From Dubai to Qatar

Brendan
By Brendan

I've been offered a job in Qatar. The money seems great.

Is the standard of living, cost of living the smae compared to Dubai?

What about night life - Can 1 go out and have fun like in Dubai?

Is their open beaches and park to chill and relax?

What about living arrangements - Can I bring my fiance, whom I'll wed in December 2008 - Can we stay together?

Please somebody - Help me decide.

Brendan

By malinis• 9 Feb 2008 03:52
malinis

Hi Azim

Can I get a 3 bedroom place in a compound for QR 10,000/-? Looking for unfurnished.

Thanks

Malini

 

By AzimQazi• 25 Jan 2008 08:55
AzimQazi

Hello Amnesia, i was reading your following post:

Send me a PM Brendan if you do decide to come, I've got three brand new apartments for 4k-5.5k a month in a compound and pool. I'll give you the details.

I WOULD REALLY like to request you also to give me details of these residential apartments as I am moving to Doha from Karachi in the next month. I would really appreciate your help in this matter.

By wyp• 21 Jan 2008 21:56
wyp

...are generally more expensive than KL. But if you're referring to food that's imported from UK/ US, then it's about the same. Seafood, veg, fruits are more expensive here. It really depends on what you tend to buy. I spend about QR150 a week at Carrefour for just 1 person, but that includes stuff like junk food.

I suggest you sign up to the Malaysian Qatar Yahoo group & post your questions.

By anonymous• 20 Jan 2008 22:39
anonymous

I respect that...

Very nice from you.

The Red Pope of Qatar Living

By amnesia• 20 Jan 2008 21:58
amnesia

@Jauntie, we really should don't you think?! And we'll charge HALF of what these agencies charge. (I'm really thinking seriously now!)

@red, all free free free! But if Jauntie's joke becomes serious, then why not!

__________________________

By anonymous• 20 Jan 2008 05:44
anonymous

All this housing brokerage you are doing, Is it free service from your behalf? or there is a small fee to pay for your services?

The Red Pope of Qatar Living

By jauntie• 20 Jan 2008 05:25
jauntie

you fancy starting a real estate agency with me? :D

By jauntie• 20 Jan 2008 05:24
jauntie

I vacated a 2 bed apartment in Mansoura a few weeks ago - the rental was QR7,500.

The building wasn't let to one company.

It was a nice apartment, with a very good management company, just needed a lick of paint.

Having looked around for a new place I would think your 8-9000 would be OK unless you want a huge place with a sea view :D

Have you checked the Newspapers? That's where to find the agents and got taken around to look at places.

By malinis• 20 Jan 2008 04:29
malinis

Hi Amnesia

Can I manage to get a 2 bedroom unfurnished apartment in Doha for about 8,000 to 9,000 riyals?

Also, i think doha would be more expensive than KL in terms of groceries and food. But having said that when I did a cost comparison of groceries from Lulu and a high price supermarket in Kl, i came out with the same cost per week for a family of 4. So, i really dont know what to believe.Here in Kl I spend about RM 250 to 300 for a week's groceries. I think I would spend about the same in Doha for a family of 4.

Your response would be much appreciated

Ciao

By spicemom• 22 Dec 2007 09:09
spicemom

been in doha 3.5 yrs now and still i aint ready to leave , never compare one place to another no 2 places are the same. btw i dont stay home feeling bored.....lol no time for that.where ever i may be living i make the best of it. 'things to do ' dont come knockin on yr door btw go out look, see and ye shall find. as for us with our teenage son we just love the desert, dunes and we try to go camping every opportunity we get. and as for friends we have made many good friends here and if only we had more time or more of us to go around......:O).each week end is as busy as the previous week end. you are wat u make of the place. if u are negative then negative it is.......

life's too short so make the most of it, you only live but once.......

By ksarat16• 22 Dec 2007 08:44
ksarat16

Hey Tam,

How you doing mate...indeed Rents are on the way higher side unfortunately...but didn't actually get what 3 apts are you referring to...

Boy, let me tell ya, it is tough to find a decent place at a decent price, but then its not all that bad you see...

Life is interesting, hey you cant argue can ya...you have some good points and some negative...so thats the way it is...

Regd accommodation dont worry (TOO MUCH), you would be able to find a good place and I can get more specific if we know whats your budget...and the type of place...1 b/r or a 2 b/r and stuff like that...put down your requirements , we will put down the price...it is more like the PRICE IS RIGHT GAME...LOL

So take it easy matey, and come on down here, we need someone new, it is getting boring in here...LOL...to pull your leg...

CHeers...

And ofcourse, Happy festive season...

