Moving to Qatar from United Kingdom
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United Kingdom to Qatar — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United Kingdom to Qatar, you would find that Qatar is 34.0% cheaper than United Kingdom overall. A £56,000 salary in United Kingdom would need to be roughly QAR180,000 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 60°F in London, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Qatar cheaper than United Kingdom?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 60.7% less
Groceries
pay 27.4% less
Transportation
pay 60.3% less
Housing
pay 18.8% less
Childcare
pay 58.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 17.7% 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.
What salary do you need in Qatar?
What does your salary buy?
£56,000 → QAR180,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Qatar
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Qatar
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from United Kingdom to Qatar, based on official data.
Who's moving to Qatar?
Top countries of origin for Qatar's foreign-born residents.
- 702,013
- 261,672
- 253,940
- 235,505
- 183,544
- 170,052
- · · ·
-
15.6,868
United Kingdom
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United Kingdom to Qatar.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Kingdom 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
United Kingdom 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
United Kingdom 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
share of households with internet
United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom 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
United Kingdom generally does better on family life, though Qatar leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), HM Revenue & Customs (2016), Public Revenues and Tax Department, Qatar (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Qatar vs United Kingdom
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | London | Doha |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) | 75°/58°F (24°/14°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) | 99°/76°F (37°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 104°/83°F (40°/28°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) | 85°/67°F (30°/19°C) |
View all months
| Month | London | Doha |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) | 71°/55°F (21.7°/12.8°C) |
| Feb | 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) | 73°/57°F (23.0°/13.7°C) |
| Mar | 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) | 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.7°C) |
| Apr | 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) | 89°/69°F (31.9°/20.6°C) |
| May | 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) | 101°/77°F (38.2°/25.0°C) |
| Jun | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) | 106°/82°F (41.2°/27.7°C) |
| Jul | 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) | 107°/84°F (41.5°/29.1°C) |
| Aug | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) | 105°/84°F (40.7°/28.9°C) |
| Sep | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) | 101°/80°F (38.6°/26.5°C) |
| Oct | 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) | 95°/74°F (35.2°/23.4°C) |
| Nov | 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) | 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.5°C) |
| Dec | 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) | 75°/59°F (24.1°/15.0°C) |
Met Office
Qatar Meteorology DepartmentCan you move from United Kingdom to Qatar?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Kingdom 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.
United Kingdom passport holder visiting Qatar
Visa on Arrival
Qatar passport holder visiting United Kingdom
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 United Kingdom?
Yes — Qatar is on average about 34% cheaper than United Kingdom. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Qatar?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly QAR45,000 in Qatar on a £56,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Qatar?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Qatar has 11.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Qatar safe for expats?
United Kingdom 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 1.1 in United Kingdom.
How is healthcare in Qatar compared to United Kingdom?
United Kingdom generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Qatar leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 30.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Qatar, compared to 33.0 in United Kingdom. Qatar scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Kingdom: 88).
What's the weather like in Qatar compared to United Kingdom?
The average high temperature in Doha is 91°F, compared to 60°F in London. Doha receives around 3.0 in of rainfall per year, while London gets 22.0 in.
What language do they speak in Qatar?
The official language in Qatar is Arabic. In United Kingdom, the official language is English.
