QAR 7,332
$666 ₡300.6K
202.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,159 QAR 4,220
$550 ₡248.2K
110.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,486 QAR 12.7K
$1,537 ₡693.8K
126.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,403 QAR 8,748
$1,244 ₡561.7K
93.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,079 QAR 14.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,416 QAR 8,796
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Doha
Atenas
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,308 QAR 12.0K
$1,330 ₡600.6K
148.67%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.92
8.62
-31.32%

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

Last update for Doha: October 26, 2026

Last update for Atenas: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Doha
$1.2K
Atenas
$550 52.6% $610
Sport & Entertainment
Doha
$219
Atenas
$63 71.2% $156
Groceries & Markets
Doha
$213
Atenas
$358 68% $145
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Doha
$205
Atenas
$182 11.4% $23
Eating Out
Doha
$172
Atenas
$203 18.1% $31
Clothing & Footwear
Doha
$134
Atenas
$172 29.1% $39
Getting Around
Doha
$47
Atenas
$19 * 59.2% $28

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,014 in Doha versus $666 in Atenas. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Doha are about 2.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69 in Doha versus $56 in Atenas. Groceries tell a different story – $213 in Doha vs $358 in Atenas – so Doha wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇶🇦 Doha
🇨🇷 Atenas
🕒 Local time
08:25 8:25 AM
23:25 11:25 PM
9 h behind Doha
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,312,947 Capital
7,000
💱 Currency
Qatari Riyal QAR ر.ق
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to QAR – Qatari Riyal Converter

Qatari Riyal exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3.64 QAR (1 QAR = 0.275 USD). 1 EUR = 4.05 QAR (1 QAR = 0.247 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 503 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Doha Atenas 13,840 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Doha
  • Atenas

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Doha vs Atenas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Atenas cheaper than Doha?
Yes – Doha is pricier by about 39%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,224 per month in Doha and $2,322 in Atenas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Atenas, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $666 there versus $2,014 in Doha.
Is eating out cheaper in Doha or in Atenas?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $69 in Doha and $56 in Atenas. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Doha and in Atenas?
Interestingly, groceries are about 40% cheaper in Doha – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.
Is $1,500 enough to cover costs in Doha or in Atenas?
$1,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,149 in Doha and $1,548 in Atenas. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is it better to live in Doha or in Atenas?
It depends on your priorities. Doha has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,548 in Atenas to $2,149 in Doha. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Doha or Atenas?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Atenas. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Doha makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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