An Expat's Guide to Living in Doha, Qatar

A City of Expats

Qatar is a small country, a thumb-like protuberance off the east coast of the Saudi Arabian Peninsula, jutting out into the Persian Gulf. The capital city Doha, where I live, is home to 2.3 million people, roughly 90 percent of Qatar’s population, and of those 2.3 million inhabitants only around 15 percent are Qatari citizens.

The rest form the expat community, made up of people from 120 nations around the world. To say Qatar is a multinational hotchpotch of expat life is an understatement. 

The first question everybody asks you when first meeting is, ‘Where are you from?,’ because everybody there is from somewhere else.

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Top Questions People Ask About Living in Doha

Is Qatar safe?

With constant struggles ongoing in the northern Middle East, Gaza, Israel, Lebanon, etc, the question is always on everybody’s tongue.

And I would answer it wholeheartedly with ‘Yes’.

Officially listed as the third safest country in the world, especially for personal safety, Doha is the place where you can leave your phone or your designer bag on the chair if you are in a café alone and need to go to the loo. Often you see phones charging in a mall, all alone with no one in sight, and they will still be there when the owner returns.

As a woman, I feel utterly safe taking public transportation or walking outside alone, even if people might look, but where don’t they?

What’s it like for women?

And while we’re on the topic of women...no, in Qatar you don’t have to wear an abaya, the long traditional dress, nor do you need to cover your hair.

To respect cultural sensitivities, it is respectful to wear clothes that cover your shoulders, and in official places such as government buildings or anywhere where you might expect to see lots of locals, to wear skirts or trousers to the knee.

On the beaches and pools you can wear swimsuits and bikinis and wear sports clothing for outdoor activities and yes, you can drive and work.

It is safe and there are plenty of single women, such as my daughter, living and working here, dating and joining social gatherings, going to nightclubs with the opposite sex, and having fun.

Although, spoiler alert, drinking alcohol is rather pricey here but still absolutely doable.

How hot does it get in the Middle East, really?

It gets extremely hot in Qatar. Do not believe official reports that state that the maximum temperature is in the 40⁰C (around 104F), in summer it regularly hits 50⁰C (122F+) and above, with humidity usually in August reaching around 80 percent, making stepping outside feel like someone slapping you in the face with a hot towel.

The worst temperatures are between late June and early October, after that, it is simply gorgeous. Blue skies, warm temperatures, turquoise waters, and a great outdoor life. Just be prepared to mostly stay indoors near air conditioning over the summer, or, like many people here, take the summer off and head home.

Best Areas to Live in Doha

There is a lot of varied housing around Doha but the most common are villas in comfortable gated communities called compounds and apartments. Many expats live in compounds. Most compounds are perfect for families or a group of friends or colleagues wanting to share a space.

If you have school-age children Madinat Khalifa offers various complexes near international schools, international hospitals, and Qatar University .

The Al Sadd area is close to shops, many restaurants, malls, and metro stations, and not too pricey, whereas Al Makhiya is perfect for larger villas, great compounds, and accessibility to all areas of the city.

In and around the city center, Souq Waqif, and Mshereib, there are plenty of apartment blocks popular with expats, a mix of families and singles.

What is most noticeable in Doha, is that it is not a city where you can walk easily and if you live in a compound, a car (or Uber use) is a must.

If you want to live somewhere within walking distance to cafes and shops, then Lusail, West Bay, and The Pearl are the best options. Here you get a mix of compound villas, townhouses, and mostly apartments, all with great connections on foot to public transport and a social community of gyms, restaurants and stores.

Finding a Rental

Before you sign a lease or purchase your own home, I recommend you first arrive in Doha and get a feel for the different areas so you're sure which is best for you. This way you can also look at the compound or apartment in-person and make sure it feels like home.

It's also possible that your job will give you a place to stay as part of the contract so you won't have to deal with finding your own place.

