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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,944 in Doha versus $1,318 in Dakar.

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

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

Living in Doha is roughly 48% more expensive than in Dakar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.76 QAR 24.61

$5.43 F CFA 3,114

24.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 QAR 197

$52.2 F CFA 29.9K

3.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 QAR 25.35

$10.20 F CFA 5,849

-31.76%

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

$4.97 QAR 18.10

$4.37 F CFA 2,509

13.73%

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

$0.86 QAR 3.13

$0.89 F CFA 511

-3.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 QAR 1.20

$1.08 F CFA 620

-69.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 F CFA 1,551

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 F CFA 2,584

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 QAR 7.44

$2.57 F CFA 1,474

-20.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 QAR 5.95

$0.67 F CFA 385

144.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 QAR 8.01

$1.62 F CFA 927

35.80%

Eggs

$2.67 QAR 9.70

$2.76 F CFA 1,582

-3.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.57 QAR 42.12

$12.68 F CFA 7,271

-8.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 QAR 28.80

$9.44 F CFA 5,416

-16.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 QAR 39.04

$10.61 F CFA 6,088

1.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 QAR 7.40

$2.80 F CFA 1,603

-27.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 QAR 5.91

$1.98 F CFA 1,137

-18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 QAR 5.56

$2.58 F CFA 1,481

-40.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 QAR 5.06

$2.14 F CFA 1,227

-35.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 QAR 3.77

$1.54 F CFA 882

-33.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 QAR 4.07

$1.34 F CFA 771

-16.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 QAR 4.86

$1.07 F CFA 614

25.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 QAR 1.75

$0.82 F CFA 468

-41.46%

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)

$6.35 QAR 23.12

$1.55 F CFA 892

309.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.02 F CFA 9,762

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 F CFA 648

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 F CFA 1,282

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 QAR 2.08

$0.36 F CFA 208

58.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.81 QAR 119

$79.0 F CFA 45.3K

-58.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 QAR 8.15

$2.58 F CFA 1,478

-13.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 QAR 7.77

$2.80 F CFA 1,607

-23.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 QAR 49.81

$17.55 F CFA 10.1K

-22.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 QAR 2.15

$1.78 F CFA 1,021

-66.85%

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

$22.2K QAR 80.9K

$36.9K F CFA 21.2M

-39.76%

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

$20.4K QAR 74.3K

$50.1K F CFA 28.7M

-59.22%

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

$93.4 QAR 340

$140 F CFA 80.1K

-33.11%

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

$37.55 QAR 137

$9.57 F CFA 5,488

292.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.7 QAR 323

$49.00 F CFA 28.1K

81.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$120 QAR 435

$55.5 F CFA 31.8K

115.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.64 QAR 115

$21.51 F CFA 12.3K

47.09%

Cinema Ticket

$12.46 QAR 45.34

$8.75 F CFA 5,019

42.40%

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

$802 QAR 2,918

$268 F CFA 153.5K

199.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K QAR 42.3K

$7,349 F CFA 4.2M

58.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 QAR 223

$68.1 F CFA 39.1K

-10.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 QAR 200

$43.58 F CFA 25.0K

26.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 QAR 365

$105 F CFA 60.1K

-4.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.2 QAR 328

$128 F CFA 73.7K

-29.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,638 QAR 5,963

$931 F CFA 533.8K

75.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 QAR 3,872

$369 F CFA 211.5K

188.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,901 QAR 10.6K

$1,907 F CFA 1.1M

52.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 QAR 7,636

$933 F CFA 534.8K

124.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,212 QAR 15.3K

$5,047 F CFA 2.9M

-16.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,509 QAR 9,134

$1,444 F CFA 828.4K

73.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,128 QAR 11.4K

$420 F CFA 241.0K

644.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

8.25

-26.30%

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

Last update for Doha: July 13, 2026

Last update for Dakar: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,638 in Doha and $931 in Dakar. 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: $54.0 in Doha vs $52.0 in Dakar. Groceries flip the comparison at $212 vs $279, 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

Doha vs Dakar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Doha and Dakar differ by about 48% in total monthly costs ($1,944 vs $1,318 including rent). Dakar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 644% higher in Doha, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,638 in Doha versus $931 in Dakar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,944 per month in Doha versus $1,318 in Dakar – 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, Doha and Dakar 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.