Where to Live in Doha

This is quite a busy commercial area with plenty of shops, cafes, juice bars and local businesses. It is probably more suited to single people or couples with no kids.

It has very limited parking, so traffic tends to often jam up, especially on Al Mirqab Street. It has a few olders malls, such as Centrepoint and Royal Plaza.

It’s mostly apartments here with a couple of older compounds and you would expect to pay roughly around QR 8,000-10,000 per month for a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment.

Due to its close proximity to the Villaggio Mall and Aspire Park, this is a popular area for families. It also has some schools and nurseries close by. There are lots of compounds in this area and some standalone villas.

The new Al Waab City development is still under construction, but it is planned to be a city within a city and will have shops, restaurants, parks and accommodation when completed.

Most compound villas in the Al Wabb area are roughly between QR 15,000 - 20,000 per month for a four-bedroom villa on a compound with facilities.

This is becoming a popular area with families. It is close to Landmark Mall with a Carrefour and also the new Lulu Hypermarket. It also has lots of cheap useful shops close by on Khalifa Street. There are a lot of schools in the area, such as Compass School, Doha English Speaking School (DESS), Blyth Academy and International School of London, as well as kindergartens, such as Starfish Lane. There is a mix of stand-alone villas and compounds, including Riviera Gardens, which is a very popular and sought-after compound. You would expect to pay roughly around QR 16,000 per month for a 3-bedroomed villa.

This is a popular residential area due to the number of new compounds and stand-alone villas being built and it is slightly cheaper than other parts of town. It is close to several schools, such as Park House English School, Al Jazeera Academy, Doha British School and Doha College. There are also lots of nurseries/kindergartens in the area. It is very close to fish and vegetable markets as well as the Plant Souqs. Safari Mall is close by, as well as a Carrefour on Mesaimeer Road. Compound living is the main option here and you can get a 4-bedroom villa unfurnished from QR 14,000 per month.

You might also be interested in…

• School Fees in Qatar
• Doha Qatar Schools List
• Nurseries in Qatar

West Bay Lagoon has a variety of lifestyle options from high rise apartments to luxurious waterside villas. The Pearl adds the special touch to this much sought-after area.

City Centre Doha is close by with a Carrefour hypermarket inside as well as a new Carrefour Market in Lagoon Plaza, underneath the Zig Zag Towers. A lot of the five star hotels are in this area also, such as the Ritz Carlton, The Grand Hyatt, W Hotel, Intercontinental, Hilton, Four Seasons to name a few.

Newton School is close by as well as quite a few nurseries and kindergartens. A fully furnished apartment in the Zig Zag towers will be around QR 13,000 per month for a 2 bedroom. A large standalone villa will cost anywhere from QR 30,000 - 50,000.

This is one of the older areas of Doha with very busy main roads. Despite its close proximity to the airport, it is not under the flight path. There is very little green space here but the area is much cheaper for accommodation. There is a Lulu Hypermarket and The Mall close by and Shoprite on the Airport Road for imported items. There are lots of stand-alone villas in this area and some compounds, such as Al Fardan 1 and La Mirage. Newton Secondary School is close by. A lot of the compounds do tend to be a little bit older but you can pick up a 4-bedroom villa unfurnished for QR 13,000 per month or a 2-bedroom apartment for QR 6,000 per month.

This is one of the most talked about areas of Doha. It covers 985 acres of reclaimed land to the north of the Corniche. The developers are hoping this will become the Riviera of the Middle East.

Residents have top brand shops on hand as well as a selection of restaurants, including Gordon Ramsay’s Maze. Residential prices are a little higher here and it is definitely a place for couples and single people.

Apartments can be found from QR 13,000 upwards and a furnished 2-bedroom apartment will cost around QR 16,000. A 3-bedroom townhouse has been advertised from QR 25,000 per month. There are plans for primary and secondary schools to be built but at the moment, the closest is in West Bay, such as Newton School.

You can find Al Thumama adjacent to Old Airport area, just off the E Ring Road. It’s a lovely neighbourhood very popular with expats since it has easy access to many schools and nurseries. You can choose between a variety of villas and apartments to suit your budget. A 1-bedroom apartment will set you back around QR 6,500 monthly and a 2-bedroom from QR 8,500 monthly.

In Al Thumama, you’ll also find the Kahramaa Park. A state-of-the-art QR180 million educational and recreational park that encourages greenery and fights desertification by teaching residents and children about electricity and water conservation.

Wakra is located on the coast, roughly about 10 minutes drive from the outskirts of Doha and the Airport. It is a very small community with undeveloped beaches and has a very relaxed feel to the area. Most of the housing is rented by single lower-income men as the rates are so much cheaper than Doha. A two-bedroom apartment starts at QR 8,000 per month. Schools in Al Wakra are mostly independent schools, so most expats tend to use an international school within Doha and this can take quite some time to commute back and forth each day.