Are you planning on working in Qatar as a single expat? Living alone in a foreign land isn’t the easiest thing to do, and you have to be able to manage your expenses doing so. You’re probably wondering what the cost of living in Qatar is. You may think that Qatar is an expensive country since it is the richest in terms of per capita GDP. You may have seen videos or read articles about Qatar having these top of the line brands and luxury malls, and that may lead you to think that a luxurious lifestyle is required to survive in Qatar.
To learn more about cost of living in Qatar, we can refer to examples from individuals who have actually worked there as singles. Many Filipino expats have vlogged their experiences in Qatar and shared their actual costs. Although anecdotal, the information that we can obtain in this article from a single expat in Qatar gives us an idea about how much we can spend living and working alone in the country.
What is the Cost of Living Among Single Expats in Qatar?
Check out the following video about the cost of living in Qatar from the Youtube Channel AkoSiChiee. While the video initially talks about personal updates, the second half of the video focuses on the vloggers expenses and also shares about how other Filipinos are living and spending in Qatar.
Where to Stay in Qatar
When you’re working as a single expat in Qatar, you can adjust your lifestyle so that you can save money. Since you basically don’t have to worry about someone else other than yourself, you have the option of living in a bed space which will help you save. The vlogger mentioned that one of the cheapest bed spaces available is worth QR 500, which is equivalent to around 6,975 Philippine Pesos.
Having said that, many Filipino expats in Qatar live in a compound-type location consisting of several homes in one community. A house rental in such a community is wroth around QR 2000, which is equivalent to 27,915 Philippine Pesos. While expensive, the flat already offers 3 rooms and 2 bathrooms. In some cases, to save more money, 3 people share one room, even if they’re not related. They just build a partition for privacy.
Expenses in Qatar
According to the video, the base salary in Qatar is around QR 2000. That means there are salaries much higher than that and rarely does the salary get lower. As a single expat, if you have this salary, then living in a bed space will help you save money. You spend QR 500 for the bed space, then maybe you give QR 1000 to your family back in the Philippines. That leaves you with QR 500 for food and other expenses.
For the remaining QR 500 you have, you can probably spend QR 200 for monthly expenses on food, but this is really stretching it. That leaves you with QR 300 for savings. You can even spend some of the remaining money on transportation, like taxis. In fact, according to the vlogger, for most of the Filipino workers in Qatar, they don’t even think about saving; they give everything they have to their families back in the Philippines. That is their way of investing for the future and helping their families at the same time.
If you are entering Qatar through an agency, one scenario is that you will be paid less, for example QR 1500 per month, but you will get free accommodation plus free transportation. Once you receive your salary, pay your rent right away, save money for food and other expenses, savings, send money to your family, then you can spend the remaining money for your wants and other extra expenses.
Why Work as a Single Expat in Qatar?
The good thing about being a single expat in Qatar is independence and freedom, and the lessons that go along with it. By working as a single expat, you don’t have to worry as much about people around you, the way families or couples working in Qatar do. Of course, working alone in Qatar is not for everybody, but to some it is a way to grow, have fun, be independent and take care of themselves.
Whether you are working as a single, couple, or family in Qatar, one thing’s for sure: Qatar offers great opportunities for personal growth unlike many other countries. It is surely a blessing to be a part of Qatar’s strong and robust work force.