Notes / Doha
Cost of Living in Doha
What an international family spends in Doha: housing in QAR and USD, school fees, cars, groceries, helpers, insurance. No income tax.
The brief
- Housing: QAR 9,000 to 20,000 a month (USD 2,500 to 5,500) for a three-bedroom in Pearl, Al Waab or Lusail. The headline line item.
- Schooling: USD 25,000 to 50,000 per child per year at top international schools.
- Cars are the floor. Everyone drives. Budget QAR 3,000 to 6,000 a month (USD 800 to 1,650) for a leased SUV, fuel and insurance.
- Groceries: USD 1,200 to 2,000 a month, lifted by import dependence.
- Live-in helper: QAR 1,500 to 2,500 a month (USD 400 to 700) all-in. Standard, not a luxury.
- Healthcare insurance: USD 200 to 400 per person per month above what the employer covers.
- No personal income tax. Alcohol is restricted, licensed and roughly triple European retail.
Doha · Relocation
# Cost of Living in Doha
A family of four landing in Doha on a typical expat package spends USD 10,000 to 20,000 a month to live the way they expected to live: villa or large apartment, two children in international school, two cars, a helper, weekend dinners out. There is no personal income tax, which is the reason the maths works at the top end. The riyal is pegged at QAR 3.64 to USD 1, so dollar figures stay stable from month to month.
The Doha cost frame
Doha is tax-free, car-dependent and import-dependent. Rent and schooling absorb most of an expat package; the gap between the family that pays both out of package and the family that pays them out of salary is the difference between Doha as a posting and Doha as a personal-finance decision.
Housing
Rent is the single largest line item and the spread inside each area is wide: compound, building, finish, view, lease vintage. A three-bedroom unit can clear at very different levels within the same postcode.
A three-bedroom villa in Al Waab, the centre of the international family belt, runs QAR 13,000 to 22,000 a month (USD 3,600 to 6,000) for compound stock with shared pool, gated and furnished. A three-bedroom apartment in The Pearl runs QAR 11,000 to 18,000 (USD 3,000 to 5,000); waterfront townhouses in Qanat Quartier reach QAR 25,000 (USD 6,900). Lusail sits 15 to 20 percent below equivalents further south in newer stock: QAR 8,000 to 15,000 (USD 2,200 to 4,100).
| Unit | Area | QAR / month | USD / month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-bed villa, compound | Al Waab | 13,000–22,000 | 3,600–6,000 |
| 3-bed apartment | The Pearl | 11,000–18,000 | 3,000–5,000 |
| 3-bed villa | Lusail | 13,000–18,000 | 3,600–5,000 |
| 2-bed apartment | West Bay | 9,000–13,000 | 2,500–3,600 |
| 4-bed villa | Mesaimeer | 9,000–13,000 | 2,500–3,600 |
Furnished three- to four-bedroom homes, indicative ranges as of early 2026. Most landlords ask for post-dated cheques covering the lease year, plus one or two months' deposit and an agent's fee of half a month's rent.
Utilities through Kahramaa run QAR 400 to 1,200 a month (USD 110 to 330), heavily summer-weighted; cooling is the swing variable. Many newer apartments bill chilled water separately through Qatar Cool at QAR 300 to 800 a month (USD 80 to 220) in summer. Internet through Ooredoo or Vodafone runs QAR 350 to 600 (USD 100 to 165) for a family plan with mobile lines.
Schooling
School fees are the variable that breaks budgets. The top tier (American School of Doha, Doha College, Doha British School, ACS Doha, ISL Qatar) runs QAR 90,000 to 180,000 a year (USD 25,000 to 50,000) in the upper years. Two children at the senior end of one of those schools costs USD 80,000 to 100,000 a year before uniforms, bus, lunch and trips.
