Easy Basics but a Demanding Work Life in Doha
Doha ranks 24th out of 50 in the Expat City Ranking 2022 and is among the best destinations in the Expat Essentials Index (5th). Expats are especially happy with the availability of administrative/government services online (80% happy vs. 61% globally), ranking the city eighth for this factor. The Language Subcategory (9th) is another highlight: 80% of expats in Doha find it easy to live there without speaking the local language (vs. 51% globally). However, the city ranks in the bottom 10 for unrestricted access to online services (44th).
The city ranks midfield in both the Ease of Settling In (22nd) and the Working Abroad (29th) Indices. On the positive side, over three in four expats (77%) feel that moving to Doha has improved their career prospects (vs. 60% globally), and 90% are happy with the state of the economy (vs. 64% globally). On the negative side, the city comes in 42nd place for both working hours and work-life balance. In fact, expats in Doha work an average of 46 hours per week, compared to 40.2 hours globally. A Tunisian expat shares that there are “too many working hours, you can barely have a life”.
Moreover, expats do not feel that they are properly rewarded for their demanding working life: 28% find that they are not paid fairly for their work (vs. 20% globally). Financial frustrations are also present in the Personal Finance Index (36th). For more than one in three expats (34%), their disposable household income is not enough to lead a comfortable life (vs. 28% globally), which leads to a bottom 10 ranking for this factor (42nd).
Expats have very mixed opinions regarding the Quality of Life Index (25th). The Health & Well-Being Subcategory (3rd) is a major highlight for expats in Doha. They find healthcare to be both affordable (76% happy vs. 61% globally) and easily available (85% vs. 73% globally). The quality of medical care also does not disappoint, with Doha ranking sixth worldwide for this factor. “The general governance of healthcare” is an element of life in Doha that an expat from Kenya enjoys the most. While Doha places in the top 10 for personal safety (6th) and political stability (10th), 28% of expats do not feel that they can openly express themselves and their opinions (vs. 18% globally). They also struggle when it comes to the Environment & Climate Subcategory (41st). For example, the city ranks last worldwide for its natural environment (50th): 27% rate this factor negatively, compared to 8% globally.
