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 $2,013 per month in Doha vs $747 in Umm Salal 'ali, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,105 per month in Doha vs $1,231 in Umm Salal 'ali, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,198 per month in Doha vs $1,715 in Umm Salal 'ali, rent included.

Doha costs about 170% 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

$6.90 QAR 25.11

$6.81 QAR 24.80

1.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.5 QAR 202

$55.1 QAR 201

0.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.70 QAR 24.37

$6.79 QAR 24.70

-1.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.76 QAR 42.81

$11.84 QAR 43.10

-0.68%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.83 QAR 39.42

$10.93 QAR 39.77

-0.91%

Cappuccino

$4.98 QAR 18.11

$4.98 QAR 18.12

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

$0.86 QAR 3.13

$0.79 QAR 2.89

8.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 QAR 1.12

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 QAR 7.72

$2.07 QAR 7.54

2.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 QAR 5.69

$1.62 QAR 5.89

-3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 QAR 7.98

$2.16 QAR 7.85

1.39%

Eggs

$2.62 QAR 9.54

$2.66 QAR 9.69

-1.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.35 QAR 41.31

$11.59 QAR 42.20

-2.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.81 QAR 28.45

$7.94 QAR 28.91

-1.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 QAR 37.95

$10.48 QAR 38.14

-0.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 QAR 7.55

$1.97 QAR 7.19

5.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 QAR 5.87

$1.57 QAR 5.70

2.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 QAR 5.66

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 QAR 5.05

$1.40 QAR 5.08

-0.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 QAR 3.52

$1.01 QAR 3.67

-3.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 QAR 3.91

$1.12 QAR 4.09

-3.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 QAR 5.05

$1.32 QAR 4.81

5.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 QAR 1.76

$0.49 QAR 1.77

-2.04%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.63 QAR 35.04

$9.50 QAR 34.57

1.37%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 QAR 6.40

$1.83 QAR 6.66

-3.83%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 QAR 10.58

$3.00 QAR 10.92

-3.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.27 QAR 22.81

$6.28 QAR 22.86

-0.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 QAR 2.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.87 QAR 120

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 QAR 7.87

$2.18 QAR 7.95

-0.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 QAR 8.10

$2.20 QAR 8.00

0.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.01 QAR 51.0

$13.63 QAR 49.60

2.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 QAR 2.12

$0.56 QAR 2.02

3.57%

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

$23.0K QAR 83.6K

$22.6K QAR 82.4K

1.36%

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

$20.8K QAR 75.7K

$20.5K QAR 74.7K

1.37%

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

$90.7 QAR 330

$92.3 QAR 336

-1.71%

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

$37.35 QAR 136

$38.42 QAR 140

-2.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.9 QAR 313

$87.0 QAR 317

-1.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$120 QAR 436

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.55 QAR 119

Cinema Ticket

$12.13 QAR 44.15

$12.41 QAR 45.17

-2.26%

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

$792 QAR 2,882

$787 QAR 2,866

0.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K QAR 43.3K

$11.8K QAR 42.8K

1.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 QAR 229

$62.1 QAR 226

1.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.6 QAR 206

$55.9 QAR 203

1.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 QAR 376

$101 QAR 368

2.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 QAR 333

$89.9 QAR 327

1.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,607 QAR 5,851

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,076 QAR 3,916

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,976 QAR 10.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 QAR 7,496

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,430 QAR 16.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,779 QAR 10.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,901 QAR 10.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Umm Salal 'ali: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Doha versus $55.0 in Umm Salal 'ali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $211 – 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 170%, 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 $3,019 per month in Doha and $1,120 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 $2,013 in Doha and $747 in Umm Salal 'ali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $792 per month in Doha and $787 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 $747, than in Doha at $2,013. 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.