Mid-tier British and American schools (Compass, Newton, Park House) run QAR 50,000 to 90,000 (USD 14,000 to 25,000). Indian and Asian-community schools run QAR 12,000 to 35,000 (USD 3,300 to 9,600) and serve large communities at a different price point.
| School tier | QAR / year | USD / year |
|---|---|---|
| Top international, upper years | 90,000–180,000 | 25,000–50,000 |
| Mid-tier British / American | 50,000–90,000 | 14,000–25,000 |
| Indian / Asian-curriculum | 12,000–35,000 | 3,300–9,600 |
Fees rise across the school year by year and step up sharply in Year 12 and Year 13. Most schools charge a one-off enrolment fee of QAR 5,000 to 15,000 and an annual seat-deposit of QAR 2,000 to 5,000 on top.
Many corporate packages cover school fees up to a cap. Self-funding two children at the top end is a six-figure dollar decision that competes with every other line on this page.
Transport
Doha is car-dependent by design. The metro covers a single north-south spine and two short branches; useful for commuting into West Bay, irrelevant for the school run.
A new family settling in typically leases two cars. A mid-size SUV leases at QAR 2,500 to 4,000 a month (USD 700 to 1,100) including insurance and maintenance. Two cars sit at QAR 5,000 to 8,000 a month (USD 1,400 to 2,200).
Fuel is cheap by global standards at around QAR 2 per litre (USD 0.55), so a 30,000 km year costs roughly QAR 4,500 (USD 1,250). Parking at malls and offices is free. School buses run QAR 5,000 to 8,000 a year per child (USD 1,400 to 2,200). Uber and Careem sit roughly 30 to 40 percent above metered taxi fares.
Groceries and household
Groceries for a family of four sit at QAR 4,500 to 7,500 a month (USD 1,200 to 2,000). Almost everything is imported, which lifts the basket against Singapore or Dubai. Carrefour, Lulu and Monoprix are the volume options; Spinneys, Megamart and Boutique Le Marché carry European and American brands at noticeable premium. Local-market shopping at Souq Waqif's vegetable hall and the Wholesale Market cuts the basket by around 30 percent and is what longer-term residents do.
Alcohol is the line item where Doha diverges sharply from regional peers. It is sold only through QDC, the single licensed retailer for permit-holding residents, and at licensed hotel bars at roughly triple European pricing. A bottle of mid-range wine runs QAR 90 to 140 (USD 25 to 38); a beer at a hotel bar runs QAR 55 to 75 (USD 15 to 20). Households where alcohol matters add USD 200 to 600 a month to the line.
Household help
A live-in helper is a fixture of family life in Doha. Salary runs QAR 1,500 to 2,500 a month (USD 400 to 700), with employer-provided room and board, return airfare and visa sponsorship. Total cost lands at QAR 2,000 to 3,500 a month (USD 550 to 950) once accommodation, food, medical insurance and end-of-service gratuity are included.
A part-time agency cleaner runs QAR 50 to 70 an hour (USD 14 to 19); two visits a week at four hours each clears QAR 1,600 to 2,200 a month (USD 440 to 600). A live-in driver sits at similar salary to a helper; families who manage their own school runs skip the driver and use Careem.
Healthcare
Health coverage in Qatar runs on two parallel systems. Hamad Medical Corporation is the public network, accessible to residents holding a Qatar ID and free or near-free at the point of use. Private healthcare runs through Sidra, Doha Clinic, Al Ahli, Aspetar and the international networks at international prices.
Most employer packages include private health insurance. Self-funded family cover through Bupa Arabia, Allianz, AXA or Cigna runs USD 200 to 400 per person per month depending on age, dependants and whether the policy covers maternity, dental and international evacuation. A family of four at the upper end clears USD 1,500 a month on insurance alone.
Out-of-pocket at private clinics: GP consultation QAR 200 to 400 (USD 55 to 110); specialist QAR 400 to 800 (USD 110 to 220); dental cleaning QAR 350 to 600 (USD 95 to 165).
Lifestyle and the rest
Family social life is indoors for half the year. From May to September it is mall food courts, hotel brunches and indoor play centres; October to April the Corniche, Aspire Park, beach clubs and Souq Waqif.
