Cost of Living Comparison Between Doha and Umm Salal 'ali Cost of Living Comparison Between Doha and Umm Salal 'ali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,002 per month in Doha vs $744 in Umm Salal 'ali, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,080 per month in Doha vs $1,215 in Umm Salal 'ali, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,159 per month in Doha vs $1,687 in Umm Salal 'ali, rent included.

Doha costs about 169% more than Umm Salal 'ali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Doha sits 50% above the global median, while Umm Salal 'ali is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 QAR 24.87

$6.78 QAR 24.68

0.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.0 QAR 204

$54.3 QAR 198

3.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.03 QAR 25.58

$6.90 QAR 25.13

1.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.60 QAR 42.23

$11.47 QAR 41.75

1.13%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.95 QAR 39.86

$11.18 QAR 40.68

-2.06%

Cappuccino

$5.11 QAR 18.59

$5.13 QAR 18.67

-0.39%

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

$0.80 QAR 2.92

$0.85 QAR 3.10

-5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 QAR 1.22

$0.34 QAR 1.22

-2.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 QAR 7.65

$2.04 QAR 7.41

2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 QAR 5.73

$1.57 QAR 5.72

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 QAR 8.00

$2.14 QAR 7.79

2.80%

Eggs

$2.59 QAR 9.43

$2.53 QAR 9.22

2.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.57 QAR 42.12

$11.38 QAR 41.44

1.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 QAR 28.81

$7.75 QAR 28.22

2.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.62 QAR 38.66

$10.62 QAR 38.67

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 QAR 7.15

$2.00 QAR 7.27

-2.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 QAR 5.90

$1.56 QAR 5.69

3.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 QAR 5.68

$1.57 QAR 5.71

-0.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 QAR 5.03

$1.45 QAR 5.29

-4.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 QAR 3.78

$1.01 QAR 3.66

2.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 QAR 3.91

$1.11 QAR 4.05

-3.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 QAR 4.96

$1.32 QAR 4.81

3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 QAR 1.75

$0.48 QAR 1.76

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.51 QAR 34.63

$9.44 QAR 34.37

0.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 QAR 6.54

$1.86 QAR 6.76

-3.23%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 QAR 10.67

$2.90 QAR 10.55

1.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.19 QAR 22.53

$6.27 QAR 22.81

-1.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 QAR 1.90

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.54 QAR 118

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 QAR 7.83

$2.18 QAR 7.94

-1.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 QAR 7.77

$2.17 QAR 7.88

-1.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.64 QAR 49.64

$13.51 QAR 49.19

0.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 QAR 1.98

$0.55 QAR 1.99

-1.82%

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

$22.6K QAR 82.3K

$22.5K QAR 82.0K

0.33%

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

$20.2K QAR 73.4K

$20.6K QAR 74.8K

-1.99%

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

$93.2 QAR 339

$92.1 QAR 335

1.15%

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

$38.18 QAR 139

$38.49 QAR 140

-0.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.9 QAR 320

$88.9 QAR 324

-1.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$121 QAR 440

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.60 QAR 115

Cinema Ticket

$12.58 QAR 45.78

$12.36 QAR 44.99

1.78%

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

$801 QAR 2,917

$807 QAR 2,939

-0.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K QAR 42.8K

$11.7K QAR 42.6K

0.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 QAR 225

$61.4 QAR 223

0.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.4 QAR 205

$56.1 QAR 204

0.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 QAR 369

$100 QAR 364

1.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 QAR 332

$89.6 QAR 326

1.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,638 QAR 5,961

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 QAR 3,955

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,967 QAR 10.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 QAR 7,520

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,222 QAR 15.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,449 QAR 8,915

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,140 QAR 11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

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

Last update for Doha: June 16, 2026

Last update for Umm Salal 'ali: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56.0 in Doha versus $54.0 in Umm Salal 'ali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $209 – making Umm Salal 'ali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Umm Salal 'ali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Doha is pricier by about 169%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,002 per month in Doha and $1,115 in Umm Salal 'ali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,002 in Doha and $744 in Umm Salal 'ali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $801 per month in Doha and $807 in Umm Salal 'ali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Umm Salal 'ali, where all-in costs run around $744, than in Doha at $2,002. In Umm Salal 'ali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Doha it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Umm Salal 'ali – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Umm Salal 'ali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Doha makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.