For one person, living is cheaper in Spain: $1,775 a month against $1,909 in Qatar, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Qatar and in Spain actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,909 in Qatar versus $1,775 in Spain.
Qatar $1,909
Spain $1,775
Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,082 in Qatar versus $2,606 in Spain.
Qatar $3,082
Spain $2,606
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,256 in Qatar versus $3,438 in Spain.
Qatar $4,256
Spain $3,438
📏
Internal cost variation is higher in Qatar: monthly costs span $232 to $2,633, compared to $931–$2,610 in Spain. City choice carries more weight in Qatar.
🌍
Living in Qatar is roughly 8% more expensive than in Spain on average.
📊
Both countries sit above the global median: Qatar 40% above, Spain 30% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Qatar
Spain
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.27QAR 30.10
$16.69€14.91
-50.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.4QAR 245
$55.7€49.74
21.06%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.41QAR 30.63
$11.37€10.15
-26.03%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$13.24QAR 48.20
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$13.46QAR 48.98
-
-
Cappuccino
$5.47QAR 19.93
$2.42€2.16
126.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91QAR 3.30
$2.68€2.39
-66.04%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34QAR 1.26
$1.79€1.60
-81.01%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.42€3.06
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.88€3.46
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Qatar
Spain
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.16QAR 7.85
$1.20€1.07
80.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.50QAR 5.47
$1.48€1.33
1.35%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.05QAR 7.46
$1.67€1.49
22.75%
Eggs
$3.05QAR 11.08
$3.42€3.06
-10.82%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.50QAR 34.57
$14.17€12.66
-32.96%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.61QAR 27.70
$8.33€7.44
-8.64%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.03QAR 36.50
$16.20€14.47
-38.09%
Apples(1kg)
$2.12QAR 7.70
$2.45€2.19
-13.47%
Banana(1kg)
$1.76QAR 6.41
$2.03€1.81
-13.30%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.63QAR 5.94
$2.08€1.86
-21.63%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.26QAR 4.57
$2.58€2.30
-51.16%
Potato(1kg)
$0.93QAR 3.37
$1.83€1.63
-49.18%
Onion(1kg)
$0.94QAR 3.41
$2.00€1.79
-53.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.20QAR 4.36
$1.31€1.17
-8.40%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58QAR 2.12
$0.77€0.69
-24.68%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$10.39QAR 37.82
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.04QAR 7.44
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03QAR 11.03
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.47QAR 23.56
$6.36€5.68
1.73%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$5.64€5.04
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.30€1.16
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.09€1.86
-
🚌 Getting Around
Qatar
Spain
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.53QAR 1.93
$1.64€1.47
-67.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$32.56QAR 119
$32.91€29.39
-1.06%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.17QAR 7.90
$4.43€3.95
-51.02%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.90QAR 6.92
$1.47€1.31
29.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.44QAR 30.72
$24.98€22.31
-66.21%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.54QAR 1.98
$1.77€1.58
-69.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.4KQAR 88.7K
$35.5K€31.7K
-31.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.5KQAR 78.3K
$30.6K€27.3K
-29.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Qatar
Spain
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$90.0QAR 328
$149€133
-39.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$44.05QAR 160
$17.67€15.78
149.29%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$85.5QAR 311
$31.88€28.47
168.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Qatar
Spain
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$167QAR 607
$44.24€39.50
277.24%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.20QAR 73.5
$15.29€13.66
32.11%
Cinema Ticket
$12.13QAR 44.15
$9.66€8.63
25.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Qatar
Spain
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$733QAR 2,669
$544€486
34.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,778QAR 35.6K
$10.6K€9,471
-7.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Qatar
Spain
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.8QAR 203
$84.9€75.8
-34.26%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.2QAR 186
$37.11€33.14
37.91%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$95.3QAR 347
$89.2€79.6
6.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.0QAR 302
$106€94.4
-21.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Qatar
Spain
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,580QAR 5,753
$1,056€943
49.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$957QAR 3,485
$808€721
18.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$3,018QAR 11.0K
$1,621€1,447
86.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,047QAR 7,450
$1,246€1,113
64.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,338QAR 15.8K
$4,135€3,693
4.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,959QAR 10.8K
$2,633€2,351
12.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Qatar
Spain
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,017QAR 14.6K
$1,999€1,785
100.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.22
3.3
58.18%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Qatar: October 24, 2026
Last update for Spain: October 24, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Qatar
$957 50.2%
Spain
$808 45.5% ↓ 15.6%$150
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Qatar
$220 11.5%
Spain
$199 11.2% ↓ 9.4%$21
🛒Groceries & Markets
Qatar
$204 10.7%
Spain
$272 15.3% ↑ 33.2%$68
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Qatar
$191 10%
Spain
$64 3.6% ↓ 66.7%$128
🍽Eating Out
Qatar
$162 8.5%
Spain
$239 13.5% ↑ 47.7%$77
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Qatar
$128 6.7%
Spain
$143 8% ↑ 11.1%$14
🚌Getting Around
Qatar
$46 2.4%
Spain
$51 2.9% ↑ 10.6%$4.9
🏠Accommodation & Living
Qatar
$2K 48.1%
Spain
$1.2K 36.3% ↓ 39.1%$800
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Qatar
$264 6.2%
Spain
$217 6.3% ↓ 17.9%$47
🛒Groceries & Markets
Qatar
$497 11.7%
Spain
$646 18.8% ↑ 30%$149
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Qatar
$403 9.5%
Spain
$142 4.1% ↓ 64.6%$260
🍽Eating Out
Qatar
$667 15.7%
Spain
$763 22.2% ↑ 14.5%$96
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Qatar
$285 6.7%
Spain
$317 9.2% ↑ 11.1%$32
🚌Getting Around
Qatar
$94 2.2%
Spain
$106 3.1% ↑ 12.8%$12
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $1,393 in Qatar, $920 in Spain. Capital cities: $2,014 in Doha vs $1,508 in Madrid.
💰National salary averages: $4,162 in Qatar, $1,972 in Spain. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 51% higher in Qatar.
⭐Salaries are about 2.1 times higher in Qatar, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Qatar.
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
Qatar vs Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the cost of living in Qatar compare to the cost in Spain?
At $1,909 per month in Qatar and $1,775 in Spain, Spain comes out about 7% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Is rent more expensive in Qatar or in Spain?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,393 in Qatar and $920 in Spain. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Which country is better for expats: Qatar or Spain?
It depends on what you’re after: Spain wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.