🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,440 in Qatar versus $2,363 in United Kingdom.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,239 in Qatar versus $3,471 in United Kingdom.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,037 in Qatar versus $4,579 in United Kingdom.
🌍Living in Qatar costs about 39% less than in United Kingdom on average.
📊Both countries sit above the global median: Qatar 8% above, United Kingdom 77% above.
📏Qatar ($231–$3,027) and United Kingdom ($1,670–$3,916) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Qatar
United Kingdom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.77QAR 24.63
$20.23£15.04
-66.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.4QAR 202
$88.3£65.6
-37.29%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.71QAR 24.43
$10.35£7.69
-35.17%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$12.38QAR 45.08
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$11.73QAR 42.71
-
-
Cappuccino
$5.06QAR 18.40
$4.77£3.55
6.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83QAR 3.02
$2.44£1.82
-65.98%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33QAR 1.19
$1.73£1.29
-80.92%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$6.85£5.09
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$6.52£4.84
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Qatar
United Kingdom
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.04QAR 7.44
$1.66£1.23
22.89%
White Bread(500g)
$1.59QAR 5.79
$1.71£1.27
-7.02%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.21QAR 8.04
$2.21£1.64
-
Eggs
$2.74QAR 9.97
$4.09£3.04
-33.01%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.53QAR 38.34
$9.52£7.08
10.61%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.40QAR 26.93
$9.02£6.71
-17.96%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.16QAR 36.98
$14.18£10.54
-28.35%
Apples(1kg)
$2.02QAR 7.34
$2.96£2.20
-31.76%
Banana(1kg)
$1.63QAR 5.95
$1.68£1.25
-2.98%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.56QAR 5.66
$2.84£2.11
-45.07%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.32QAR 4.82
$3.41£2.53
-61.29%
Potato(1kg)
$0.96QAR 3.48
$1.69£1.26
-43.20%
Onion(1kg)
$1.06QAR 3.87
$1.58£1.17
-32.91%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.39QAR 5.04
$1.12£0.84
24.11%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.47QAR 1.70
$1.53£1.14
-69.28%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$11.02QAR 40.10
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.87QAR 6.81
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.56QAR 12.96
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.29QAR 22.90
$20.16£14.99
-68.80%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$10.47£7.78
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.87£2.14
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.30£2.45
-
🚌 Getting Around
Qatar
United Kingdom
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.57QAR 2.06
$3.33£2.48
-82.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$33.34QAR 121
$96.3£71.6
-65.38%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.24QAR 8.17
$5.53£4.11
-59.49%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.24QAR 8.15
$1.60£1.19
40.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.73QAR 49.97
$27.51£20.45
-50.09%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.59QAR 2.14
$1.90£1.41
-68.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.5KQAR 85.7K
$38.1K£28.3K
-38.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.2KQAR 73.7K
$41.0K£30.5K
-50.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Qatar
United Kingdom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$95.5QAR 348
$326£242
-70.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$39.78QAR 145
$17.18£12.77
131.55%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$86.7QAR 316
$42.96£31.94
101.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Qatar
United Kingdom
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$115QAR 417
$45.94£34.15
149.61%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$31.31QAR 114
$15.87£11.80
97.29%
Cinema Ticket
$12.13QAR 44.14
$13.80£10.26
-12.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Qatar
United Kingdom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$815QAR 2,968
$1,723£1,281
-52.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5KQAR 41.8K
$20.9K£15.5K
-44.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Qatar
United Kingdom
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.3QAR 223
$90.3£67.1
-32.06%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.0QAR 193
$44.39£33.00
19.28%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.1QAR 361
$103£76.7
-3.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.8QAR 316
$103£76.3
-15.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Qatar
United Kingdom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,555QAR 5,659
$1,419£1,055
9.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,038QAR 3,780
$1,143£850
-9.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,812QAR 10.2K
$2,298£1,708
22.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,131QAR 7,756
$1,873£1,392
13.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,428QAR 16.1K
$5,728£4,258
-22.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,044QAR 11.1K
$4,339£3,226
-29.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Qatar
United Kingdom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,049QAR 14.7K
$3,264£2,427
24.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.51
5.75
-4.17%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Qatar: July 12, 2026
Last update for United Kingdom: July 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $1,011 in Qatar, $1,266 in United Kingdom. Capital cities: $1,638 in Doha vs $2,937 in London.
💰National salary averages: $4,120 in Qatar, $3,192 in United Kingdom. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 25% higher in United Kingdom.
⭐Dining out costs 83% more in United Kingdom.
⭐Public transport is 475% more expensive in United Kingdom.
⭐Salaries are 29% higher in Qatar, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Qatar.
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 United Kingdom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the cost of living in Qatar compare to the cost in United Kingdom?
At $1,629 per month in Qatar and $2,793 in United Kingdom, there's a 71% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
How do daily expenses compare in Qatar vs United Kingdom?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Qatar: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Is rent more expensive in Qatar or in United Kingdom?
Rent in United Kingdom is consistently higher than in Qatar across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Can you live in both Qatar and United Kingdom on $2,000 per month?
In Qatar, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in United Kingdom it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Which country is better for expats: Qatar or United Kingdom?
It depends on what you're after: Qatar wins on affordability; United Kingdom may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.