Moving to Qatar from Australia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Australia to Qatar? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Australia to Qatar, you would find that Qatar is 19.5% cheaper than Australia overall. A A$104,312 salary in Australia would need to be roughly QAR270,563 in Qatar to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Doha averages 91°F vs 67°F in Canberra, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Australia and Qatar.
What does your salary buy?
A$104,312 → QAR270,563
To maintain the same standard of living in Qatar
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 63.3% less
Groceries
pay 35.3% less
Transportation
pay 34.0% less
Housing
pay 18.6% more
Childcare
pay 34.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 29.1% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Qatar compared to Australia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Australia generally does better on safety, though Qatar leads in homicide rate.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Australia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Qatar leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Australia performs better than Qatar across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Australia generally does better on infrastructure, though Qatar leads in electricity per capita.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
Qatar performs significantly better than Australia across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Australia performs better than Qatar across all family life metrics.
Data: Australian Taxation Office, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Canberra | Doha |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) | 75°/58°F (24°/14°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) | 99°/76°F (37°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) | 104°/83°F (40°/28°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) | 85°/67°F (30°/19°C) |
View all months
| Month | Canberra | Doha |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) | 71°/55°F (21.7°/12.8°C) |
| Feb | 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) | 73°/57°F (23.0°/13.7°C) |
| Mar | 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) | 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.7°C) |
| Apr | 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) | 89°/69°F (31.9°/20.6°C) |
| May | 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) | 101°/77°F (38.2°/25.0°C) |
| Jun | 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) | 106°/82°F (41.2°/27.7°C) |
| Jul | 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) | 107°/84°F (41.5°/29.1°C) |
| Aug | 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) | 105°/84°F (40.7°/28.9°C) |
| Sep | 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) | 101°/80°F (38.6°/26.5°C) |
| Oct | 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) | 95°/74°F (35.2°/23.4°C) |
| Nov | 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) | 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.5°C) |
| Dec | 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C) | 75°/59°F (24.1°/15.0°C) |
Bureau of Meteorology
Qatar Meteorology DepartmentVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Australia and Qatar. To live, work, or study long-term in Qatar, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Qatar's immigration authority.
Australia passport holder visiting Qatar
Visa on Arrival
Qatar passport holder visiting Australia
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Qatar than Australia?
Qatar and Australia are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to Qatar?
Budget about QAR67,641 for 3 months in Qatar (based on a A$104,312 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Qatar?
Connectivity is usually fine (Qatar: 13.6 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Qatar offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Qatar safe for expats?
Australia generally does better on safety, though Qatar leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Qatar is 0.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Australia.
How is healthcare in Qatar compared to Australia?
Australia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Qatar leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 25.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Qatar, compared to 39.8 in Australia. Qatar scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Australia: 87).
What's the weather like in Qatar compared to Australia?
The average high temperature in Doha is 91°F, compared to 67°F in Canberra. Doha receives around 3.0 in of rainfall per year, while Canberra gets 24.8 in.
What language do they speak in Qatar?
The official language in Qatar is Arabic. In Australia, the official language is English.
