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

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

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

Living in Doha is roughly 46% more expensive than in Dakar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.74 QAR 39.11

$5.22 F CFA 2,943

105.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.3 QAR 267

$55.8 F CFA 31.5K

31.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.41 QAR 30.62

$11.44 F CFA 6,446

-26.49%

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

$5.88 QAR 21.41

$3.56 F CFA 2,006

65.17%

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

$0.92 QAR 3.35

$1.25 F CFA 707

-26.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 QAR 1.62

$0.89 F CFA 501

-50.56%

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)

$2.17 QAR 7.89

$2.85 F CFA 1,604

-23.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 QAR 5.23

$0.77 F CFA 434

87.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 QAR 7.03

$1.77 F CFA 996

9.04%

Eggs

$3.58 QAR 13.04

$2.54 F CFA 1,431

40.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.43 QAR 41.61

$17.81 F CFA 10.0K

-35.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.93 QAR 28.85

$9.26 F CFA 5,220

-14.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.18 QAR 40.69

$11.35 F CFA 6,395

-1.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 QAR 7.84

$3.35 F CFA 1,886

-35.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 QAR 6.54

$2.01 F CFA 1,136

-10.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 QAR 5.67

$2.97 F CFA 1,674

-47.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 QAR 4.41

$1.87 F CFA 1,054

-35.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 QAR 3.62

$1.39 F CFA 784

-28.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 QAR 3.76

$0.99 F CFA 556

4.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 QAR 5.18

$1.14 F CFA 642

24.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 QAR 1.97

$0.67 F CFA 378

-19.40%

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)

$6.51 QAR 23.70

$2.17 F CFA 1,225

200.00%

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)

$0.57 QAR 2.08

$0.38 F CFA 215

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.90 QAR 97.9

$81.3 F CFA 45.8K

-66.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 QAR 7.07

$2.25 F CFA 1,270

-13.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 QAR 7.26

$2.25 F CFA 1,267

-11.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.82 QAR 50.3

$17.99 F CFA 10.1K

-23.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 QAR 1.96

$1.68 F CFA 946

-67.86%

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

$27.3K QAR 99.3K

$52.4K F CFA 29.5M

-47.93%

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

$22.2K QAR 80.9K

$49.8K F CFA 28.1M

-55.43%

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

$89.0 QAR 324

$213 F CFA 119.9K

-58.16%

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

$35.75 QAR 130

$11.99 F CFA 6,756

198.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.7 QAR 316

$47.19 F CFA 26.6K

83.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$129 QAR 470

$46.17 F CFA 26.0K

179.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.63 QAR 67.8

$24.08 F CFA 13.6K

-22.63%

Cinema Ticket

$12.52 QAR 45.57

$8.72 F CFA 4,916

43.58%

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

$691 QAR 2,515

$330 F CFA 186.1K

109.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,960 QAR 36.3K

$10.8K F CFA 6.1M

-7.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 QAR 224

$59.7 F CFA 33.6K

2.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.2 QAR 190

$47.50 F CFA 26.8K

9.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 QAR 385

$89.6 F CFA 50.5K

17.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.3 QAR 322

$100 F CFA 56.4K

-11.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,976 QAR 7,194

$841 F CFA 474.1K

134.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 QAR 4,339

$445 F CFA 250.8K

167.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,503 QAR 12.8K

$1,781 F CFA 1.0M

96.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,325 QAR 8,461

$957 F CFA 539.4K

142.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,104 QAR 14.9K

$4,987 F CFA 2.8M

-17.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,415 QAR 8,790

$1,582 F CFA 891.6K

52.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,183 QAR 11.6K

$352 F CFA 198.4K

804.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

8.75

-32.80%

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

Last update for Doha: August 31, 2026

Last update for Dakar: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,976 in Doha and $841 in Dakar. 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: $73.0 in Doha vs $56.0 in Dakar. Groceries flip the comparison at $217 vs $307, 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 46% in total monthly costs ($2,146 vs $1,470 including rent). Dakar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 804% 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: $1,976 in Doha versus $841 in Dakar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,146 per month in Doha versus $1,470 in Dakar – 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, 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 46% less than in Doha. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.