----------------------------------------------

TrendSet Events Presents

" Shaan - Voice of India - Live in Qatar "

" JANUARY 10th 2008 @ Khalifa Tennis Complex "

BE THERE OR BE LEFT OUT ! ! !

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By Tam• 22 Dec 2007 07:21
Tam

Hello there,

i couldnt help askng you about those 3 apartment, r they still for rent?

i am moving to qatar next month and every body saying that rent is crazy..

i'll be living at the company accomodation for the 1st 3 months but then i need to move to my own place.

looking 4ward 4 ur reply

Tam

By amnesia• 3 Dec 2007 09:24
amnesia

alright Medo, we get it, you don't like Doha.

I'm sorry to say this but if you have such a hard time and don't like it (whereas there are clearly MANY that do), just stop wasting time on a site called Qatar LIVING.

In Dubai, you ALSO need permission to leave the country (so you don't run away from your contract and obligations).

It is CHEAPER than Dubai.

There are plenty of good places, plenty of places to shop and alot of things to do. YOU just don't know where to go. I'm sorry if you don't have any positive people around you or if you have a crap job which made you give up on the WHOLE country.

MOVE ON.

Your advice is nothing based on one persons love for another city.

I love Shanghai, but I don't bad-mouth other cities with baseless comments.

I can't belive that you think that Doha is more expensive than Dubai.

Send me a PM Brendan if you do decide to come, I've got three brand new apartments for 4k-5.5k a month in a compound and pool. I'll give you the details.

Some ideas of things to do include

1) Malls

2) Cinema

3) Old Souq (Just been updated to be a bit more modern but contain the same traditions)

4) Many Cafes and Sheesha places

5) Clubs (relaxation and sporting)

6) Clubs (Dancing and Drinking)

7) Dune Bashing

8) Dune Surfing

9) Football Fields (which are free)

10) Running, blading, cycling on the corniche

11) Riding the Dhow

12) Swimming at the beaches or going to the small islands

I can give you 50 more fun things to do.

Don't worry, some people are just sour. There are bad sides and good sides, but some people are just drama queens.

__________________________

By anonymous• 30 Nov 2007 12:59
anonymous

you will make the same mistake which i did last october when i came from dubai to Qatar

it is completely boring country and so expensive and the laws here is so bad u can't even leave the country if u have emergency unless your sponser give u permision

also it is so constly and the quality of live is so poor, no good places for fun or shoping

really it was big mistake, i will never do it again

my problem that my company shifting me from dubai ti qatar as well as some of colleges

really all of us want to go back now but no way

so i give you my honest advise forget that offer

you will spend the mony to get falt and to live in bad condidtion belive me my salary was 15k now it is 22k but is it exaclty same because of the cost of live

By Brendan• 30 Nov 2007 12:46
Brendan

thanks all - i will consider the pros and cons before accepting the offer.

cheers.

By anonymous• 27 Nov 2007 18:42
anonymous

Please its unfair to compare to different story together. Actually you cAN NEVER compared 2 cities as each of them has advantages and disadvantages. for example I went to Geneva and I hated it!! so please we have to be fair in comparison.

dubai and doha is applying two different policies. you need to c which you like better and at the end of the day It is your decision!

By amnesia• 27 Nov 2007 02:39
amnesia

Obviously I cannot answer the question about the roads in Lusail but Lusail is a completely different city. (It's a city not a housing project)

The roads have already been preplanned before construction. (see www.lusail.com )

As for roads leading to Lusail, there is only one road because the city has just started. It would be a huge mistake to build roads before the boundaries are set.

Do you know that the country is at capacity? Not enough labourers, not enough cement even, not enough steel, etc... Once the major construction is completed then focus will be able to shift and companies will all be bidding for government projects.

__________________________

By knoxcollege• 27 Nov 2007 00:25
knoxcollege

The problem is not development, the problem is the pace and the planning. The execution is going way too fast without considering the risk factors involved. Everything needs to be planned well before time and no one is doing the planning. They have to take into account the risk factors and everything.

Taking about Lusail they government is constructing apartments but what about the roads. The present roads are insufficent to cope with the huge traffic surge when the people move in.

Result will be roads closed for construction with no alternative access. There is just one road to Lusail, Wakrah and when it is under maintenance, you do the math.

It seriously makes me wonder what is wrong with the planners why havent they thought about all this.

By Cornellian• 27 Nov 2007 00:19
Cornellian

Actually, it's amazing and quite scary at the same time. Faster doesn't always mean better, I mean everything's moving at such a fast rate, mistakes are more prone to happen which will only come back to bite us in the ass.

