Living in Doha
Most likely if you are reading this you feel like making a shift into your career and choose to move to Qatar. As there is no perfect place to live in, we are here to give you some hints about living in Qatar, regardless if you choose Doha, Lusail or another new city.
We are to describe to you several aspects about safety, costs of living, cultural impact, and social atmosphere.
Is it safe to live in Doha?
Yes, it is very safe to live in Doha. Actually, it was nominated as one of the safest countries in the Arabian Peninsula. Also, Qatar is the 30th safest country in the world, according to World Population Review. The top took into account criteria such as international and domestic conflicts, social safety and security, and militarization. Qatar is a very safe country with a low crime rate and no conflicts.
Is Qatar a good country to live and work in?
Qatar is a new country, developing on the modern structure and with the help of a foreign workforce. As the population is mainly formed out of expats, there is a cosmopolitan society, integrating well with other nationalities and locals.
Salaries vary, being comparable with Europe or the USA, the great difference coming from the fact that there are no income taxes. Depending on job type, the work structure is very well considered and the program is relaxed. There are expert jobs that include job packages like a car or car allowance, companies paying the apartment for rent in Qatar, indemnity leave, or other benefits.
What is the basic salary in Doha?
The minimum salary is a bit above 2000 QAR, which is quite small considering the costs of living. To picture the size of the salary level, the cheapest apartment for rent in Doha in our portfolio is around 5500 QAR. A medium local salary is above 15000 QAR, which provides a relatively decent living, but not luxurious.
We wrote more about salaries in 5 things you should know before relocating to Qatar.
Is Doha expensive compared to salary?
Doha is an expensive city. And provided by the example above, it also depends on the salary and the job that you are to do in Qatar. Consider that a meal for two costs you around 180 QAR and a 33 cl bottle of water 1 QAR (more examples about prices in Qatar here).
How much does the rent cost in Doha?
In our portfolio, the cheapest rent is for a studio – 5500 QAR – and depending on the amenities, the number of rooms and area and for a rented apartment you may pay 10 000 QAR / monthly.
Are there strong cultural differences in Qatar?
Actually, there are! Doha is mainly inhabited by expats. In fact, the Qatari population represents a bit above 10% of the total population of Qatar. There are cultural differences between locals and expats, but also there are foreigners from all over the world, bringing their own way of being and their own culture.
Yet, Qatar is a modern country and one may find plenty of entertainment for spare time.
How is the social atmosphere in Doha?
As previously said, Qatar is a safe country and Doha’s social atmosphere reflects it. The capital is family and business-oriented, the atmosphere is friendly and targeting growth. Actually, the growth might be also seen in developing cities. Doha is a multicultural environment where people cohabit and work together in a productive and friendly manner.