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(updated 10-12-2008)
Qatar
is a cheap country to live in if you go to the right place (this
depends on your lifestyle and where you're coming from). The government doesn't charge a
lot of most things such as water, electricity and home phone lines.
Qatar has hardly any taxes. The only one that comes to mind is
import tax, but even that is quite cheap. Qatar nationals get free
water, electricity and phone lines which is great! Having mentioned
that, the only major expense would be with accommodation as of 2008.
Location does vary pricing, however living in the heart of the city
could be quite expensive.
I've
tried to make a general chart of pricing for people to get an idea
of things. Remember though, if you are thinking about coming to the
country to work and live, while some things may be cheaper other things may be more expensive.
If
you are coming with a family and have children, the two main things
to think about are education and accommodation since they can be
expensive (although there are now government
initiatives to control rises). If you've been offered a position,
most jobs will give you housing and/or school fees. My personal
advice is NOT to be shy to negotiate your salary!
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Note: $1 = QR3.65 (Rough Estimate) |
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FACT: Qatar has
the third strongest currency in the world! (First is Kuwait,
followed by Malta) |
Transport System
Buses:
Buses are usually used by Blue-collar workers. Of course
everyone is free to use them, however most people simply take taxis
or rent cars. Petrol is cheap remember!
Bus
Passes (Get them Al-Ghanem Bus Station with a Faresaver Photo Card)
| One Month |
QR 120 |
| One Week |
QR 30 |
| One Day |
QR 6 |
| One Trip |
QR 2 |
Taxis:
Taxi's can be found all over the country but hailing one isn't that convenient as there simply aren't enough to accommodate the growing population. Finding a taxi at a shopping mall or airport though is very simple. It's recommended calling
limo services. Limo's are basically taxi's which you 'call' to
pick you up. Limos cost QR10-20 more than normal taxis.
Personal Drivers:
If you want to travel to and from a place regularly (like work),
I suggest getting a personal driver. They can cost between QR400
and QR2000 a month. An agreement can be made to take you to and from a
location one or twice a day.
Sample Cost of Living Breakdown
(based on comfortable lifestyle for two;
thanks to Geechee)
| Cost p/m (QR) |
Item |
| 8,500 |
House Rent (Furnished) |
| 1,800 |
Groceries + Misc |
| 1,600 |
Car Hire / Loan + Petrol |
| 33 |
Land Line |
| 50 |
Mobile |
| 150 |
Water |
| 150 |
Electricity |
| 200 |
Internet |
| 75 |
Television |
| 120 |
VOIP |
| 200 |
Car Insurance |
| |
|
| 12,878 |
Total |
Renting
Accommodation/Vehicle
|
Type of Accommodation |
Price
per month (depends on location) |
|
Apartment |
QR5,500 -
QR15,000 |
|
Room / Share |
|
|
Home |
QR8,000 -
QR30,000 |
|
Villa |
QR8,000 -
QR25,000 |
|
Car (Small Saloon) |
QR1,300 -
QR3,000 |
Utilities
|
Facility |
Price
(averages) |
| Internet |
QR200 -
QR800 |
| Telephone |
Free -
QR33 |
| Mobile
(3G) |
Qtel: QR50 - VF: QR25 (connection only) |
|
Electricity |
QR150 |
| Water |
QR150 |
| Satellite |
QR200-800 (for hundreds of channels) |
| Cable |
QR300 |
Mobile
Tarriffs
| Local Destinations |
Peak Time (6:00am
-11:00pm) |
Off-Peak (11:00pm -
6:00am) |
| To Mobile or Home |
0.35 |
0.30 |
| SMS |
0.30 |
0.20 |
| MMS |
0.90 |
0.90 |
| MMS Video |
1.20 |
1.20 |
| Video Call |
0.45 |
0.40 |
|
Per minute
or Per Text |
| International |
Peak Time (6:00am
-11:00pm) |
Off-Peak (11:00pm -
6:00am) |
| To Mobile or Home |
Varies |
| SMS |
0.60 |
0.60 |
| MMS |
1.35 |
1.35 |
| MMS Video |
1.80 |
1.80 |
|
For up to date
rates visit Vodafone or Qtel |
|
Per minute
or Per Text |
|
Prices are
different if you buy a pre-paid phonecard |
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Remember! Calling Landline to Landline is free! |
RANDOM ITEMS PRICE
COMPARISON
| Item |
Qatar |
UK |
China |
Japan |
USA |
 |
QR 1 |
QR 6.2 |
QR 1.4 |
QR 2.5 |
QR 5.4 |
 |
QR 4 |
QR 7 |
QR 3 |
QR 3.8 |
QR 5.5 |
 |
Meat and
Rice
QR 10 |
Fish and
Chips
QR 44.8 |
Rice and
Dumplings
QR 3 |
Bowl of
Noodle
QR 8 |
Meat and
Potatoes
QR 30 |
 |
QR 50 |
QR 373 |
QR 126 |
QR 225 |
QR 164 |
 |
QR 1,687 |
QR 4,108 |
QR 2,800 |
N/A |
QR 3,639 |
 |
QR 20-40 |
QR 59 |
QR 18 |
QR 35 |
QR 36 |
The Price List and
Comparison is accurate as of August 2008.
The following
guide is a comparison of a selected group of supermarkets.
The Price List and
Comparison is accurate as of August 2007.
The following
documents are only a reflection of one hypermarket.
General
Information
Alcohol:
The price of alcohol in Qatar is cheaper than the UK (depends on
the drink), although
just a more than some European countries.
Electronics:
Electronics are MUCH cheaper than most countries. Qatar is the
cheapest country in the world to buy mobile phones for example.
You'll find shops all over Qatar selling a variety of products
for all your needs. That's one thing you'll never find a
shortage of. Some gadgets are more expensive though like laptops and cameras depending on the brand.
Clothes:
Buying local clothes of course will be cheap. Designer labels
are cheaper than most countries in general but prices can vary
greatly. This
is because Qatari people like to dress well and appearance is an
important factor for them. Gucci, for example, can be up to 40% cheaper than Japan.
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