Qatar is known to be a major expatriate hub and the reasons why are easy to pin-point out. Great weather all throughout the year, utmost security, dedication to sports, top-notch healthcare services, and its proximity to the rest of the world are just some of the numerous considerations why expatriates—regardless of nationality—don't mind spending many more years in here as the quality of life in Qatar is apparently among the best in the world.
But did you know that when it comes to free stuff, Qatar is also one of the very few countries which is most likely to snag the top spot in case some unbiased website makes a round-up out of it?
We've listed ten of them for you and while we know that there are much more to add, we highly encourage you to scroll all the way down! Who knows, we can make a Part 2 in case this list gains enough attention—and you'll be the ones to fill up the next 10 by the time that happens!
Qatar is happy—being the 32nd happiest country in the world for 2018—because its locals and residents chose to be that way. And one of the primary reasons why the people in this GCC nation of approximately 2.7M people is on the hassle-free side is because of the fact that they enjoy tax-free salaries for many years now. Thanks to Qatar's oil and natural gas deposits, its multinational workforce population is likely to save their salaries all for themselves in the next few years to come.
Last January 2017, the Business Insider revealed the '16 Countries with the best Healthcare Systems in the World' and Qatar is placed at rank 15th—in between Canada and France. The website writes: "The best standards of health in the Middle East can be found in the wealthy nation of Qatar. The nation has recently taken steps to implement a universal healthcare system across the entire country."
Even before Katara scrapped the entrance fee to their beach a few days ago, majority of the most sought-after summer destinations in Qatar are mostly free of charge. We have Simaisma, Al Khor, Al Dhakira, and Maroona beaches in the North, Zekreet and Umm Bab in the West, and Wakrah and Sealine in the South. It's a great idea to make the most out of the blue waters as summer time is creeping up on Doha fast, and naturally we want to take advantage of the good weather before the heatwave hits.
Qatar and its government value family ties immensely—we can't stress this enough. This is why parks of all sorts are scattered in the four corners of Qatar and they're reproducing every single day! The good news is, regardless of how plenty Doha's public parks might be, we haven't heard of any which charges spectators for entrance, unless there's a festival going on. And just recently, the country's first-ever pet-friendly park—Al Bidda—opened and park goers went crazy!
We all know that the weather in Qatar has the tendency to go really bad especially from May to September. Thanks to the high-rise buildings and establishments we see everyday, acquiring a shade equipped with full AC was never a burden. And if you happen to be in a remote area, our advice would be to order an Uber and you'll surely be rewarded with instant 'coolness' in no time.
Just like parks, museums are also sprouting like mushrooms in Doha. Aside from the Museum of Islamic Art which is considered the mother of all museums in Qatar, we also have the National Museum of Qatar, Mathaf, and the Msheireb Museums—which is home to four historic heritage houses. Our favorite is the Doha Fire Station as it holds special month-long exhibitions every now and then. One of its most unique initiative is the ongoing 'Laundromat Exhibition' by Chinese artist Ai Wei Wei ongoing until June 1st. Entrance is for free and will always be.
With a variety of festivals being held across the country to celebrate Qatar's rich culture and diversity, there's really no running out of reason to pump money out of people so that they can witness something bewildering and new to the eye. Head to the Mall of Qatar—for example—during the weekend and it's impossible not to see a dancer or a juggler or a stuntman performing live on stage. Two of our favorite annual shows are the Kite Festival in Aspire Park (happening March every year) and the Aspire Lake Festival (every April), though the latter charges a meager QR 20 per head for an unforgettable and spectacular show.
As Qatar is a developing country and technology is quickly taking over its mostly-millenial population, the government has no choice but to keep up with the tremendous demand for fast and reliable internet anytime and anywhere. Luckily for us—and for the rest of the world we suppose—coffee shops offering free WIFI are strategically located across the suburbs of Doha and while they're not entirely for free, you can still save a chunk of your postpaid data plan if you decide to put an end to all of your paper works in just one sitting for the reasonable price of let's say QR 16-18 for a medium-sized Frapuccino, free stay in your preferred cafe, and yeah—free WIFI service for your entire stay. For an idea on the cost of living in Qatar, click here.
They say that a thousand Riyals won't be complete if one Riyal is missing—which is very true. We often ignore the little things and by the time we realize their importance, it's already too late. In Western countries, you usually need to shell out a few more cents in order to get an extra sachet of ketchup or mayonnaise, but in Qatar, hoarding these is far from committing a crime. Another example: In Southeast Asian countries, there are barely a roll of tissue paper on public toilets but here, you can even use the whole roll to wipe your mess and throw it straight to the bin—but please don't do that! To know the 10 secret comforts of living in Qatar, click here.
Maybe you're wondering what's so great with 'boxes' that we included them on this list, but the real question that you should be asking is: "What could be inside the box?" Well, it could be anything. But now that the holy month of Ramadan is just a heartbeat away, the boxes that we're talking about contain food inside, and we call them 'Iftar boxes'. These goodies are commonly distributed to laborers who've been working all day with an empty stomach. Doing such is one of the countless acts of charity that a Muslim (or even a non-Muslim) can do to commemorate and reflect on the real essence of Ramadan. For your ultimate guide on the best events and activities happening in Qatar for Ramadan 2018, click here.
And because we love you guys, here's a bonus freebie...
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Did we miss anything worth-including in the Magic 10? If you have more free things to add, key them in in the comment section below! Also, don't forget to like and share this article -- it keeps us going!
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