Anyone lived in Qatar

[RPG]

Hi guys

Have just accepted offer in dubai and employer is changing the place of work.

I haven't specifically got a problem with that as one position is still in Dubai.

My questions are

Does any one know what Qatar is like to live with regard to cost of living, etc. as opposed to Dubai as qatar is a potential relocation.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated

Cheers

RPG

[Pasanada]

I've visited Qatar a couple of times but never lived there. I found Doha to be about 15 years behind Dubai but there is plenty of building work going on to catch up! As the currency in Qatar is Riyals, I never bothered comparing costs with the AED so can't answer.

A friend of mine moved to Doha from Kuwait City a few months ago, he is struggling to enjoy Qatar as it's not as modern as other Gulf states. The big shopping mall there is full of shops and eateries but it's not anything on the same scale as malls in Dubai.

At the end of the day, it's a new place to explore and not far from the UAE should you wish to escape for some glitz and glamour!

[RPG]

Thanks Pasanada,

So am i right in thinking that Qatar isn't part of the UAE

[Pasanada]

You're correct, there are 7 emirates of the UAE, Qatar isn't one of them. However, I believe its a GCC country which the UAE is also a member of. Try checking it out on Wikipedia.

Qatar is further north (NW I think) of the UAE and borders Saudi Arabia. It looks like a little lump that sits out own its on in the Gulf. Look at some maps to locate it.

HTH

[jai6638]

I have never been to Qatar but please note that inflation in Qatar is supposed to be even higher than that in the UAE.

Qatar is a seperate country altogether and is NW of the UAE. It is much smaller compared to the UAE and 1 AED approximately equals about 1 Qatari Riyal so both the currencies are at par.

I've heard Qatar is a little more conservative compared to Dubai and can get boring after sometime since its much smaller.

Good luck!

[nboddada]

Its a good place to live but not as happening as any other metro cities. I came here(Qatar) from one of the poshest Indian metro cities. Its a complete contrast of any fast moving metro city. My hubby got a job recently in Dubai and we are planning to make a move as its very boring to stay here for a real long time.

As far as cost of living is concerned , Qatar is expensive thant Dubai in respect to food, groceries, apparel etc. The quality of apparel and electronic goods are very poor here and highly expensive.

[Elphaba]

Whilst Qatar is a growing country, in terms of population and amenities it is much smaller than Dubai.It is not as liberal as the UAE and whilst alcohol is available in hotels there are far fewer outlets.

Most expats live in or around Doha, but again there are far fewer 'Western' expats than in the UAE. It is probably more suitable for families than outgoing single people, albeit school places are hard to find.

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[Grantley]

I've been in Doha for 18 months - everything said above is fair. Inflation is a disaster, and at 20% much higher than elsewhere. It really is a 'small town', and western expats tend to be british. Few Americans or Aussies, a lot of Dutch & Danes (Shell & Maersk), but they keep to themselves. No schools, expensive housing and limited shopping. Vuitton? Of course. A decent hoover? No chance. It's all low end chinese stuff, or the cheapest version of the global brands. Moving to Dubai next month, and frankly can't wait.

[Micko]

Hello,
Just moved to Doha, Qatar after living in Dubai for 5 years, I think Doha is a lot slower than Dubai, I also think it's more expensive right now to rent in Qatar than Dubai.
Will keep you posted on my experience
Cheers
Michael

[KeepDiscovering]

I'm an expat living in Doha for 2.5 years and a frequent visitor to DXB. These are some of my observations & experiences:

- Doha's infrastructure is pretty much developing - few taxies, few bus routes, lots of construction work, etc. Dubai is much better in this aspect.

- Entertainment & night life, Doha is more limited in terms of options. Unfortunately I don't find Dubai much better, because most of the 'happening places' occur in shopping malls and hotels which are not much different. Dubai has more options but not miles better. It's just a pot calling the kettle black.

- Things like foodstuffs used to be more expensive in Doha (say 1 year ago), but now I will say they are as expensive as in Dubai. Last weekend I went to Waitrose in Dubai Mall and found that most of the foodstuffs & household goods I consume are in similar prices as in supermarkets in Doha. They used to be cheaper.

- Doha still keeps a bit of 'town feel', more quite, simple & safe. In food courts and supermarkets, people could leave bags in trolleys or chairs to grab stuffs without fear of things being stolen. In Dubai, people are quite cautious, like other western metro.

I'm single, so I cannot observe some issues which are important for families, such as schooling, etc. Probably others may share in those aspects.

Thanks.