Crippling Cost of Living in Qatar

Crippling Cost of Living in QatarWhat on earth has happened to Qatar?  The State of Qatar was well on its way to becoming one of the most exciting, dynamic and in demand locations in the Middle East and the number of companies establishing centers of operation and bases in the State was increasing rapidly and attracting a talented expatriate workforce to live and work in Qatar.

On top of this Qatar’s oil and natural gas reserves meant that is had one of the highest per capita incomes in the world and then the The Pearl, Qatar was released which is a sumptuous development near Doha where foreigners are afforded the right of owning freehold property – but then the cost of living in Qatar went through the roof.  Practically overnight the number of expats moving to Qatar is sharply in decline and of those who remain in the country every single family or individual has been severely and dramatically affected.

Once upon a time, not too long ago, Qatar could do no wrong – Qatar was playing host to the famed Doha Debates which are a unique platform for public debate and freedom of speech relating to issues affecting the Arab world, the State of Qatar was changing noticeably with the acceptance that foreigners can have the right to own freehold title to property in certain parts of Qatar.  Furthermore the ruling authorities in Qatar were wholly committed to the broadening of their economy to embrace new and sustainable sectors which will one day replace oil and gas as the main contributors to the economy.

All was going well in Qatar, the Qatar Financial Centre free trade zone opened and businesses in many sectors established themselves in and around Doha.  The number of expatriates moving to live in the State was dramatically increasing, enrollment of foreign pupils in international schools was on the up…and then overnight the cost of living in Qatar became crippling.

Some expatriates living in Qatar have reported up to 300% rental rate increases occurring up to 3 times in the past year, and all expats state that the cost of everything has gone up, gas is up 50% for example, school fees, groceries, restaurants and petrol have all gone through the roof and as a result those being offered new jobs in Qatar are turning them down, even companies who have increased their family subsistence payments have been told that they are not doing enough and more and more people are leaving Qatar behind as it becomes cripplingly expensive to afford to live and enjoy a decent standard of living in the State.

Stories coming from certain groups of expats in Qatar reveal that families are subletting rooms and individuals are being forced to share accommodation…those who are offered good jobs in Qatar are refusing to take the postings because they’ve heard the news about the dramatically rising cost of living and of those who remain living and working in Qatar a growing number are sending their families back home.

The advice given to those considering moving to live and work in Qatar by expats already living in the State is negotiate a salary package hard, travel to Qatar and get a realistic feel for what the cost of living will be like for you personally based on your own way of living and then ensure that you will be able to afford to live a comfortable life in Qatar before committing to a specific job offer.

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