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 $2,143 per month in Doha vs $784 in Umm Salal 'ali, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,349 per month in Doha vs $1,346 in Umm Salal 'ali, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,555 per month in Doha vs $1,908 in Umm Salal 'ali, rent included.

Doha costs about 173% more than Umm Salal 'ali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Doha sits 57% above the global median, while Umm Salal 'ali is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.79 QAR 39.29

$10.97 QAR 39.93

-1.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 QAR 259

$73.8 QAR 268

-3.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 QAR 30.55

$8.44 QAR 30.71

-0.59%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.36 QAR 44.99

$12.01 QAR 43.71

2.91%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.32 QAR 48.49

$13.73 QAR 49.98

-2.99%

Cappuccino

$5.88 QAR 21.41

$5.80 QAR 21.11

1.38%

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

$0.93 QAR 3.40

$0.93 QAR 3.38

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 QAR 1.60

$0.42 QAR 1.51

4.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 QAR 7.54

$2.17 QAR 7.92

-4.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 QAR 5.13

$1.47 QAR 5.34

-4.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 QAR 7.20

$1.98 QAR 7.19

Eggs

$3.46 QAR 12.60

$3.45 QAR 12.55

0.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 QAR 40.63

$11.25 QAR 40.97

-0.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 QAR 29.96

$8.17 QAR 29.72

0.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.04 QAR 40.20

$11.13 QAR 40.52

-0.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 QAR 7.81

$2.16 QAR 7.85

-0.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 QAR 6.71

$1.79 QAR 6.53

2.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 QAR 5.56

$1.55 QAR 5.66

-1.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 QAR 4.48

$1.22 QAR 4.44

0.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 QAR 3.39

$0.95 QAR 3.44

-2.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 QAR 3.71

$0.99 QAR 3.59

3.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 QAR 5.18

$1.39 QAR 5.05

2.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 QAR 1.89

$0.55 QAR 2.02

-5.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.61 QAR 34.97

$9.83 QAR 35.77

-2.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 QAR 6.72

$1.93 QAR 7.02

-4.15%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 QAR 8.46

$2.28 QAR 8.31

2.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.32 QAR 22.99

$6.49 QAR 23.64

-2.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 QAR 2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.68 QAR 101

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 QAR 7.16

$1.98 QAR 7.21

-0.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 QAR 7.42

$2.12 QAR 7.72

-3.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.92 QAR 50.7

$14.00 QAR 51.0

-0.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 QAR 2.14

$0.55 QAR 2.00

7.27%

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

$27.6K QAR 100.4K

$27.1K QAR 98.7K

1.72%

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

$21.9K QAR 79.9K

$22.0K QAR 80.2K

-0.42%

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

$87.1 QAR 317

$88.5 QAR 322

-1.65%

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

$35.75 QAR 130

$35.24 QAR 128

1.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.9 QAR 313

$85.1 QAR 310

0.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$130 QAR 473

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.06 QAR 65.7

Cinema Ticket

$12.31 QAR 44.81

$12.42 QAR 45.21

-0.89%

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

$696 QAR 2,532

$682 QAR 2,484

1.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,952 QAR 36.2K

$10.2K QAR 37.0K

-2.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 QAR 222

$59.9 QAR 218

1.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 QAR 185

$51.5 QAR 187

-0.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 QAR 384

$104 QAR 380

0.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.3 QAR 314

$86.5 QAR 315

-0.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 QAR 7,189

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 QAR 4,381

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,467 QAR 12.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,275 QAR 8,280

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,080 QAR 14.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,451 QAR 8,923

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,273 QAR 11.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

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

Last update for Doha: September 13, 2026

Last update for Umm Salal 'ali: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Doha versus $74.0 in Umm Salal 'ali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $215 vs $217 – making Doha 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 173%, 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 $3,214 per month in Doha and $1,176 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 $2,143 in Doha and $784 in Umm Salal 'ali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $696 per month in Doha and $682 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 $784, than in Doha at $2,143. 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.