Cost of Living Comparison Between Doha and Umm Salal Mohammed Cost of Living Comparison Between Doha and Umm Salal Mohammed

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,944 per month in Doha vs $231 in Umm Salal Mohammed, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,080 per month in Doha vs $390 in Umm Salal Mohammed, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,216 per month in Doha vs $549 in Umm Salal Mohammed, rent included.

Doha costs about 740% more than Umm Salal Mohammed, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Doha sits 46% above the global median, while Umm Salal Mohammed is 83% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.76 QAR 24.61

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 QAR 197

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 QAR 25.35

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.62 QAR 42.29

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.90 QAR 39.66

Cappuccino

$4.97 QAR 18.10

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

$0.86 QAR 3.13

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 QAR 1.20

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 QAR 7.44

$2.15 QAR 7.82

-5.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 QAR 5.95

$1.55 QAR 5.64

5.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 QAR 8.01

$2.73 QAR 9.95

-19.41%

Eggs

$2.67 QAR 9.70

$2.68 QAR 9.77

-0.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.57 QAR 42.12

$8.49 QAR 30.91

36.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 QAR 28.80

$5.01 QAR 18.22

57.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 QAR 39.04

$9.77 QAR 35.55

9.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 QAR 7.40

$1.97 QAR 7.16

3.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 QAR 5.91

$1.52 QAR 5.54

6.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 QAR 5.56

$1.08 QAR 3.92

41.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 QAR 5.06

$2.38 QAR 8.65

-41.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 QAR 3.77

$0.80 QAR 2.90

28.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 QAR 4.07

$1.63 QAR 5.94

-31.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 QAR 4.86

$1.90 QAR 6.91

-29.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 QAR 1.75

$0.42 QAR 1.55

14.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.16 QAR 37.00

$12.32 QAR 44.84

-17.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 QAR 6.74

$1.47 QAR 5.37

25.85%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 QAR 10.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.35 QAR 23.12

$5.75 QAR 20.92

10.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 QAR 2.08

$1.13 QAR 4.10

-49.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.81 QAR 119

$32.61 QAR 119

0.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 QAR 8.15

$2.23 QAR 8.11

0.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 QAR 7.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 QAR 49.81

$5.83 QAR 21.23

134.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 QAR 2.15

$0.60 QAR 2.20

-1.67%

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

$22.2K QAR 80.9K

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

$20.4K QAR 74.3K

$20.2K QAR 73.6K

0.98%

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

$93.4 QAR 340

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

$37.55 QAR 137

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.7 QAR 323

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$120 QAR 435

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.64 QAR 115

Cinema Ticket

$12.46 QAR 45.34

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

$802 QAR 2,918

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K QAR 42.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 QAR 223

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 QAR 200

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 QAR 365

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.2 QAR 328

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,638 QAR 5,963

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 QAR 3,872

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,901 QAR 10.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 QAR 7,636

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,212 QAR 15.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,509 QAR 9,134

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,128 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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Umm Salal Mohammed: July 13, 2026

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 Mohammed: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Doha is pricier by about 740%, 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 $2,916 per month in Doha and $347 in Umm Salal Mohammed. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Doha, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Umm Salal Mohammed. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Umm Salal Mohammed, where all-in costs run around $231, than in Doha at $1,944. In Umm Salal Mohammed it covers expenses comfortably, while in Doha it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Umm Salal Mohammed – 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 Mohammed. 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.