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: $2,003 in Doha versus $1,327 in Dakar.

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

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

Living in Doha is roughly 51% more expensive than Dakar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.77 QAR 24.64

$5.42 F CFA 3,058

24.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 QAR 196

$53.3 F CFA 30.1K

1.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 QAR 24.69

$10.21 F CFA 5,755

-33.59%

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

$4.98 QAR 18.14

$4.43 F CFA 2,498

12.42%

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

$0.84 QAR 3.07

$0.86 F CFA 484

-2.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 QAR 1.13

$1.09 F CFA 615

-71.56%

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)

$2.04 QAR 7.44

$2.52 F CFA 1,423

-19.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 QAR 5.92

$0.64 F CFA 360

154.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 QAR 7.82

$1.61 F CFA 906

33.54%

Eggs

$2.62 QAR 9.55

$2.88 F CFA 1,625

-9.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.34 QAR 41.26

$12.78 F CFA 7,209

-11.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.55 QAR 27.48

$9.50 F CFA 5,357

-20.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 QAR 37.97

$10.76 F CFA 6,069

-3.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 QAR 7.21

$2.72 F CFA 1,536

-27.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 QAR 5.73

$1.99 F CFA 1,121

-21.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 QAR 5.77

$2.61 F CFA 1,473

-39.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 QAR 5.26

$2.08 F CFA 1,174

-30.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 QAR 3.57

$1.50 F CFA 844

-34.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 QAR 3.88

$1.34 F CFA 758

-20.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 QAR 5.03

$1.06 F CFA 600

30.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 QAR 1.66

$0.82 F CFA 460

-43.90%

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)

$6.47 QAR 23.53

$1.61 F CFA 908

301.86%

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)

$0.53 QAR 1.91

$0.36 F CFA 204

47.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.91 QAR 120

$80.5 F CFA 45.4K

-59.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 QAR 8.11

$2.68 F CFA 1,514

-16.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 QAR 8.07

$2.83 F CFA 1,598

-21.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.60 QAR 49.50

$17.99 F CFA 10.1K

-24.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 QAR 2.16

$1.71 F CFA 963

-65.50%

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

$22.2K QAR 80.7K

$36.1K F CFA 20.4M

-38.54%

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

$20.3K QAR 73.9K

$49.2K F CFA 27.8M

-58.77%

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

$93.5 QAR 340

$138 F CFA 78.0K

-32.44%

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

$37.48 QAR 136

$9.92 F CFA 5,597

277.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 QAR 313

$50.4 F CFA 28.4K

70.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$120 QAR 436

$56.4 F CFA 31.8K

112.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.38 QAR 118

$21.41 F CFA 12.1K

51.24%

Cinema Ticket

$12.20 QAR 44.41

$9.02 F CFA 5,086

35.25%

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

$794 QAR 2,891

$272 F CFA 153.4K

191.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K QAR 42.7K

$7,169 F CFA 4.0M

63.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 QAR 227

$68.6 F CFA 38.7K

-9.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 QAR 199

$43.93 F CFA 24.8K

24.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.4 QAR 362

$103 F CFA 58.2K

-3.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.2 QAR 328

$131 F CFA 74.1K

-31.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,609 QAR 5,857

$914 F CFA 515.2K

76.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 QAR 3,983

$369 F CFA 208.2K

196.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,926 QAR 10.7K

$1,863 F CFA 1.1M

57.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,079 QAR 7,567

$938 F CFA 528.9K

121.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,471 QAR 16.3K

$4,996 F CFA 2.8M

-10.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,709 QAR 9,860

$1,491 F CFA 841.1K

81.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,111 QAR 11.3K

$431 F CFA 243.2K

621.24%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dakar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,609 in Doha and $914 in Dakar. 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: $54.0 in Doha vs $53.0 in Dakar. Groceries flip the comparison at $208 vs $276, 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 51% in total monthly costs ($2,003 vs $1,327 including rent). Dakar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Doha pays 621% more on average, 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: $1,609 in Doha versus $914 in Dakar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,003 per month in Doha versus $1,327 in Dakar – 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, 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 51% less than in Doha. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.