I'm not always right, but I'm never wrong :P - Garfield

By amnesia• 27 Nov 2007 00:15
amnesia

@knox, I was doing a bit of thinking and since there is the estimation that alot of the construction will be completed within 6 months and that both Wakra and Lusail are being worked on, I'd say that we'll see a massive shift in rent.

Sorry to talk about rent again guys, wrong thread for it.

What Knox says is true, everything is so fresh in Doha. Dubai's had time to work out the kinks, they've had years. Considering the time factor though, it's amazing that Doha is where it is.

__________________________

By Cornellian• 27 Nov 2007 00:04
Cornellian

Oh don't compare Dubai's infrastructure to Doha's. In Dubai, an entire highway is fixed in days, here it takes months to fix a small side road :-(

I'm not always right, but I'm never wrong :P - Garfield

By knoxcollege• 27 Nov 2007 00:00
knoxcollege

Doha is cheaper than dubai in all aspects is true BUT the salaries in Dubai are comparatively more than in Doha.

Regarding the rents the problem is that the Government in Qatar just developed Doha. They forgot cities outside doha and everyone wants to live in Doha so the rents are very high in Doha and there is no other place to live outside doha as most of them are very much under development.

Dubai is much more planned and organized whereas in Qatar urban planning and development is relatively new. For example whenever they block access to a road for maintenance in Qatar they forget to provide an alternative.

By amnesia• 26 Nov 2007 23:44
amnesia

DOha is cheaper than Dubai in all aspects, so you'll save more than if you were living there.

@algren, check the entertainment thread, if you're bored, it's because you aren't searching for something to do.

Myself and T_Coffee made a lovely list of things to do.

__________________________

By algren• 25 Nov 2007 10:56
algren

Life here is friging boring..other than stayin at home..there is'nt much to do..Life wud be hell bachelors here in doha,,

By mrbeeakalilben• 23 Nov 2007 18:55
mrbeeakalilben

you can have a different fun in doha by sitting at home

By Cornellian• 23 Nov 2007 17:12
Cornellian

Cost of living is less because there's generally less entertainment and stuff to spend on. Rent is crazy expensive. Night life is nothing compared to Dubai's, there are a few bars and no proper clubs, every once in a blue moon there's a party held at one of the hotels.

As for ur fiance, she can come here but not on ur sponsorship, she can come on a tourist visa and keep renewing it until u get married and then u can get her the RP on ur sponsorship or she would have to have a job her ready before u guys come so that her company would sponsor her. It is illegal for u to live together but alot of people do it, as long as ur discreet and don't bug anyone than noone will notice.

I'm not always right, but I'm never wrong :P - Garfield

By t_coffee_or_me• 23 Nov 2007 16:52
t_coffee_or_me

been to dubai a couple of times nothing beats DOHA but doha as its own charm and wont chnge it for dubai

[img_assist|nid=50852|title=hmm|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=|height=0]

I would rather have one rose and a kind word from a friend while I'm here

Than a whole truck load when I'm gone

By eugenooo• 23 Nov 2007 16:48
eugenooo

have u ever been or work in dubai?!

By t_coffee_or_me• 23 Nov 2007 16:34
t_coffee_or_me

Beaches are

Wakhrah

khor

ummsaid

al ghariya

to name a few... many more

[img_assist|nid=50852|title=hmm|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=|height=0]

I would rather have one rose and a kind word from a friend while I'm here

Than a whole truck load when I'm gone

By Freon• 23 Nov 2007 16:21
Freon

Don,

I wouldn't think the traffic is that much different anymore,i have been here three months and i find the traffic, busy from early morning to after 9pm.

I live in Hilal and the D ring can be very difficult to get onto in the mornings especially signal roundabout.

By Don Corleone• 23 Nov 2007 15:49
Don Corleone

There is a total of seven families who just moved from Dubai to my compound and they all hate Doha. Its nothing to compare to Dubai, although less traffic and less stress. other than that, Dubai is in different league so please do not compare.

I always tell the truth, even when I lie

By Freon• 23 Nov 2007 15:21
Freon

Hi Coffee,

where are all the great public beaches in Qatar ?

By t_coffee_or_me• 23 Nov 2007 14:10
t_coffee_or_me

Doha is not Dubai.... but it has its own charm cost of living standard is the same ,nightlife is not so like dubai but we love it, beaches are far better then dubai parks are OK

regarding your fiance you will have to get atleast paper marriage in the embassy if not then you cannot

[img_assist|nid=50852|title=hmm|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=|height=0]

I would rather have one rose and a kind word from a friend while I'm here

Than a whole truck load when I'm gone

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