Qatar, Doha

Country Full Name: The State of Qatar.

Location: Qatar is a peninsula bordering the Arabian Gulf and Saudi Arabia.

Country Climate: Arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers.

Country Terrain: Mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel.

Major Languages: Arabic.

Major Religions: Islam.

Population: 1.1 million (2008 est.) 1.4 million (2009 est.).

Country Economy: Petroleum is the cornerstone of Qatar's economy and accounts for more than 70% of total government revenue.

Currency: Qatari Riyal (QAR).

Inflation: 2.2% (2011 est.).

City: Doha is the capital and largest city of the state of Qatar.

City Economy: Doha is Qatar's largest city, with over 80% of the nation's population residing in Doha or its surrounding suburbs, and is also the economic center of the country.

The cost of living in Doha in Qatar is high compared to other places. The overall cost of living is determined using the prices for defined quantities of the same goods and services across 13 Basket Groups. Doha in Qatar is currently ranked 194 overall out of 950 places (rank 1 is most expensive: rank 950 is least expensive). The cost of living rank for each of the 13 Basket Groups is as follows:

Alcohol & Tobacco costs are very high compared to other places for items such as alcoholic beverages, alcohol at a bar, beer, locally produced spirit, whiskey, and wine (where alcohol is legally sold) as well as for tobacco products such as cigarettes. There are 31 places that are more expensive, and 918 places that are less expensive for alcohol and or tobacco.

Clothing costs are low compared to other places for items such as clothing and footwear products, business suits, casual clothing, childrens clothing and footwear, coats and hats, evening wear, shoe repairs, and underwear. There are 758 places that are more expensive, and 191 places that are less expensive for clothing.

Communication costs are very high compared to other places for various communication costs such as home telephone rental and call charges, internet connection and service provider fees, mobile / cellular phone contract, data, and calls. There are 165 places that are more expensive, and 784 places that are less expensive for communication.

Education costs are very low compared to other places for items such as creche / pre-school fees, high school / college fees, primary school fees, and tertiary study fees. There are 837 places that are more expensive, and 112 places that are less expensive for education.

Furniture & Appliance costs are very high compared to other places for items such as furniture, household equipment and appliances, DVD player, fridge freezer, iron, kettle, toaster, microwave, light bulbs, television, vacuum cleaner, and washing machine. There are 170 places that are more expensive, and 779 places that are less expensive for furniture and appliances.

Grocery costs are low compared to other places for items such as food, non-alcoholic beverages and cleaning material items such as baby consumables, baked goods, baking, canned foods, cheese, cleaning products, dairy, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, fruit juices, meat, oil & vinegars, pet food, pre-prepared meals, sauces, seafood, snacks, soft drinks, spices & herbs . There are 730 places that are more expensive, and 219 places that are less expensive for groceries.

Healthcare costs are high compared to other places for general healthcare, medical and medical insurance, general practitioner consultation rates, hospital private ward daily rate, non-prescription medicine, and private medical insurance / medical aid contributions. There are 251 places that are more expensive, and 698 places that are less expensive for healthcare.

Household Accommodation costs are very high compared to other places for items such as housing, water, electricity, household gas, household fuels, local rates and residential taxes, mortgage, house / flat rental, household electricity consumption, household gas / fuel consumption, household water consumption, and local property rates / taxes / levies. There are 49 places that are more expensive, and 900 places that are less expensive for household accommodation.

Miscellaneous costs are very high compared to other places for items such as stationery, linen, general goods and services, domestic help, dry cleaning, linen, office supplies, newspapers and magazines, and postage stamps. There are 182 places that are more expensive, and 767 places that are less expensive for miscellaneous items.

Personal Care costs are very high compared to other places for items such as personal care products and services, cosmetics, hair care, moisturizer / sun block, nappies, pain relief tablets, toilet paper, toothpaste, and soap / shampoo / conditioner. There are 188 places that are more expensive, and 761 places that are less expensive for personal care.

Recreation and Culture costs are very high compared to other places for items such as books, camera film, cinema tickets, DVDs and CDs, sports goods, and theatre tickets. There are 129 places that are more expensive, and 820 places that are less expensive for recreation and culture.

Restaurants, Meals Out and Hotel costs are very high compared to other places for items such as a business dinner, dinner at a restaurant (non fast food), hotel rates, take away drinks and snacks (fast food). There are 80 places that are more expensive, and 869 places that are less expensive for restaurants, meals out and hotels.

Transport costs are very low compared to other places for items such as public transport, vehicle costs, vehicle fuel, vehicle insurance and vehicle maintenance, hire purchase / lease of vehicle, petrol / diesel, public transport service maintenance, tires, vehicle Insurance, and vehicle purchase. There are 871 places that are more expensive, and 78 places that are less expensive for transport.

Personalized cost of living indexes for Doha in Qatar are based on the basket groups and comparison location(s) selected in the Calculators.

In terms of the hardship people are likely to experience, assessed in global terms, Doha in Qatar is ranked as some hardship with a hardship index of 20%.

Personalized hardship index premiums for Doha in Qatar are based on the comparison location(s) selected in the Calculators.

Note: Xpatulator.com data is updated quarterly. The latest update is at at 1 January 2012. Create a personalized cost of living comparison report using the calculators:
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