Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Doha and Umm Salal 'ali

For one person, living is cheaper in Umm Salal ’ali: $790 a month against $2,260 in Doha, rent and utilities included – about $17,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Doha, Qatar
Umm Salal 'ali, Qatar
Doha
🇶🇦 Qatar
$2,260
/mo nomad
Umm Salal 'ali
🇶🇦 Qatar
$790
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Doha and in Umm Salal 'ali

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Doha and in Umm Salal 'ali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,260 per month in Doha vs $790 in Umm Salal ’ali, rent included.

  • Doha $2,260
  • Umm Salal 'ali $790

A couple spends around $3,532 per month in Doha vs $1,348 in Umm Salal ’ali, rent included.

  • Doha $3,532
  • Umm Salal 'ali $1,348

A family of three spends $4,805 per month in Doha vs $1,906 in Umm Salal ’ali, rent included.

  • Doha $4,805
  • Umm Salal 'ali $1,906

Doha costs about 186% more than Umm Salal ’ali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Doha sits 67% above the global median, while Umm Salal ’ali is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Doha
Umm Salal 'ali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.02 QAR 40.11
$11.15 QAR 40.59
-1.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$72.3 QAR 263
$73.2 QAR 266
-1.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.26 QAR 30.06
$8.37 QAR 30.48
-1.31%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$12.33 QAR 44.89
$12.34 QAR 44.91
-0.08%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$13.57 QAR 49.38
$13.65 QAR 49.69
-0.59%
Cappuccino
$6.05 QAR 22.01
$5.94 QAR 21.62
1.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02 QAR 3.73
$1.01 QAR 3.67
0.99%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 QAR 1.70
$0.46 QAR 1.69
2.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Doha
Umm Salal 'ali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.08 QAR 7.56
$2.08 QAR 7.59
-
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 QAR 5.03
$1.43 QAR 5.21
-3.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.82 QAR 6.63
$1.85 QAR 6.72
-1.62%
Eggs
$3.33 QAR 12.10
$3.42 QAR 12.45
-2.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.06 QAR 40.25
$11.17 QAR 40.66
-0.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.28 QAR 30.13
$8.44 QAR 30.71
-1.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.76 QAR 42.81
$11.57 QAR 42.11
1.64%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 QAR 8.36
$2.25 QAR 8.20
2.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.85 QAR 6.74
$1.83 QAR 6.66
1.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.64 QAR 5.98
$1.61 QAR 5.88
1.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.25 QAR 4.57
$1.25 QAR 4.56
-
Potato (1kg)
$0.99 QAR 3.59
$1.00 QAR 3.63
-1.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.01 QAR 3.67
$1.01 QAR 3.68
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.38 QAR 5.04
$1.39 QAR 5.07
-0.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 QAR 1.97
$0.51 QAR 1.85
5.88%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$9.74 QAR 35.47
$9.55 QAR 34.77
1.99%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.00 QAR 7.28
$1.89 QAR 6.89
5.82%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30 QAR 8.39
$2.29 QAR 8.35
0.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.69 QAR 24.35
$6.74 QAR 24.52
-0.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Doha
Umm Salal 'ali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.57 QAR 2.08
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$32.35 QAR 118
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.96 QAR 7.14
$1.96 QAR 7.13
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.90 QAR 6.91
$1.97 QAR 7.18
-3.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.42 QAR 48.84
$13.87 QAR 50.5
-3.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.58 QAR 2.10
$0.58 QAR 2.12
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.3K QAR 88.3K
$24.1K QAR 87.8K
0.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.2K QAR 77.1K
$21.6K QAR 78.7K
-2.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Doha
Umm Salal 'ali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$90.1 QAR 328
$91.0 QAR 331
-0.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.20 QAR 128
$34.21 QAR 125
2.89%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$87.3 QAR 318
$86.8 QAR 316
0.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Doha
Umm Salal 'ali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$196 QAR 715
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.39 QAR 70.6
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.21 QAR 44.46
$12.16 QAR 44.28
0.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Doha
Umm Salal 'ali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$739 QAR 2,691
$737 QAR 2,683
0.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.5K QAR 60.0K
$16.8K QAR 61.1K
-1.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Doha
Umm Salal 'ali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.4 QAR 224
$61.6 QAR 224
-0.19%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.92 QAR 178
$48.39 QAR 176
1.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 QAR 367
$99.4 QAR 362
1.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.7 QAR 312
$83.9 QAR 305
2.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Doha
Umm Salal 'ali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,053 QAR 7,473
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,238 QAR 4,506
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,626 QAR 13.2K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,418 QAR 8,802
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,163 QAR 15.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,443 QAR 8,894
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Doha
Umm Salal 'ali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,430 QAR 12.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.92
5.92
-

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

Last update for Doha: November 1, 2026

Last update for Umm Salal 'ali: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Doha
$1.2K
Umm Salal 'ali
- * 100%
Sport & Entertainment
Doha
$221
Umm Salal 'ali
$24 * 89% $197
Groceries & Markets
Doha
$217
Umm Salal 'ali
$218 0.4% $0.8
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Doha
$213
Umm Salal 'ali
$212 0.3% $0.7
Eating Out
Doha
$191
Umm Salal 'ali
$191 0% $0
Clothing & Footwear
Doha
$134
Umm Salal 'ali
$132 1.2% $1.6
Getting Around
Doha
$46
Umm Salal 'ali
$12 * 74.3% $34

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $72 in Doha versus $73 in Umm Salal ’ali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $217 vs $218 – making Doha the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇶🇦 Doha
🇶🇦 Umm Salal 'ali
🕒 Local time
02:16 2:16 AM
02:16 2:16 AM
Same time as Doha
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,312,947 Capital
33,909
💱 Currency
Qatari Riyal QAR ر.ق
Qatari Riyal QAR ر.ق
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to QAR – Qatari Riyal Converter

Qatari Riyal exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3.64 QAR (1 QAR = 0.275 USD). 1 EUR = 4.09 QAR (1 QAR = 0.245 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Doha Umm Salal 'ali 24 km
From you
  • Doha
  • Umm Salal 'ali

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Umm Salal ’ali cheaper than Doha?
Yes – Doha is pricier by about 186%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,390 per month in Doha and $1,185 in Umm Salal ’ali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Doha and in Umm Salal ’ali?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,260 in Doha and $790 in Umm Salal ’ali. That makes Umm Salal ’ali about 65% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $739 per month in Doha and $737 in Umm Salal ’ali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget for living in Doha or in Umm Salal ’ali?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Umm Salal ’ali, where all-in costs run around $790, than in Doha at $2,260. In Umm Salal ’ali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Doha it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Doha or in Umm Salal ’ali?
It depends on your priorities. Doha has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $790 in Umm Salal ’ali to $2,260 in Doha. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Doha or Umm Salal ’ali?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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