📍I recommend starting off at a hotel or vacation rental while you search for a long-term lease. Stay somewhere near the center of Doha so you can easily get around to the other areas. I recommend booking your stay at one of these spots:

• Budget Stay: Shaza Doha: Even the more affordable hotels in Doha still drip with elegance and this one is no exception. You'll have all the comforts covered in a central location here.
• Mid-Tier Stay: Alwadi Hotel Doha: Enjoy city views and 5 on-site restaurants. Depending on the stay you choose, you can have breakfast and dinner covered by the hotel, leaving you more time to house hunt and explore your new home.
• Luxury Stay: Mandarin Oriental: While the other hotels listed are great, this is for Qatar expats who really want to indulge. Enjoy all the best facilities and amenities, just know it might be hard to leave!

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Cost of Living

As I already mentioned, alcohol is pricey, as are any imported goods or brands that expats may recognize from their home countries. But otherwise, there are grocery stores and shopping malls at both ends of the price scale and rents vary with area and size, so budget living is feasible.

That said, for most expats working for private companies, their salary is free of income tax, and also, when expats take a job here, most companies provide either accommodation or a monthly rental allowance.

There are also allowances for school fees, if you have children, for cars, and private health insurance, as well as help with applying for Qatar ID and public healthcare, but you will need to negotiate your employment contracts separately.

Let’s say you have a family and want to live in a house in a compound that provides you with a play area, a pool and a gym. Three bedrooms will cost you around QAR 9,000 per month upwards, depending on location and amenities. If you are single and opt for a single bedroom apartment on The Pearl, then budget around QAR 7,000 to QAR 8,000 per month, often including bills such as electricity, AC, water and even internet.

For groceries, QAR 2,000 feeds you very well, but if you want to socialize regularly, be aware that a beer costs around QAR 22, and a glass of wine around QAR 50, but there are regular cocktail happy hours and special deals to be had when you can afford to go out with friends.

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Visa Options Applicable to Many Expats

The majority of expats moving to Qatar enter on a work visa, sponsored by their employer. Be it that they have a new job in Doha with a new employer, or they are working here on behalf of an international company. If your spouse, like in my case, is the main breadwinner and the reason you are coming to Doha, you can be sponsored by them, as can your children.

Some people come on a tourist visa, which is valid for one month and can be applied for either on arrival or before, depending on your passport. It is feasible that you could be looking for work while in Qatar and then apply for sponsorship locally.

For the ever popular digital nomads, there is a Nomad Visa in the working, but it is not yet available. Here's the full list of countries that offer a digital nomad visa.

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Weekends & Holy Days

One of the things that surprises people most when moving abroad to Qatar is that the weekend falls on Friday and Saturday, with Sunday the beginning of the working week.

Qatar is a Muslim country with an Islamic culture, and the Friday prayers are the most important, so Friday is an Islamic holy day. It is a day off and places such as restaurants, malls, and even the metro are closed until after lunchtime.

Just like in Muscat, Sarajevo, or other Muslim cities, then there is Ramadan. The Islamic holy month of Ramadan is a celebratory month, where Muslims fast between sunrise and sunset, and outside of international hotels, all restaurants and cafes remain closed during those hours. Instead, life takes place at night, with plenty of revelry, food, and fun after dark.

Despite differing cultural and religious norms in Qatar, yes, there are churches, temples, and other religious compounds where non-Muslim expats can worship in Doha.

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Pros & Cons of Living in Doha

Nowhere in the world is perfect and all come with pros and cons. It's up to you to judge these and see if you'd be able to bend your expectations and make living in Doha fit for you.

• Qatar is a safe, modern and international country, with an exciting Qatari culture, and lots of interesting expats.
• Hamad International Airport is a hub that easily connects you with Australia, Asia, Europe, Africa, and direct flights to the States. Plus, there is the Gulf region, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi great weekend spots, so easy and varied travel is a huge bonus.
• LGBTQI+ is a taboo subject and is illegal but does have a secret underground community.
• There are known human rights problems but Qatar is making huge steps toward change.

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Will You Try Moving to Doha?

Living in Doha provides a unique experience. Although a Middle Eastern country with it's own unique culture, so many of the residents here are actually from countries all around the world. This combination has blended together to create something unique, unlike anything else I've seen in other places I've lived abroad.

While of course there are some cons to living in Doha, for me and my family, the pros have outweighed them, bringing us back to Doha for a second time.

All photos courtesy of depositphotos.com.