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 $2,004 per month in Doha vs $751 in Umm Salal 'ali, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,065 per month in Doha vs $1,216 in Umm Salal 'ali, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,126 per month in Doha vs $1,682 in Umm Salal 'ali, rent included.

Doha costs about 167% more than Umm Salal 'ali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Doha sits 51% above the global median, while Umm Salal 'ali is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.71 QAR 24.44

$6.74 QAR 24.52

-0.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.8 QAR 203

$54.0 QAR 197

3.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.88 QAR 25.05

$6.78 QAR 24.67

1.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.83 QAR 43.06

$11.63 QAR 42.34

1.72%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.78 QAR 39.25

$10.90 QAR 39.68

-1.10%

Cappuccino

$4.93 QAR 17.94

$5.04 QAR 18.33

-2.18%

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

$0.81 QAR 2.94

$0.79 QAR 2.87

2.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 QAR 1.12

$0.31 QAR 1.13

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 QAR 7.79

$2.08 QAR 7.56

2.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 QAR 5.73

$1.63 QAR 5.92

-3.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 QAR 7.68

$2.21 QAR 8.06

-4.52%

Eggs

$2.63 QAR 9.56

$2.57 QAR 9.37

2.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.46 QAR 41.71

$11.59 QAR 42.17

-1.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.75 QAR 28.22

$7.85 QAR 28.57

-1.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.40 QAR 37.87

$10.50 QAR 38.23

-0.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 QAR 7.44

$2.00 QAR 7.28

2.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 QAR 5.94

$1.56 QAR 5.68

4.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 QAR 5.51

$1.50 QAR 5.45

0.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 QAR 5.21

$1.45 QAR 5.27

-1.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 QAR 3.45

$0.94 QAR 3.44

1.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 QAR 4.04

$1.08 QAR 3.94

2.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 QAR 4.83

$1.31 QAR 4.77

1.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 QAR 1.63

$0.45 QAR 1.64

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.19 QAR 37.11

$10.09 QAR 36.71

0.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 QAR 6.40

$1.84 QAR 6.70

-4.35%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 QAR 10.69

$3.04 QAR 11.08

-3.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.48 QAR 23.60

$6.30 QAR 22.92

2.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 QAR 2.09

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.53 QAR 122

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 QAR 8.24

$2.24 QAR 8.16

0.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 QAR 7.89

$2.16 QAR 7.85

0.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.98 QAR 50.9

$13.67 QAR 49.75

2.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 QAR 2.15

$0.55 QAR 2.01

7.27%

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

$22.9K QAR 83.4K

$22.6K QAR 82.2K

1.46%

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

$20.8K QAR 75.8K

$20.4K QAR 74.3K

2.01%

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

$93.8 QAR 342

$93.7 QAR 341

0.17%

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

$37.05 QAR 135

$37.59 QAR 137

-1.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.0 QAR 317

$87.4 QAR 318

-0.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$121 QAR 439

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.23 QAR 117

Cinema Ticket

$12.31 QAR 44.80

$12.53 QAR 45.63

-1.76%

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

$803 QAR 2,925

$796 QAR 2,896

1.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K QAR 42.8K

$11.9K QAR 43.2K

-1.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 QAR 222

$61.0 QAR 222

-0.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 QAR 204

$54.5 QAR 198

3.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 QAR 369

$99.6 QAR 363

1.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 QAR 325

$88.9 QAR 324

0.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,601 QAR 5,828

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,070 QAR 3,895

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,960 QAR 10.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 QAR 7,675

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,161 QAR 15.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,407 QAR 8,763

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,184 QAR 11.6K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Umm Salal 'ali: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56.0 in Doha versus $54.0 in Umm Salal 'ali. Groceries tell a different story – $209 in Doha vs $210 in Umm Salal 'ali – so Doha wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 167%, 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 $3,006 per month in Doha and $1,127 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 $2,004 in Doha and $751 in Umm Salal 'ali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Doha and $796 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 $751, than in Doha at $2,004. 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.