A family mall meal runs QAR 200 to 400 (USD 55 to 110); a Pearl or West Bay restaurant dinner, QAR 400 to 800 (USD 110 to 220); a hotel weekend brunch, the Doha institution, QAR 350 to 700 per adult (USD 95 to 190), children half-price.
Beach club memberships at the InterContinental, Four Seasons or St Regis run QAR 8,000 to 25,000 a year (USD 2,200 to 6,900) for a family of four. Gym memberships at standalone clubs run QAR 300 to 700 a month (USD 80 to 190) per adult. Regional flights out of Hamad to Dubai or Muscat run USD 200 to 500 return; long-haul to London or New York USD 800 to 2,500 in economy.
At a glance: family monthly total
Family of four, two school-age children, one helper, two cars. School fees shown separately: they are paid termly and the spread is too wide to fold in.
| Line item | Lower band (USD / month) | Mid band (USD / month) | Upper band (USD / month) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | 2,500–3,500 | 3,500–5,000 | 5,000–7,500 |
| Utilities and internet | 250–450 | 450–700 | 700–1,100 |
| Two cars (lease, fuel, insurance) | 800–1,200 | 1,200–1,700 | 1,700–2,400 |
| Groceries and household | 1,200–1,500 | 1,500–1,800 | 1,800–2,400 |
| Helper (live-in, all-in) | 550–700 | 700–850 | 850–950 |
| Healthcare insurance (family of four) | 600–900 | 900–1,300 | 1,300–1,800 |
| Eating out, leisure, gym | 400–700 | 700–1,200 | 1,200–2,200 |
| Subtotal, ex-school | 6,300–8,950 | 8,950–12,550 | 12,550–18,350 |
| Schooling (2 children, annualised) | 550–1,650 | 1,650–4,150 | 4,150–8,300 |
| Total, all-in | 6,850–10,600 | 10,600–16,700 | 16,700–26,650 |
Indicative bands for a family of four as of early 2026. Schooling is annual fees divided by 12 for comparability; in practice fees are paid termly. No personal income tax applies, so figures are post-tax across the table.
Related reading
- Best areas in Doha for expat families
- International school fees in Doha
- Best international schools in Doha
- Affordable international schools in Doha
FAQs
How much does a family of four need to live well in Doha? A package that covers rent and school fees lets a family land at USD 6,000 to 10,000 a month in pocket spend. A self-funded family clears USD 12,000 to 20,000 a month for the same lifestyle.
Is Doha cheaper than Dubai? Rent and groceries sit roughly 10 to 20 percent below Dubai equivalents. School fees are similar at the top end. Alcohol is much more expensive in Doha because of the restricted-distribution model. Cars cost about the same.
Do I pay tax on my Doha salary? No personal income tax applies to employment income for residents in Qatar. Home-country tax obligations vary by passport: US citizens file regardless; UK residency rules turn on day-count and ties.
What does it cost to send two children to a top international school? USD 50,000 to 100,000 a year at the upper end (ASD, Doha College, ACS, ISL Qatar, DBS) once enrolment fees, seat deposits, uniforms and bus are added. Many corporate packages cap school-fee reimbursement.
What does alcohol cost in Doha? Roughly triple European retail. A bottle of mid-range wine runs USD 25 to 38 through QDC; a beer at a licensed hotel bar runs USD 15 to 20.
Sources
- Qatar Central Bank: fixed exchange rate (QAR 3.64 = USD 1).
- Qatar General Tax Authority: personal income tax framework.
- Property Finder Qatar, Hapondo and Saakin listings, observed early 2026, for rent ranges.
- Kahramaa published residential tariffs and Qatar Cool district-cooling schedules.
- School fee schedules published by ASD, Doha College, ACS Doha, ISL Qatar, DBS, Compass, Newton, Park House.
- Bupa Arabia, Allianz Care, AXA and Cigna Global published premium ranges for Qatar residents.
- Numbeo, Expatistan and Mercer crowd-sourced cost-of-living benchmarks for plausibility cross-checks.
Figures are indicative ranges as of early 2026. Verify school fees, lease terms and insurance premiums directly with each provider.